| Unit Name: | Sri Lanka Light Infantry |
| Dates: | 1 April 1881 – Present |
| Country: | Sri Lanka |
| Branch: | Sri Lanka Army |
| Type: | Light Infantry |
| Role: | Infantry/Light Role |
| Size: | 16 regular battalions, 9 volunteer battalions, 1 RFT battalion |
| Current Commander: | Col DAK Dissanayake WWV RWP RSP |
| Current Commander Label: | Centre Commandant |
| Garrison: | Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda. |
| Garrison Label: | Regimental Headquarters |
| Colonel Of The Regiment: | Maj Gen HMJK Gunaratne WWV RWP RSP ndc psc |
| Nickname: | SLLI |
| Motto: | "Ich Dien" German – (I serve). |
| Colors: | Red and Blue |
| Identification Symbol: | "LIGHT INFANTRY" shoulder tab |
| March: | "I am Ninety Five" |
| Mascot: | Kandula |
| Battles: | Second Boer War World War I World War II 1971 Insurrection Insurrection 1987-89 Sri Lankan Civil War United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti |
| Notable Commanders: | Gen. Sir John Kotelawala, KBE, CH |
| Anniversaries: | 1 April |
| Decorations: | 4 Parama Weera Vibhushanaya |
The Sri Lanka Light Infantry (SLLI) is the oldest regiment in the Sri Lanka Army and the oldest infantry regiment in the army. It is made up of sixteen regular battalions and nine volunteer battalions, and is headquartered at the Panagoda Cantonment, Panagoda.
The origins of the regiment goes back to the formation of the Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers (CLIV) which was formed on 1 April 1881 by a proclamation issued by the Governor of Ceylon; it was a reserve unit.
The first commanding officer of the force was Lt. Col. John Scott Armitage and the Colonel of the Regiment was HRH Albert Edward, the Prince of Wales. It is said that the Regimental March "I am Ninety Five" and the Regimental Bugle Call, in use up to now, was adopted soon after raising of the force. In the same year, the Unit had the distinction in that HRH the Prince of Wales accepted the Honorary Colonelcy of The Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteers, by virtue of which fact the Unit adopted his Crest and motto as Its badge. In 1892, a mounted infantry company was formed and later it became a regiment of its own by the name of the Ceylon Mounted Rifles.
The Ceylon Light Infantry Volunteer force troops were sent to South Africa in 1900, for the Boer war and after the distinguish service in South Africa the force obtained the Banner from HRH The Duke of York.In 1902, King Edward VII became the Colonel-in-Chief.
In 1910 with formation of the Ceylon Defence Force CLIV became a part of it and was renamed as the Ceylon Light Infantry. The regiment saw action during World War I along with allied troops. Soon after the war a regular element of the regiment was formed to take up garrison duties in Ceylon. This unit was named the Mobilised Detachment of Ceylon Light Infantry (Mob. Det., CLI). The regiment was again mobilized during World War II and was deployed in the Seychelles and the Cocos Islands. The third battalion was raised in 1941, a fourth battalion in late 1942, and a fifth battalion in April 1943. One battalion each was deployed at Colombo, Kandy and Trincomalee, with the fourth battalion under training and one battalion reserved for special duties. Soon after the war a regular element of the regiment was formed to take up garrison duties in Ceylon. This unit was named the Mobilised Detachment of Ceylon Light Infantry (Mob. Det., CLI).[1]
After Ceylon gained its independence from Britain in 1948 and with the Army Act of 1949 the CLI became the Ceylon Infantry Regiment and came under the newly formed Ceylon Army. But in 1950 the regiment once again became the 1st Battalion, The Ceylon Light Infantry becoming the regular unit and the Volunteer Battalion was re-designated as the 2nd (Volunteer) Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry.
The regiment was deployed for counter insurgency operations in during the 1971 Insurrection and in 1972, when Sri Lanka became a republic, the regiment changed its name to Sri Lanka Light Infantry. In the early 1980s units of the regiment has been deployed in the northern parts of the island. In the ambush of the Four Four Bravo patrol from the C Company of the 1st Battalion marked the beginning of the Sri Lanka civil war. Since then the SLLI has been deployed combat operations thought out the island and has expanded to its present size of 15 Battalions.
The regiment took part in the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti in 2003.[2] [3]
In 1881 a cadet platoon was formed at Royal College, Colombo attached to the CLI. This eventually expanded to became the Cadet Battalion, Ceylon Light Infantry under the Ceylon Defence Force. Later this unit became the Ceylon Cadet Corps, now known as the National Cadet Corps.
The regimental colours were awarded to the regiment in 1921 and on 22 March 1922 Ceylon Light Infantry was awarded with the King's and the Regimental Colours. When the first battalion regular force was formed HM Queen Elizabeth II presented the new colours to the battalion in 1949. The Queens and Regimentals Colours were presented to the 1st battalion on 21 April 1954 by HM Queen Elizabeth II. With the declaration of the Republic of Sri Lanka were land to rest within the regimental museum on 29 June 1974.[4]
In 10 October 1978 H.E. President J.R. Jayawardena awarded the President's and Regimental Colours to the 1st Bn SLLI and 2nd Vol Bn SLLI.
In early stage, from March 1881 to 28 November 1881 volunteer corps used an elephant and a coconut tree as their emblem.[5] With the declaration of republic of Sri Lanka 1st and 2nd battalions of CLI decided to retain as much with the configuration and pattern of the existing badge. As result of these suggestions, a new insignia was introduced with following details;