SAFN Appoints Former Sri Lankan Chief of National Intelligence as Distinguished Senior Fellow

Washington, DC (December 21, 2025) – The South Asia Foresight Network (SAFN), a regional South Asia network of the Millennium Project, is pleased to announce the appointment of Major General Ruwan Wanigasooriya (Retd), former Chief of National Intelligence of Sri Lanka, as a Distinguished Senior Fellow.

“At a time when South Asia is confronting complex, multi-layered security challenges that directly affect regional and global stability, Major General Wanigasooriya’s experience and strategic insight will be of immense value to SAFN’s work,” said Asanga Abeyagoonasekera, Executive Director of SAFN.

Major General Ruwan Wanigasooriya (Retd) brings over 35 years of distinguished military and intelligence service. He most recently served as Sri Lanka’s Chief of National Intelligence (CNI), assuming duties in that role following a long and accomplished career in national security leadership.

An alumnus of Ananda College, Colombo, the Sri Lanka Military Academy, Diyatalawa, and the Officers Training School in Pakistan, Major General Wanigasooriya was commissioned into the Sri Lanka Artillery Regiment in 1986. Over the course of his career, he has held numerous command, staff, and instructional appointments across the Sri Lanka Army.

His key special appointments include serving as Military Assistant to the Army Commander, United Nations Military Observer in the Democratic Republic of Congo, and Military Spokesman and Director of the Media Centre for National Security. During Sri Lanka’s humanitarian operations, he commanded two brigades in Northern Sri Lanka. In the post-conflict period, he served as Director of Training at Army Headquarters, playing a critical role in preparing the Army to meet evolving security challenges.

Major General Wanigasooriya has also made significant contributions to military education and leadership development, serving in instructional and leadership roles at General Sir John Kotelawala Defence University, the Sri Lanka Military Academy, and the Defence Services Command and Staff College.

He holds a Master’s Degree in Military Arts and Sciences from the United States Army Command and General Staff College (1997) and a Master’s Degree in Management Studies from Kotelawala Defence University (2008). In addition, he specialised in Strategic Studies at Indonesia’s National Resilience Institute (Lemhannas) in 2016.

His international and policy experience includes representing Sri Lanka’s Ministry of Defence at UN Human Rights Council (UNHRC) sessions in Geneva and playing pivotal roles in initiatives such as the Defence Seminar and Exercise Cormorant Strike. He was also instrumental in establishing the Officer Career Development Centre and the School of Logistics of the Sri Lanka Army.

In recognition of his exemplary service, Major General Wanigasooriya has been awarded the Vishishta Seva Vibhushanaya (VSV) and the Uttama Seva Padakkama (USP).

SAFN, the regional network of the Millennium Project based in Washington, D.C., is a rapidly growing network dedicated to advancing multidimensional research in South and Southeast Asia. It brings together individuals, think tanks, and institutions committed to fostering foresight and innovation across the region.

For more information, please visit www.southasiaforesight.net.