Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was the first
rifle regiment of the Sri Lanka Army and was formed on 1 October 1956 at the
Imperial camp at
Diyatalawa. The first battalion primarily consisted of 60 officers and other ranks from the
Ceylon Light Infantry with Lt Col
R. D. Jayathilaka MBE as the first commanding officer. .This memorial dedicated to all military personnel of Sinha Regiment killed in action The D company of the
volunteer Ceylon Light Infantry was transformed into the
Rajarata Rifles under the leadership of Lt Col (later Colonel)
S.D. Ratwatte, and went on to become the 2nd Volunteer Battalion of the Sinha Regiment on 1 October 1956. On 1 October 1969 the 3rd Volunteer Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was formed at Hill School in
Nuwara Eliya. The regiment first saw action during the
1971 Insurrection and underwent an expansion with escalation of the
Sri Lankan Civil War. With the expansion of the regiment the Regimental Centre of Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment was established on 9 May 1988 at
Diyatalawa at the same location where the 1st Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was raised. Brig D Wijesingha was the first regimental commander. Later, on 21 October 1989 the Regimental Centre was relocated to Ambepussa Camp where the 1st Battalion of the Sinha Regiment was at that time. The regiment distinguished itself greatly during the
Sri Lankan Civil War including having three
Parama Weera Vibhushanaya and one
Weerodara Vibhushanaya recipients. In 1990 the elements of the 6th Battalion successfully held the old Dutch fort of Jaffna for two months while surrounded and under siege until it was relieved by the subsequent
Operation Thrividha Balaya. July 1991 the 6th Battalion garrisoned
Elephant Pass base when it came under siege with the
LTTE launching a massive attack on the base. The battalion held out what was termed the
battle of all battles until it was relieved following
Operation Balavegaya 18 days later. On 3 May 2005 a contingent of troops from the regiment took part in the
United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti. The Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment is the only regiment in the history of the Sri Lanka Army to produce an army commander holding the rank of a full general (four star) and later a Field Marshal as indicated in the notable members area. As a rifle regiment it marches in 140 steps a minute during parade when it is involved, together with the regimental band - the only Sri Lanka Army regiment to do so. General Officer Commanding 54 Infantry Division Major General AMC Abeykoon RWP RSP USP ndc assumed duties as the 20th Colonel of the Regiment of the Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment on 29 December 2025. Brigadier PMS Karunaratne psc assumed duties as the 27th Commandant of the Regimental Centre Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment on 19 December 2025 during a charm ceremony held at the Regimental Centre, Ambepussa. ==Units==