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In the
Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-std=ISO ()), formerly known as Ceylon and officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka, is an ...
, individuals are recognized for personal bravery, achievement, or service with the with national honours. The national honours consists of several types of award: * National Honours are civil honours awarded for service to the nation, bravery, scientific achievement, achievements in arts, culture and drama. *
Decorations Decoration may refer to: * Decorative arts * A house painter and decorator's craft * An act or object intended to increase the beauty of a person, room, etc. * An award that is a token of recognition to the recipient intended for wearing Other ...
tend to be used to recognise specific deeds; **
Military decorations Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...
*
Medal A medal or medallion is a small portable artistic object, a thin disc, normally of metal, carrying a design, usually on both sides. They typically have a commemorative purpose of some kind, and many are presented as awards. They may be int ...
s are used to recognise service on a particular operation or in a specific theatre, long or valuable service, and good conduct. **
Military medals Military awards and decorations are distinctions given as a mark of honor for military heroism, meritorious or outstanding service or achievement. DoD Manual 1348.33, 2010, Vol. 3 A decoration is often a medal consisting of a ribbon and a medal ...
** Police medals Awards are made by the
President of Sri Lanka The President of Sri Lanka ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා ජනාධිපති ''Śrī Laṃkā Janādhipathi''; ta, இலங்கை சனாதிபதி ''Ilankai janātipati'') is the head of state and head of government of t ...
on behalf the Government of Sri Lanka, with the Presidential Secretariat being responsible for the administration of the honours.


History

Sinhalese monarchs rewarded their loyal subjects with titles and tokens of honor, with the last native kingdom, the
Kingdom of Kandy The Kingdom of Kandy was a monarchy on the island of Sri Lanka, located in the central and eastern portion of the island. It was founded in the late 15th century and endured until the early 19th century. Initially a client kingdom of the Kin ...
having an established system of honors that had been in practice since time immemorial. The British established their own system of honors for the island, incorporating indigenous titles and Imperial honors by the late ninteeth century. Until 1972, the
British honours system In the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories, personal bravery, achievement, or service are rewarded with honours. The honours system consists of three types of award: *Honours are used to recognise merit in terms of achievement a ...
was in place in Ceylon along with several indigenous titles, however, since 1956 no nominations were made for these honours and were automatically discontinued after Sri Lanka became a republic. The modern national honours of Sri Lanka was constituted in 1986 when the ''National Honours Act of 1986'' established a uniquely indigenous honours system of titles, decorations and medals which are awarded to recognise achievements of, or service by, Sri Lankans or others in connection with Sri Lanka. Several awards are
titular Titular may refer to: Arts, entertainment, and media * Title character in a narrative work, the character referred to in its title Religion * Titular (Catholicism), a cardinal who holds a titulus, one of the main churches of Rome ** Titular bish ...
.


Civil Honour

These include the following in the order of their ranking, which are used as titles;


For service to the nation


Sri Lankabhimanya

The
Sri Lankabhimanya Sri Lankabhimanya ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය, translit=Śrī Laṃkābhimānya; ta, சிறீ லங்காபிமான்ய, translit=Ciṟī Laṅkāpimāṉya; The Pride of Sri Lanka) is the highest n ...
is conferred to " those who have rendered exceptionally outstanding and most distinguished service to the nation". The honour can only be held by five Sri Lankans contemporaneously, and also can be conferred posthumously.


Deshamanya

The
Deshamanya Deshamanya ( si, දේශමාන්‍ය, translit=Dēshamāṉya; ta, தேசமான்ய, translit=Tēcamāṉya; Pride of the Nation) is the second-highest national honour of Sri Lanka awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a ...
(Pride of the Nation) is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour (after the Sri Lankabhimanya) awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka "for highly meritorious service".


Deshabandu

The
Deshabandu Deshabandu ( si, දේශබන්දු, translit=dēśabandu; ta, தேசபந்து, translit=Tēcapantu, translation=Patriot) is the third highest national honour awarded in Sri Lanka. It is awarded "for meritorious service". The ti ...
is the third-highest Sri Lankan national honour. It is awarded "for meritorious service".


Sri Lanka Sikhamani

The Sri Lanka Sikhamani (Sri Lanka's precious gem) is a national honour "for service to the nation".


Sri Lanka Thilaka

The
Sri Lanka Thilaka The Sri Lanka Thilaka ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා තිලක) is a non-titular national honour of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai ...
is a non titular national honour "for service to the nation".


For bravery


Veera Chudamani

The Veera Chudamani is a National Honour awarded " for acts of bravery of the highest order". Veera Chudamani ranks lower than Deshabandu.


