President Anura Kumara Dissanayake presented the “Vishishta Seva Vibhushana” medal to 57 serving and retired senior officers of the Sri Lanka Army, Navy and Air Force at the Presidential Secretariat on Wednesday, the Daily Mirror reported.
The awards recognise distinguished and dedicated service by officers of the regular forces.
Addressing the ceremony, the President said the recipients had made an exceptional contribution to the country and its people while remaining committed to their duties under all circumstances. They had continued to serve, he said, regardless of whether it was day or night, whether weather conditions were favourable or adverse, or whether their lives were at risk.
Dissanayake said the country needed a public service characterised by that same dedication and accountability.
What the medal is
The Vishishta Seva Vibhushana is a distinguished military honour established by presidential proclamation. It is awarded to officers of the three armed forces who have completed at least 25 years of continuous service and maintained a commendable service record.
Its conferment, forfeiture and restoration are governed by regulations issued by the President and published in the Gazette — meaning the award can be withdrawn as well as granted, under rules that carry the force of a gazetted instrument.
Not reported
The Daily Mirror does not name any of the 57 recipients, give the breakdown between the Army, Navy and Air Force, or say how many were serving officers as against retirees. It does not report which service chiefs or ministers attended, does not state when the awards were approved, and does not say whether the ceremony covered a single year’s intake or a backlog.
This article is single-sourced. No other verified newsroom that our fetchers can reach had filed on the ceremony at the time of writing; Ada Derana carried a report on the President’s remarks, but its site returns an access block and the filing could not be dated or read.
