Mahesh Senanayake

General N.U.M. Mahesh W. Senanayke, RWP, RSP, VSV, USP is a retired Sri Lankan Army senior officer who served as the Commander of the Sri Lanka Army from 2017 to 2019. Senanayake had previously been the Commander, Security Forces Headquarters – Jaffna, General Officer Commanding, 52 Division and Brigade Commander, Special Forces Brigade. Having started his military career as a military engineer, Senanayake became a special forces officer and is a veteran of all four phases of the Sri Lankan civil war, having served in both its Northern and Eastern theaters.

Following his retirement, Senanayake contested the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election as a third-party candidate and came in fourth place.

Education Educated at Ananda College, Colombo, he holds a Bachelor of Science in Civil Engineering from Jawaharlal Nehru University, Pune and is a graduate of the United States Army Command and General Staff College.

Military career Early career Senanayake enlisted in the Sri Lanka Army through its 16th Officer Cadet Intake (long course) on 16 October 1981 at the Sri Lanka Military Academy in Diyatalawa. Subsequent to completing his training, Senanayake was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the Corps of Engineers, joining the 1st Plant Engineer Regiment on 23 June 1983. Senanyake has also held the positions of Regimental Center Commandant of the Special Forces Regiment, Brigade Commander of the 211 Infantry Brigade: Vavuniya, and General Officer Commanding the 52 Division in Varani, Jaffna.

Reinstatement Following the results of the 2010 presidential elections, in which his former commandant Sarath Fonseka failed to defeat incumbent president Mahinda Rajapaksa, Senanayake fled the country, fearing reprisals from the Rajapakses. He returned to Sri Lanka following Maithripala Sirisena's victory over Rajapaksa in the 2015 presidential election, and was reinstated and appointed Military Secretary at Sri Lanka Army headquarters in February that year.

Political career Senanayake entered politics after his retirement from the army. He contested the 2019 Sri Lankan presidential election as a candidate of the National People's Party, and was endorsed by the National People's Movement. He finished as the fourth-most voted candidate in the election. Following his defeat, Senanayake assured voters that his party would contest as a group of professionals and intellectuals in the 2020 parliamentary elections.

Honors and decorations Senanayake has been awarded the Rana Wickrama Padakkama with bar and the Rana Sura Padakkama with bar for gallantry and the Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya and the Uttama Seva Padakkama for distinguished service.

Rana Wickrama Padakkama (with bar) Rana Sura Padakkama (with bar) Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya Uttama Seva Padakkama Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal (with clasp) Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal (with clasp) Purna Bhumi Padakkama North and East Operations Medal Riviresa Campaign Services Medal (with clasp) 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal (with clasp)

His badges include: the Special Forces Regiment Badge and Tab, Sri Lanka Engineers Badge, Special Forces Badge, Parachute Badge, Qualified in Command and Staff Course Badge and the Special Forces (Gold) Service Appraisal Badge.

In November 2021, he was inducted into the United States Army Command and General Staff College International Hall of Fame.

Personal life Senanayake is married, and has two daughters and a son.