Lionel Balagalle  General Lionel P. Balagalle RWP, RSP, VSV, USP, VSP was Sri Lankan general. He served as Commander of the Sri Lanka Army and Chief of the Defence Staff. Born in Colombo, both his parents were teachers. Having received his primary education in a rural school in Ratnapura, he attended Ananda College for his secondary education, he excelled in sports winning college colours. He was a senior school prefect and a cadet. Balagalle studied medicine before he joined the Ceylon Army as an Officer Cadet on 5 April 1965. Receiving his basic training at the Army Training Centre, Diyatalawa, he was commissioned as Second Lieutenant in the 4th Regiment, Ceylon Artillery on 5 April 1967. As an artillery officer he saw active service in the 1971 JVP Insurrection and later attended the Indian Army School of Artillery in Deolali from September 1971 to February 1972 for the Young Officers Course and from August 1977 to September 1978 for the Long Gunnery Staff Officers Course. In the 1980s Balagalle initiated the formal military intelligence operations while serving as the General Staff Officer (Grade 1) and thereafter the Principal Staff Officer in the Joint Operations Command with the rank of Colonel. Here he played a major role in planning the Vadamarachchi Operation and subduing the 1987–1989 JVP insurrection. He became the first Director of Military Intelligence and Commanding Officer of the Military Intelligence Corps, serving from 1990 to 1994. He had attended the Intelligence Staff Officers Course in Pune from August 1975 to October 1975 and the Intelligence Security Administration Course in the United Kingdom in September 1989. He had served as Brigade Commander of the 4 Brigade and the Artillery Brigade as well as Area Headquarters Wanni (1994). From January 1996 to December 1996, he attended the National Defence College. Promoted to Major General, Balagalle served as General Officer Commanding, Task Force 2 (for Elephant Pass, Pooneryn, Mullaitivu and Vavuniya areas), 51 Division. He then served as Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna and Commander Security Forces Headquarters – Wanni. In latter role, he conduced several offensive operations code named Rivibala (1998) and Ranagosha 1-4 (1999). Returning to Army Headquarters, he served as Deputy Chief of Staff and thereafter Chief of Staff of the Army. He was also the Colonel Commandant of Military Intelligence Corps (1997 - 1998) and Inspector-General of Artillery.