NEWLY APPOINTED DIRECTOR GENERAL ASSUMED DUTIES

2025-03-17

Commodore J U Gunaseela USP ndc psc was appointed as the 9th Director General of the Centre for Defence Research and Development with effect from 17th March 2025 by the Secretary to Ministry of Defence. The newly appointed Director General assumed the office in a ceremony held at the CDRD. The Deputy Director General, Chief Controller, Chief Coordinator, SO I and the Staff of CDRD were present at this occasion.

Commodore Janaka Ushan Gunaseela was educated at St. Sylvester’s College, Kandy. He joined the Kotelawala Defence Academy (KDA) as an Officer Cadet on 03rd November 1990 to 8th Intake and was commissioned in 1992 winning the ‘Sword of Honour’ which is awarded for the Best Midshipman from Naval and Maritime Academy Trincomalee.He successfully completed his BSc. (Electrical and Electronic Engineering) degree from KDA in 1994. Commodore Janaka Gunaseela has specialized in Electrical and Electronics Engineering at INS Valsura, Jamnagar, India in year 1996/1998. He has also a Master of Engineering Degree in Electronics and Telecommunication Engineering from the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. He has successfully completed a Missile/Weapon Maintenance Officers’ Course, in Israel Naval Academy, Haifa, Israel. Further he was involved in Research and Development work in the Sri Lanka Navy and has also been commended for his work by the Commander of the Navy. He has successfully completed the Naval Command and Staff Course in Naval War College, PLA China and National Security and Strategic Studies Course in National Defence College Sri Lanka. Commodore Janaka Gunaseela is a Chartered Engineer of the Engineering Council, United Kingdom and Engineering Council Sri Lanka, Member of Institution of Engineers Sri Lanka (IESL), Member of Computer Society Sri Lanka (CSSL) (Council member Jan 2020- Jan 2024), Member of Institution of Engineering Technology (IET) (Council Member of the Sri Lankan Chapter), Fellow Member of College of Military Engineering Technology Sri Lanka and a life Member of the Organisation of Professional Association (OPA) of Sri Lanka,

During his 34 years of unblemished naval career, Officer has served onboard number of ships and many land establishments. He has served as the Director Naval Electronic and Telecommunication Engineering, Director Naval Electrical Utility and Biomedical Engineering, Commodore Superintended Dockyard, Director Naval Electrical Fleet And Weapon Engineering, Commodore Electrical and Electronics Department East, Dean Faculty of Computing and Head of the Department (Electrical And Electronics Engineering) KDU Captain Electrical Department (North), Deputy Superintendent Of Dockyard (Electrical Engineering) East in the past decade. Commodore Janaka Ushan Gunaseela is married to Mrs.Dinushika Mohottigedara and blessed with a daughter Januli and a son Thisas.