Sri Lankan honours system
Encyclopedia
The Sri Lankan national honours system is a fully indigenous honours system of titles, decorations and medals which are awarded to recognize achievements of, or service by, Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka
Sri Lanka, officially the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is a country off the southern coast of the Indian subcontinent. Known until 1972 as Ceylon , Sri Lanka is an island surrounded by the Indian Ocean, the Gulf of Mannar and the Palk Strait, and lies in the vicinity of India and the...

ns or others in connection with Sri Lanka. Until 1972, the British honours system
British honours system
The British honours system is a means of rewarding individuals' personal bravery, achievement, or service to the United Kingdom and the British Overseas Territories...

 was in place in Ceylon along with several indigenous titles (which were not awarded since 1948), however since 1956 no nominations were made for these honors and were automatically discontinued after Sri Lanka became a republic
Republic
A republic is a form of government in which the people, or some significant portion of them, have supreme control over the government and where offices of state are elected or chosen by elected people. In modern times, a common simplified definition of a republic is a government where the head of...

. Since 1981 a uniquely Sri Lankan system of National Honours have been introduced. These awards are titles that can be used by the recipients.

Awards are made by the President of Sri Lanka
President of Sri Lanka
The President of Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka is the elected head of state and the head of government. The President is a dominant political figure in Sri Lanka. The office was created in 1978 but has grown so powerful there have been calls to restrict or even eliminate its power...

 on behalf the Government of Sri Lanka. The President Secretariat is responsible for the administration of honours.

These are civil honour
Civil decoration
A civil decoration is a decoration awarded to civilians for distinguished service. Military personnel might also be eligible for services of a non-military nature...

s with different awards and decorations
Awards and decorations of the military of Sri Lanka
Awards and decorations of the Sri Lankan Military are military orders, decorations and medals which recognize service and personal accomplishments while a member of the Sri Lankan armed forces...

 of members of the military in the form of gallantry awards and campaign medals.

List of Honours

These include the following in the order of their ranking, which are used as titles;
  • Sri Lankabhimanya
    Sri Lankabhimanya
    Sri Lankabhimanya is the highest National Honor of Sri Lanka awarded by the President of Sri Lanka on behalf of the Government. It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the name of the person who received the award. It is the highest civil honour conferred for exceptionally outstanding...

     - awarded to a very limited number of highly distinguished individuals, with only 1 award per year.
  • Deshamanya
    Deshamanya
    Deshamanya is the second highest Sri Lankan national honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka as a civil honour.It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardee's name....

  • Deshabandu
    Deshabandu
    Deshabandu is a National Honours of Sri Lanka, a civil honour awarded by the Government of Sri Lanka. It is conventionally used as a title or prefix to the awardees name. Deshabandu ranks lower than Deshamanya.-Awardees:Awardees include:*N. H. Keerthiratne...

  • Veera Chadamani
  • Vidya Jyothi
  • Kala Keerthi
  • Sri Lanka Sikhamani
  • Vidya Nidhi
  • Kala Suri
  • Sri Lanka Thilaka

Other honours

  • Justice of the Peace appointments are commonly made as honours by the Minister of Justice
    Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms (Sri Lanka)
    The Ministry of Justice and Law Reforms is a ministry of the Government of Sri Lanka that directs implementation of Policies, plans and Programmes in respect of Justice and Law Reforms, as well as handles the administration of courts and prisons....

    . 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 recognized by the government and legislation is being drafted to stop such awards.

Former titles

  • Adhipadya
    Duke
    A duke or duchess is a member of the nobility, historically of highest rank below the monarch, and historically controlling a duchy...

     (Duke)
  • Sarmiwaraya
    Lord
    Lord is a title with various meanings. It can denote a prince or a feudal superior . The title today is mostly used in connection with the peerage of the United Kingdom or its predecessor countries, although some users of the title do not themselves hold peerages, and use it 'by courtesy'...

     (Lord)
  • Srimath
    Sir
    Sir is an honorific used as a title , or as a courtesy title to address a man without using his given or family name in many English speaking cultures...

     (Sir)
  • Maha Manya
    The Right Honourable
    The Right Honourable is an honorific prefix that is traditionally applied to certain people in the United Kingdom, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, the Anglophone Caribbean and other Commonwealth Realms, and occasionally elsewhere...

     (The Right Honourable)
  • Adigar
    Adigar
    Adigar, known as Adikarm in Sinhala, was a feudal title associated with high office during the existence of the Kingdom of Kandy. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King, these appointees made up the King's council of ministers...

     - Originally a Kandian title of high office continued by the British
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

  • Dissava
    Dissava
    Dissava was a feudal title associated with high office in the Kandian and central region of Sri Lanka. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King during the Kingdom of Kandy, these appointees headed the administration of a large province of the Kingdom known as a Dissava and was the...

     - Originally a Kandian title of high office continued by the British
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

  • Rate Mahatmaya
    Rate Mahatmaya
    Rate Mahatmaya was a feudal title associated with administration within the Kandian and central region of Sri Lanka. Persons were appointed to the title and office by the King during the Kingdom of Kandy, these appointees headed the administration of a large locality known as Korale, which was a...

     - Originally a Kandian title of high office continued by the British
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

  • Mudaliyar
    Sri Lankan Mudaliyars
    Mudali was a colonial title & office in Sri Lanka. The Portuguese colonials created the Mudaliyar class in the 17th century by enlisting natives of different castes form the coastal areas, who were most likely to serve the Portuguese masters with utmost loyalty. The Dutch continued the practice of...

     - Originally a Portuguese
    Portugal
    Portugal , officially the Portuguese Republic is a country situated in southwestern Europe on the Iberian Peninsula. Portugal is the westernmost country of Europe, and is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the West and South and by Spain to the North and East. The Atlantic archipelagos of the...

     title of office continued by the British
    United Kingdom
    The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...

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