Admiral Kanchana Banagoda, RSP, USP, is a Sri Lankan retired naval officer, who served as the 26th Commander of the Navy from 31 December 2024 till 1 July 2026.
Naval career Banagoda is an alumnus of Bandarawela Central College and S. Thomas' College, Bandarawela. He joined the Sri Lanka Navy on 15 September 1989 as an officer cadet in the 19th intake of the executive branch. After completing basic training at the Naval and Maritime Academy in Trincomalee, he attended Britannia Royal Naval College in Dartmouth, United Kingdom and was commissioned in 1991 as a Sub-lieutenant.
He completed the 'Sub Lieutenant Technical Course' at the Naval and Maritime Academy in 1994 and the Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) course at INS Venduruthy, Kochi, India, in 2000. He also completed a staff course at the Defence Services Command and Staff College (DSCSC) in Dhaka, Bangladesh.
Banagoda was appointed Chief of Staff of the Sri Lanka Navy on 16 August 2024 and served in that role until his appointment as Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy on 31 December 2024.
Commander of the Navy Banagoda was promoted to the rank of vice admiral and appointed the 26th Commander of the Navy on 31 December 2026 by President Anura Kumara Dissanayake. He was promoted admiral on 30 June 2026 and retired from services with effect from 1 July 2026. Damian Fernando succeeded him as the 27th Commander of the Navy.
Awards and decorations
Rana Sura Padakkama Uththama Seva Padakkama Sri Lanka Navy 50th Anniversary Medal Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal Sewabhimani Padakkama Sewa Padakkama Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal Purna Bhumi Padakkama North and East Operations Medal Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
Notes
References
External links Former Commanders of Sri Lanka Navy