Sri Lankabhimanya

One of the highest national awards of Sri Lanka

Sri Lankabhimanya
ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය
சிறீ லங்காபிமான்ய

Awarded by

The Government of Sri Lanka
Type| Title of honor/Order of merit
Established| 1981
Eligibility| Sri Lankan citizens
Criteria| Exceptional and distinguished service to the nation
Status| Currently constituted
Statistics
First induction| 1986
Last induction| 2023
Total inductees| 9
Precedence
Next (higher)| None
Next (lower)| Deshamanya
Equivalent| National Hero of Sri Lanka

Ribbon of the medal

Sri Lankabhimanya (Sinhala: ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය, romanized: Śrī Laṅkābhimānya; Tamil: சிறீ லங்காபிமான்ய, romanized: Ciṟī Laṅkāpimāṉya; The Pride of Sri Lanka) is the highest national honour of Sri Lanka, which is awarded by the President of Sri Lanka on behalf of the government, equivalent to the National Hero of Sri Lanka. It is the country's highest civil honour and is conferred upon "those who have rendered exceptionally outstanding and most distinguished service to the nation".[1]

The honour can only be held by five living Sri Lankans at any given time, and may also be conferred posthumously.[2] Karu Jayasuriya is the only living recipient of the award as of 2025. Since its initiation in 1986, the award has only been conferred to nine individuals.[3]

The honour is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the name of the person who receives the award.

## Insignia

[edit]

The insignia consists of a badge circular with blooming lotus in the centre and Sri Lankabhimanya written in Sinahala and Tamil around it. The badge is suspended from the neck by a ribbon with a blue centre and two marron line between separated by yellow boarders. A shoulder sash of the same colour is worn from the left shoulder to the right hip. A Sanasa (certificate) signed by the President of Sri Lanka is presented to the recipient.

## Recipients

[edit]

Key

Living recipient

Posthumous recipient

|

List of Sri Lankabhimanya award recipients  #  | Year  | Recipient  | Field  | Conferred by

|
|
|
|

1  | 1986 | Ranasinghe Premadasa
(1924–1993) | Government | J. R. Jayewardene
2  | 1993 | Dingiri Banda Wijetunga
(1916–2008) | Government | Ranasinghe Premadasa
3  | 2005 | Arthur C. Clarke
(1917–2008) | Science | Chandrika Kumaratunga
4  | 2005 | Lakshman Kadirgamar
(1932–2005) | Government | Chandrika Kumaratunga
5  | 2007 | A. T. Ariyaratne
(1931–2024) | Civil service | Mahinda Rajapaksa
6  | 2007 | Lester James Peries
(1919–2018) | Cinema | Mahinda Rajapaksa
7  | 2007 | Christopher Weeramantry
(1926–2017) | Law | Mahinda Rajapaksa
8  | 2017 | W. D. Amaradeva
(1927–2016) | Music | Maithripala Sirisena
9  | 2023 | Karu Jayasuriya
(born 1940) | Government[4] | Ranil Wickremesinghe

## References

[edit]

1. ^ Gunawardena, Charles A. (2005). Encyclopedia Of Sri Lanka. Sterling Publishers Pvt. Ltd. p. 254\. ISBN 9781932705485.
2. ^ "Prestigious 'Sri Lankabhimanya'". Presidential Secretariat, Sri Lanka. Retrieved 6 June 2023.
3. ^ "Sri Lankabhimanya award for two distinguished Sri Lankans". Island. Retrieved 10 July 2013.
4. ^ "New honour for Karu Jayasuriya from President Ranil". 25 January 2023.

## External links

[edit]

* National Awards Conferred by His Excellency the President of Sri Lanka

* v
* t
* e

Orders, decorations, and medals of Sri Lanka

National honours|

* Sri Lankabhimanya
* Deshamanya
* Deshabandhu
* Veera Chudamani
* Vidya Jyothi
* Kala Keerthi
* Sri Lanka Sikhamani
* Vidya Nidhi
* Kala Suri
* Sri Lanka Thilaka
* Veera Prathapa
* Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana
* Sri Lanka Rathna
* Sri Lanka Ranjana
* Sri Lanka Ramya

Police awards and decorations|

| Gallantry/Meritorious|

* Janadhipathi Police Weeratha Padakkama
* Sri Lanka Police Weeratha Padakkama
* Sri Lanka Police Vishishta Seva Padakkama

|

Service|

* Sri Lanka Police Long Service Medal
* Desha Putra Padakkama
* Sewabhimani Padakkama
* Sewa Padakkama
* Sri Lanka Police First Aid Medal
* Purna Bhumi Padakkama

|

Campaign|

* Riviresa Campaign Services Medal
* Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal
* Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal

|

Anniversary|

* Ceylon Police Independence Medal
* Janaraja Padakkama
* President's Inauguration Medal
* 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal
* Sri Lanka Police 125th Anniversary Medal
* 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal

|

Obsolete|

* Ceylon Police Long Service Medal
* Ceylon Police Medal

|

Other honors and orders|

* National Heroes
* Justice of the peace

Honors by year|

* 1986
* 1987
* 1988
* 1989
* 1990
* 1991
* 1992
* 1993
* 1994
* 1996
* 1998
* 2005
* 2007
* 2008
* 2014
* 2017
* 2019
* 2023

* Prizes, medals, and awards
* Military awards and decorations

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