Air Vice Marshal (Retired) Sampath Thuyacontha has been appointed as the new Secretary of Defence for Sri Lanka.
Thuyacontha began his military career by joining the Sri Lanka Air Force on May 17, 1988, as part of the 19th Intake, and was commissioned as a Pilot Officer in the General Duties Pilot Branch in 1990. After completing his training that same year, he served as an operational pilot, flying Bell 212/412 helicopters.
In 2001, Thuyacontha was assigned as the Second-in-Command of No. 9 Attack Helicopter Squadron at the Sri Lanka Air Force Base in Hingurakgoda. He was later promoted to Commanding Officer of the squadron in 2005. Throughout his extensive career, he played an active role in all major military operations, including the Humanitarian War to liberate the North and East of Sri Lanka. He accumulated over 7,000 flying hours as an operational, VIP, and attack helicopter pilot.
Thuyacontha also served as the Defence Adviser at the Sri Lankan High Commission in Islamabad, Pakistan, for two years and was the Chief Instructor at the Defence Services Command and Staff College in 2014.
For his outstanding acts of gallantry and bravery during the Humanitarian Operations, he was awarded several prestigious decorations, including the “Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya” (WWV), “Rana Wickrama Padakkama” (RWP), and “Rana Sura Padakkama” (RSP) on multiple occasions.
