28 Facts About Denzil Kobbekaduwa

Lieutenant General Denzil Lakshman Kobbekaduwa, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP was a senior Sri Lankan Army officer who served in the 1971 Insurrection and the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was suspended following an alleged Ceylonese coup d'etat attempt in 1966 and was reinstated in 1970, attached to internal security prior to and during the 1971 Insurrection.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa served as the general officer commanding of the 1st Division and the 2nd Division; Overall Operations Commander, Eastern Sector, before taking up command as Overall Operations Commander, Northern Sector.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was killed on the eve of launching Operation Final Countdown to recapture the Jaffna Peninsula, when he was mortally wounded and much of his senior staff in his command killed when the Land Rover they were travelling in hit a landmine on the island of Kayts.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was born in Kandy to a Radala family.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was their second child and eldest of three sons.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa spent his early days at the Deldeniya Walauwa in the village of Deldeniya in Menikdiwela, Kadugannawa and at Amunugama Walauwa in the Amunugama village close to Kandy.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa received his primary education at Hillwood College and in 1948 entered Trinity College Kandy.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa represented the college at rugby, hockey, and cricket.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa captained the College 1XV in 1959 and won the Trinity Lion for rugby and was a school prefect.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa joined the Ceylon Army in May 1960 as an officer cadet.

In 1967, Denzil Kobbekaduwa was sent on compulsory leave following an alleged coup d'etat attempt in which the commander of the Ceylon Army, Major General Richard Udugama, who was a Kandian and a kinsman of Denzil Kobbekaduwa was implicated.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa spent his suspension focused on farming and rugby.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was a board member of the Duncan White Sports Foundation.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was promoted to the rank of major in June 1972 and was sent in 1975 to the British Army Staff College at Camberley to follow the command and staff course.

Brigadier Denzil Kobbekaduwa commanded the operation on the ground as the Brigade Commander of the 3 brigade group formed comprising two infantry brigades with supporting armored, artillery and air units of the Sri Lanka Air Force numbering 8000 personal.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa turned down the nomination that year and accompanied President JR Jayewardene to Islamabad for the fourth SAARC summit in 1988.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa launched operation "Operation Gajasinghe", withdrawing troops from Kilinochchi and strengthening the Army garrison at Elephant Pass, the critical land strip that linked the Jaffna peninsula with the mainland.

At this point, Major General Denzil Kobbekaduwa proposed an amphibious assault launched code named Operation Balavegaya.

In July 1992, General Denzil Kobbekaduwa returned to Colombo for his father's funeral.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa returned to his HQ in Palaly the next day.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa spent much of the night planning the upcoming offensive with Brigadier Vijaya Wimalaratne, Jaffna Brigade Commander and Commodore Mohan Jayamaha.

General Denzil Kobbekaduwa who was awake was then transferred to the Colombo General Hospital for surgery via helicopter; where a specialist team of surgeons were unable to save his life.

General Denzil Kobbekaduwa is considered as a loved and respectfully leader among Sri Lankan Army and the entire Sri Lankan community.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was admired for his kindness, humanity and his affection for his troops.

Several statues of General Denzil Kobbekaduwa were erected following his death, along with several roads named after him.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa was posthumously promoted to the rank of lieutenant general and awarded the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya, Rana Sura Padakkama, Uttama Seva Padakkama and Desha Putra Sammanaya.

Denzil Kobbekaduwa's widow received the Uththama Pooja Pranama Padakkama medal in 2010.