War Heroes of the Navy honoured with the award of Gallantry Medals
 

The Gallantry Medals Awarding Ceremony organized to honour bravery and valour of the tri-service War Heroes, was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall under the patronage of His Excellency the President and Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Maithripala Sirisena, yesterday (27).

Two minute-silence was observed in honour of the service personnel who had made the supreme sacrifice in the defence of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the motherland, at the commencement of the ceremony where ‘Parama Weera Vibushanaya’ (PWV), ‘Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya’(WWV), ‘Rana Wickrama Padakkama’ (RWP) and ‘Rana Sura Padakkama’ (RSP) medals were conferred on personnel from the tri-services. Among them were three (03) recipients of Rana Wickrama Padakkama and one hundred and forty-one (141) recipients of Rana Sura Padakkama (RSP) from the Sri Lanka Navy, for their heroic efforts displayed in the battlefield. 

‘Parama Weera Vibushanaya’ is the highest form of medal that a serviceman can achieve which is awarded for acts of gallantry and of the military nature bravery in the face of the enemy performed voluntarily whilst on active service with no regard to the risks to his own life and security. ‘Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya’ is conferred as a reward for individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of a military nature of a high order in the face of the enemy, performed voluntarily whilst on active service. ‘Rana Wickrama Padakkama’ is awarded as a reward for individual or associated acts of bravery in the face of the enemy and performed voluntarily. ‘Rana Sura Padakkama’ is awarded as a reward for individual acts of distinguished conduct in the face of the enemy. 

The Gallantry Medals Awarding ceremony was also attended by Prime Minister, Hon. Ranil Wickremesinghe, State Minister of Defence, Hon. Ruwan Wijewardene, Minister of Regional Development Field Marshal Sarath Fonseka, Secretary to the Ministry of Defence, Eng. Karunasena Hettiarachchi, Chief of Defence Staff, Air Chief Marshal Kolitha Gunatilleke, Commander of the Army, Lieutenant General Krishantha de Silva, Commander of the Navy, Vice Admiral Ravindra Wijegunaratne, Commander of the Air Force, Air Marshal Kapila Jayampathi, senior officers and personnel from tri-forces and family members of fallen War Heroes.