Nalin Herath

Served in the in the Sri Lanka Army as a Colonel with over 31 years of loyal, distinguished, and unblemished service. Experienced in various roles, including command positions, Staff Officer (both in Sri Lanka and on United Nations overseas missions), and Instructor. Demonstrated leadership at strategic-level think tanks. Expert in managing and leading multinational, inter-agency teams and building strategic partnerships, with a proven ability to operate in challenging environments. Extensive experience operating in fragile and conflict-affected states through UN Peacekeeping Missions. Comprehensive training expertise encompassing institutional development, teaching international relations, advising senior leaders, operational planning, and security cooperation. A motivational speaker and lecturer.

• 12/09/22, Panelist at the International Conference of the ICRC themed 'Reducing Suffering during Armed Conflicts the Interface between Buddhism and IHL' held in collaboration with Chiang Mai University (CMU) and Shan State Buddhist University (SSBU), Thailand
• 02/07/24, Security Salon on 'Changing Regional Dynamics in the Middle East', Colombo, Sri Lanka
• 02/15/24, Webinar on 'South Asian Geopolitics in 2024: Lessons for Sri Lanka', Colombo, Sri Lanka
• 12/03/24, Panelist at 2nd Intl Symposium on Drug related Studies 2024 organized by the National Dangerous Drugs Control Board in co-partnership with JICA and the Colombo Plan Secretariat at Sri Lanka Foundation Institute in Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• 12/19/24, Panelist at the Seminar organized by the Laksman Kadiragamar Institute (LKI) in collaboration with ICRC on 'Artificial Intelligence and Autonomous Weapons Systems and the Challenges' in Colombo, Colombo, Sri Lanka
• 12/15/24, Indo-Pacific Future Forum - 2024, Chennai, India
• 01/02/25, First Colombo International Media Research Symposium (CIMRS - 2024) organized by Ministry of Mass Media, Colombo, Sri Lanka

• Air Vice Marshal Sampath Thuyacontha (Retd), Secretary, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters Complex, Sri Jayawardenepura, Kotte, secdefence@defence.lk, +94 76 4368 800
• Mrs. Indika Wijegunawardana, Additional Secretary - Civil Security and Development, Ministry of Defence, Ministry of Defence, Defence Headquarters Complex, Sri Jayawardenapura, Kotte, civilsecurity@defence.lk, +94 11 2335 792

• 11/07/23, Conference on Regional Security organized by Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and the Consortium of South Asian Think Tanks (COSATT), Nepal
• 12/18/23, General Bipin Rawat Memorial Seminar organized by Pune International Centre (PIC), India
• 03/18/24, Third Defence and Strategic Dialogue organized by the Centre for China Analysis and Strategy (CCAS), Savitribai Phule Pune University - India
• 04/23/24, Seminar lecture 'Labour Migrants from South Asia: Issues and Concerns' organized by Bangladesh Institute of International and Strategic Studies (BIISS) in collaboration with the Consortium of South Asian Think Tanks (COSATT) and Political Dialogue Asia Programme, Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), Dhaka, Bangladesh
• 09/12/24, Speech on the Challenges of BIMSTEC at a conference, Nalanda University - India
• 11/07/24, Lecture to the US National Defence University (NDU) delegation visiting Sri Lanka, Army Headquarters, Colombo Sri Lanka
• 02/24/25, Presentation at the Conference, 'Droughts, Floods and Fault Lines: A Regional Conference on Climate Security in South Asia' organised by Bangladesh Institute of Peace and Strategic Studies (BIPSS), Dhaka, Bangladesh
• 03/30/25, Lecture on 'Climate Security and South Asia's Strategic Response' at a conference organized by the Nepal Institute for International Cooperation and Engagement (NIICE), Nepal
• 05/15/25, Hosted the Conference as the Director General - Institute of National Security Studies (INSS), jointly organized by Consortium of South Asian Think Tanks (COSATT), INSS and the Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), Colombo Sri Lanka
• Invited by the Synergia Foundation to the FUTURES 2035 Round Table Discussion in Bangalore (06-08 Nov 25) representing SASSRI Think Tank and actively contributing to high level sustainability & security delegation.

• Author of the book, titled Globe in a Nutshell,book in Geopolitics on 03/01/17, MD Gunasena - Sri Lanka
• Author of the book titled Story of the World - Geopolitical Alliances and Rivalries, 01/01/23, MD Gunasena Pvt Ltd