Veera Prathapa

The
Veera Prathapa The Veera Prathapa ( si, වීර ප්‍රතාප) is a non titular national honour of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-s ...
is a non-titular national honour awarded " for acts of bravery of the highest order". Veera Prathapa ranks lower than Sri Lanka Thilaka.


For scientific achievement


Vidya Jyothi

The Vidya Jyothi is a national honour awarded " for outstanding scientific and technological achievements". It is the highest national honour for science in Sri Lanka for outstanding contribution to the development of the country through dedicated work in the chosen field. It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name. Vidya Jyothi ranks lower than Veera Chudamani.


Vidya Nidhi

The Vidya Nidhi is a national honour awarded " for meritorious scientific and technological achievements". Vidya Nidhi ranks lower than Sri Lanka Sikhamani.


For achievements in arts, culture and drama


Kala Keerthi

The
Kala Keerthi The Kala Keerthi ( si, කලා කීර්ති) is a Sri Lankan national honour awarded "''for extraordinary achievements and contributions in arts, culture and drama''". It is the highest national honour for arts, culture and drama in Sri Lan ...
is a national honour awarded " for extraordinary achievements and contributions in arts, culture and drama". It is the highest National Honour for arts, culture and drama in Sri Lanka. It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name. Kala Keerthi ranks lower than Vidya Jyothi


Kala Suri

The Kala Suri is a national honour awarded " for special contributions to the development of the arts". Kala Suri ranks lower than Vidya Nidhi.


For non-nationals


Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana

The Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana is the highest Sri Lankan honour for non-citizens, reserved for heads of state and heads of government with which Sri Lanka has friendly relations “in appreciation of their friendship towards and solidarity with the people of Sri Lanka”.


Sri Lanka Rathna

The Sri Lanka Rathna is a Sri Lankan honour, for foreigners or non-nationals, awarded " for exceptional and outstanding service to the nation". It comprises a citation and a gold medal studded with nine "navaratnas" (Sri Lankan gems) with a Manel symbol (the country's national flower).


Sri Lanka Ranjana

The Sri Lanka Ranjana is a Sri Lankan honour, for foreigners or non-nationals, awarded " for distinguished service of highly meritorious nature".


Sri Lanka Ramya

The Sri Lanka Ramya is a Sri Lankan honour, for foreigners or non-nationals, awarded "for distinguished service".


Order of precedence

*
Sri Lankabhimanya Sri Lankabhimanya ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකාභිමාන්‍ය, translit=Śrī Laṃkābhimānya; ta, சிறீ லங்காபிமான்ய, translit=Ciṟī Laṅkāpimāṉya; The Pride of Sri Lanka) is the highest n ...
*
Deshamanya Deshamanya ( si, දේශමාන්‍ය, translit=Dēshamāṉya; ta, தேசமான்ய, translit=Tēcamāṉya; Pride of the Nation) is the second-highest national honour of Sri Lanka awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a ...
*
Deshabandu Deshabandu ( si, දේශබන්දු, translit=dēśabandu; ta, தேசபந்து, translit=Tēcapantu, translation=Patriot) is the third highest national honour awarded in Sri Lanka. It is awarded "for meritorious service". The ti ...
* Veera Chudamani * Vidya Jyothi *
Kala Keerthi The Kala Keerthi ( si, කලා කීර්ති) is a Sri Lankan national honour awarded "''for extraordinary achievements and contributions in arts, culture and drama''". It is the highest national honour for arts, culture and drama in Sri Lan ...
* Sri Lanka Sikhamani * Vidya Nidhi * Kala Suri *
Sri Lanka Thilaka The Sri Lanka Thilaka ( si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා තිලක) is a non-titular national honour of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai ...
*
Veera Prathapa The Veera Prathapa ( si, වීර ප්‍රතාප) is a non titular national honour of Sri Lanka Sri Lanka (, ; si, ශ්‍රී ලංකා, Śrī Laṅkā, translit-std=ISO (); ta, இலங்கை, Ilaṅkai, translit-s ...
* Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana * Sri Lanka Rathna * Sri Lanka Ranjana * Sri Lanka Ramya


Non honours

* In the past, Justice of the Peace appointments were made as honours by the
Minister of Justice A justice ministry, ministry of justice, or department of justice is a Ministry (government department), ministry or other government agency in charge of the administration of justice. The ministry or department is often headed by a minister of ju ...
. This entitle the holder to place post nominals JP after his or her name. * Religious and civil institutions in Sri Lanka commonly award various titles, however these are not recognised by the government and legislation is being drafted to stop such awards.


See also

*
Military awards and decorations of Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan Armed Forces award medals and their associated ribbon bars in recognition of various levels of service, personal accomplishments and commemorative events while a regular- or volunteer serviceperson is a member of the Sri Lanka Army ...
* Awards and decorations of the Sri Lanka Police


References

{{Decorations by country Sri Lanka and the Commonwealth of Nations