1998 Sri Lankan national honours

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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.

Contents

Deshamanya

Fourteen individuals received the Deshamanya honour:

  1. Ranjit Abeysuriya (1932–2014), lawyer
  2. W. D. Amaradeva (1927–2016), musician
  3. Ken Balendra (born 1940), businessman
  4. Chitrasena (1921–2005), dancer
  5. Charitha Prasanna de Silva
  6. H. L. de Silva (1928–2009), lawyer
  7. R. K. W. Goonesekera (born 1928), academic
  8. Tamara Ilangaratne (born 1925), politician
  9. A. T. Kovoor (1898–1978), academic
  10. Vernon Mendis (1925–2010), diplomat
  11. Christopher Rajindra Panabokke
  12. Duncan White (1918–1998), athlete
  13. Doreen Winifred Wickramasinghe
  14. Elanga Wikramanayake, lawyer

Deshabandu

Seventeen individuals received the Deshabandu honour:

  1. P. T. de Silva (1929–2015), physician
  2. Adhikari Mudiyanselage Dharmasena
  3. Thambimuttu Duraisingam
  4. S. D. Gunadasa (1931–2014), businessman
  5. Muhammed Abdul Hameed Muhammed Hussain
  6. Nowfer Saly Jabir
  7. Kolamba Patabendige Tissaweera Siriwardana Jinasena
  8. M. G. Mendis (1911–2000), trade unionist
  9. Chasnyn Musafer
  10. Rajapakse Pathirannehelage Jayaratne Pathirana
  11. Minuwanpitiyage Darmasiri Dayananda Pieris
  12. M. J. Perera (1915–2002), broadcaster
  13. Seekkubaduge Wilbert Silva
  14. Ananda Daivin Soysa
  15. Rajadurai Sellaiah Thanabalasundaram
  16. Balaupasakage Yasodis Thudawe
  17. Puvaneshwari Vaithianathan

Veera Chudamani

One individual received the Veera Chudamani honour:

  1. Manorani Sarawanamuttu

Vidya Jyothi

Nine individuals received the Vidya Jyothi honour:

  1. Arjuna Aluwihare
  2. Senaka Dias Bandaranayake
  3. M. A. Careem
  4. C. B. Dissanayake
  5. D. P. Anura Fernando
  6. J. B. Peiris, physician
  7. V. K. Samaranayake (1939–2007), academic
  8. Diyanath Samarasinghe
  9. R. O. Barnes Wijesekera

Kala Keerthi

Five individuals received the Kala Keerthi honour:

  1. Dharmasiri Jayakody
  2. Nalini Jayasuriya
  3. Premasiri Khemadasa (1937–2008), composer
  4. Iranganie Serasinghe (born 1927), actress
  5. Regi Siriwardena (1922–2004), academic

Vidya Nidhi

Three individuals received the Vidya Nidhi honour:

  1. Norman Rienzie de Silva
  2. S. K. Sayakkara
  3. Prematilake Wijesekera

Kala Suri

Nine individuals received the Kala Suri honour:

  1. Tissa Abeysekara (1939–2009), filmmaker
  2. Dharmasiri Bandaranayake (born 1949), film director
  3. D. V. Richard de Silva
  4. Parakrama Kodituwakku, poet
  5. Jayalath Manoratne (born 1948), dramatist
  6. J. S. B. Jaya Rani Perera
  7. S. A D. D. Samarasekera
  8. A. Sivanesa Selvan
  9. Jiffry Yoonoos

Sri Lanka Thilaka

Sixteen individuals received the Sri Lanka Thilaka honour:

  1. Karunapala Aprakke
  2. K. Arnis
  3. G. Liyanage David
  4. U. M. Haniffa
  5. H. K. Hettiarachchi
  6. K. S. Jayasena
  7. W. Jayathilaka
  8. M. R. T. Karunaratne
  9. Edmund Opanayake
  10. S. V. P. Tikiri Panikkiya
  11. Kuragala Pinsara
  12. D. C. M. Piyatilake
  13. Sunil Premadasa
  14. G. S. B. Senanayake
  15. T. A. Sirisena
  16. Piyadasa Wickramanayake

Veera Prathapa

Three individuals received the Veera Prathapa honour:

  1. O. R. A. K. Perera
  2. Amithapala Weerasinghe
  3. R. P. R. Wickramapala

Sri Lanka Rathna

One individual received the Sri Lanka Rathna honour:

  1. Susumu Saegi

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