Brigadier M. H. Gunaratne, VSV, psc, SLAC (1930 - ) was a Sri Lankan military officer, former Commander Security Forces Headquarters - East (SF HQ (E)), Commander, Task Force I and Task Force III and Commandant, Army Training Centre[1] Educated at St Peter's College, Colombo, Royal College, Colombo and graduated from the University of Ceylon.
Gunaratne joined the army was commissioned into the Sri Lanka Armoured Corps in 1957 as a Second Lieutenant.
Later he became the commanding officer of the 4 (V) Design Ceylon Engineers; Army units in Mannar; Echelon Barracks; Army units in Jaffna; Sri Lanka Army Pioneer Corps and the 1st Reconnaissance Regiment, Sri Lanka Armoured Corps.
Becoming the Deputy Commandant, Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force, he was made the Commander, Task Force I (South) during the Insurrection 1987-89 and thereafter the Commander of Task Force III (North and North Central) with the escalation of the Sri Lankan Civil War.
Promoted to the rank of Brigadier he was appointed as Principal Staff Officer of the Joint Operations Command and thereafter Commander Security Forces Headquarters - East Major General Gunaratne was a graduate of the Defence Services Staff College in India.