16 Facts About Roshan Goonetileke

Roshan Goonetileke was a former Governor of the Western Province of Sri Lanka.

Roshan Goonetileke was appointed Chief of the Defence Staff in 2009 in an acting capacity which was confirmed in 2012 and he step down 2013, retiring from the Air Force.

Roshan Goonetileke was restored to active service in 2019, when he became the first to be appointed to the rank of Marshal of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Roshan Goonetileke followed his father by joining the Sri Lanka Air Force as an Officer Cadet in the General Duties Pilot Branch on 13 January 1978.

Roshan Goonetileke functioned as the Zonal Commander in both Northern and Eastern Zones, and commanded Air Force Bases Katunayake, Anuradhapura and China Bay.

Roshan Goonetileke functioned as Director Operations, Deputy Chief of Staff Operations and Chief of Staff, prior to being appointed the Commander of the Air Force on 12 July 2007.

Roshan Goonetileke was appointed as Acting Chief of Defence Staff on 16 November 2009 and was confirmed as Chief of Defence Staff on 28 February 2011 upon relinquishing Command of the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Roshan Goonetileke was appointed Chairman Board of Management of Civil Aviation Authority of Sri Lanka with effect from 5 October 2009 until relinquishing duties on 28 December 2011.

Roshan Goonetileke was appointed as Chairman of Waters Edge Ltd, a government-owned, multi-facility recreational and hospitality complex.

Roshan Goonetileke was promoted to the honorary rank of Marshal of the Air Force by President Maithripala Sirisena on 19 September 2019 for his service as the Commander of the Air Force during the final stage of the Sri Lankan Civil War.

Roshan Goonetileke is the first and to-date the only person to hold the rank and third person to be appointed to a Five star rank in Sri Lanka.

Roshan Goonetileke was appointed Governor of the Western Province by President Gotabaya Rajapaksa on 24 March 2020 succeeding Seetha Arambepola who resigned from the post of Governor to accept a national list appointment.

An avid sportsman, Roshan Goonetileke was heavily involved in the development of Sri Lanka Rugby, as the President of the Sri Lanka Rugby Football Union, serving two successful terms from 1 June 2010 to 11 January 2012.

Roshan Goonetileke has gained the SLAF Pilot Badge and the Staff Qualified Badge.

Roshan Goonetileke was admitted to the Degree of Doctor of Philosophy by the University of Kelaniya on 20 November 2009, in recognition of his professional achievements as the Commander of the Air Force.

Roshan Goonetileke is a Honorary Fellow of the Institute of Management in Sri Lanka.