In April 1998 President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga awarded national honours to 78 individuals for distinguished services to mark the golden jubilee of Sri Lankan independence.
Deshamanya
[edit]Fourteen individuals received the Deshamanya honour:
- Ranjit Abeysuriya (1932–2014), lawyer
- W. D. Amaradeva (1927–2016), musician
- Ken Balendra (born 1940), businessman
- Chitrasena (1921–2005), dancer
- Charitha Prasanna de Silva
- H. L. de Silva (1928–2009), lawyer
- R. K. W. Goonesekera (born 1928), academic
- Tamara Ilangaratne (born 1925), politician
- A. T. Kovoor (1898–1978), academic
- Vernon Mendis (1925–2010), diplomat
- Christopher Rajindra Panabokke
- Duncan White (1918–1998), athlete
- Doreen Winifred Wickramasinghe
- Elanga Wikramanayake, lawyer
Deshabandu
[edit]Seventeen individuals received the Deshabandu honour:
- P. T. de Silva (1929–2015), physician
- Adhikari Mudiyanselage Dharmasena
- Thambimuttu Duraisingam
- S. D. Gunadasa (1931–2014), businessman
- Muhammed Abdul Hameed Muhammed Hussain
- Nowfer Saly Jabir
- Kolamba Patabendige Tissaweera Siriwardana Jinasena
- M. G. Mendis (1911–2000), trade unionist
- Chasnyn Musafer
- Rajapakse Pathirannehelage Jayaratne Pathirana
- Minuwanpitiyage Darmasiri Dayananda Pieris
- M. J. Perera (1915–2002), broadcaster
- Seekkubaduge Wilbert Silva
- Ananda Daivin Soysa
- Rajadurai Sellaiah Thanabalasundaram
- Balaupasakage Yasodis Thudawe
- Puvaneshwari Vaithianathan
Veera Chudamani
[edit]One individual received the Veera Chudamani honour:
- Manorani Sarawanamuttu
Vidya Jyothi
[edit]Nine individuals received the Vidya Jyothi honour:
- Arjuna Aluwihare
- Senaka Dias Bandaranayake
- M. A. Careem
- C. B. Dissanayake
- D. P. Anura Fernando
- J. B. Peiris, physician
- V. K. Samaranayake (1939–2007), academic
- Diyanath Samarasinghe
- R. O. Barnes Wijesekera
Kala Keerthi
[edit]Five individuals received the Kala Keerthi honour:
- Dharmasiri Jayakody
- Nalini Jayasuriya
- Premasiri Khemadasa (1937–2008), composer
- Iranganie Serasinghe (born 1927), actress
- Regi Siriwardena (1922–2004), academic
Vidya Nidhi
[edit]Three individuals received the Vidya Nidhi honour:
- Norman Rienzie de Silva
- S. K. Sayakkara
- Prematilake Wijesekera
Kala Suri
[edit]Nine individuals received the Kala Suri honour:
- Tissa Abeysekara (1939–2009), filmmaker
- Dharmasiri Bandaranayake (born 1949), film director
- D. V. Richard de Silva
- Parakrama Kodituwakku, poet
- Jayalath Manoratne (born 1948), dramatist
- J. S. B. Jaya Rani Perera
- S. A D. D. Samarasekera
- A. Sivanesa Selvan
- Jiffry Yoonoos
Sri Lanka Thilaka
[edit]Sixteen individuals received the Sri Lanka Thilaka honour:
- Karunapala Aprakke
- K. Arnis
- G. Liyanage David
- U. M. Haniffa
- H. K. Hettiarachchi
- K. S. Jayasena
- W. Jayathilaka
- M. R. T. Karunaratne
- Edmund Opanayake
- S. V. P. Tikiri Panikkiya
- Kuragala Pinsara
- D. C. M. Piyatilake
- Sunil Premadasa
- G. S. B. Senanayake
- T. A. Sirisena
- Piyadasa Wickramanayake
Veera Prathapa
[edit]Three individuals received the Veera Prathapa honour:
- O. R. A. K. Perera
- Amithapala Weerasinghe
- R. P. R. Wickramapala
Sri Lanka Rathna
[edit]One individual received the Sri Lanka Rathna honour:
- Susumu Saegi
References
[edit]- "Deshamanya for 14 Lankans". The Sunday Times. Colombo, Sri Lanka. 5 April 1998. Retrieved 26 August 2019.
- "National Honours". Colombo, Sri Lanka: Presidential Secretariat. Archived from the original on 26 January 2017. Retrieved 26 August 2019.