Marshal of the Air Force W. D. M. J. Roshan Goonetileke, RWP, VSV, USP, ndc, psc is a senior officer of the Sri Lanka Air Force. The current Governor of the Western Province, Goonetileke had served as the Chief of the Defence Staff and Commander of the Sri Lankan Air Force.
He was the 12th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force (SLAF) and is the eldest son of the 5th Commander of the Sri Lanka Air Force, Air Chief Marshal Harry Goonatilake and the elder brother of Group Captain Shirantha Goonatilake, who was killed in action in 1995. He was the second serving service Commander to be appointed as Chief of Defence Staff whilst holding the office. Goonetileke is the most decorated officer in the history of the Sri Lanka Air Force and is held in high esteem for the role he played in ending the almost three decade long civil war that tore down the country’s economy and claimed thousands of lives. As a result, he was bestowed upon with the honorary rank of Marshal of the Sri Lanka Air Force in 2019, the first Sri Lankan to receive this honour.
Born on 28 February 1956, to Harry Goonatilake and Marian Perera, he had a younger brother and two sisters. Goonatilake completed his education at St Peter’s College, Colombo, where he excelled in both studies and sports.