Basil Gunasekara

Early life & education

Born to a planter in Katana, Asoka was the youngest child of a family of five members. Educated at Mahinda College, Galle where he was a champion athlete and a member of the senior cricket team and then at the Royal College, Colombo where he was a senior cadet of the Royal College Cadet Contingent, a champion athlete and played Cricket for Royal College.

Gunasekara first joined the Ceylon Police Force as a Sub-Inspector of Police on the recommendation of DIG Sydney de Zoysa, Director of Police Training. However he resigned three years later to join the Royal Ceylon Navy as a direct entry Sub Lieutenant in 1951 and received his training at the Royal Naval College, Greenwich followed by specialized training at Portsmouth and Plymouth. On his return to Ceylon he was assigned to HMS Newfoundland, flagship of the Royal Navy's East Indies Fleet. Later he graduate from the Defence Services Staff College, Wellington in 1963 and was the first Sri Lankan officer to attend the National Defence College, New Delhi in 1972.

Naval career

Gunasekara's first duty station was as training officer in the Naval Training Establishment at HMCyS Rangalla in Diyatalawa. In 1955 he was given his first command of a small base at Talai Mannar. During the 1958 communal riots he was sent to command the HMRCyS Tissa in Trincomalee which was the home of the Ceylon's Naval Fleet. Thereafter he underwent ASW at HMS Osprey in Portland. Making Lieutenant Commander in 1962 and he was an extra ADC to Governor General in 1965.

From 1964 to 1970 as a staff officer at the Naval Headquarters in Colombo before taking up command as the command of shore establishments in Colombo and Jaffna. In 1970 Commander Gunasekara was appointed Captain of HMRCy Gajabahu the flagship of the Royal Ceylon Navy. He became Chief of Staff of the Navy in 1971 and played a major role in during 1971 JVP Insurrection, when naval personal were deployed for shore duty to help the Army and Police in suppressing it.

In 1973 he was appointed as Commander of the Sri Lanka Navy, promoted to Rear Admiral and would hold the post for three years retiring in 1979, with the rank of Vice Admiral. During this time his Flag Lieutenant was Lieutenant (later Vice Admiral) Wasantha Karannagoda, who is the current Commander of the Navy.

During his long career in the Navy he received the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal and clasp, President's Inauguration Medal and the Sri Lanka Navy 25th Anniversary Medal.

In 2007 he was promoted to the rank of Admiral along with 9 other former service commanders.

Later life

After retirement, he served as General Manager of Ceylon Match Company for 12 years and Chairman, State Development and Construction Corporation for seven years. He was awarded the title of Deshamanya by the President of Sri Lanka for his services rendered to the country. At present he is the President of the Association of Flag rank Officers (ARFRO).

Family

Admiral Gunasekara married Clara Nagahawatte, a daughter of a former Mayor of Galle, E.D. Nagahawatta in 1953 and they have four children Sriyanga, Piyal, Kapila and Ranil. Piyal joined the navy and went on to achieve the rank of Commander before retiring after 20 years of service.