Jan 08, Colombo: Rear Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne assumed duties at the Coast Guard Headquarters today as the new Director General of Sri Lanka Coast Guard (SLCG).

Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne took the helm at SLCG from Rear Admiral Ruwan Dias who retired from SLCG on 07th January after completion of nearly one year as the DG.

Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne, a highly decorated Sri Lanka Navy officer was the Commander of the Eastern Naval Area of the Navy prior to his new appointment. A recipient of four gallantry medals for his bravery and valor for fighting against the LTTE terrorists, Rear Admiral Wijegunaratne has led the operations that destroyed several LTTE arms warehouse ships in mid sea .

Sri Lanka's Coast Guard, which functions under the Ministry of Defence and Urban Development and it is a non-military law enforcement agency at sea

. The SLCG was established in March 2010 and the new unit was headed by Rear Admiral Daya Dharmapriya. Rear Admiral Dias was the second naval officer to head the SLCG Department.