Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake awarded Prime Minister Narendra Modi the Mithra Vibhushana on Saturday. This is Sri Lanka’s highest civilian honour. The country honoured Modi for strengthening friendship between India and Sri Lanka. The award ceremony took place at the Presidential Secretariat in Colombo. President Dissanayake personally presented the medal to Modi.
Sri Lanka created the Mithra Vibhushana in February 2008. Then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa introduced the award. It honours foreign leaders who support Sri Lanka’s global relationships. So far, few people have received it. These include former Maldives President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
Modi Thanks the People of Sri Lanka
Modi thanked the Sri Lankan President and people. He said, “It is an honour for me to be awarded the Sri Lanka Mithra Vibhushana by President Dissanayake. It is also an honour for 1.4 billion Indians.”
It is a matter of immense pride for me to be conferred the 'Sri Lanka Mitra Vibhushana' by President Dissanayake today. This honour is not mine alone - it is a tribute to the 1.4 billion people of India. It symbolises the deep-rooted friendship and historic ties between the… pic.twitter.com/UBQyTMoJ27
— Narendra Modi (@narendramodi) April 5, 2025
Award Symbolises Shared Culture
The Mithra Vibhushana comes with a citation and a silver medal. The medal hangs around the neck. It includes nine Sri Lankan gems and symbols like the lotus, globe, sun, moon, and sheaves of rice.
The Dharma Chakra on the medal represents the shared Buddhist roots of both nations. The Pun Kalasa, a ceremonial pot filled with rice, shows prosperity and renewal. The Navarathna, or nine gems, sit inside a globe surrounded by lotus petals.
According to an official, the medal reflects deep cultural ties between India and Sri Lanka.
Modi Visited Colombo After Bangkok Summit
Modi landed in Colombo after his trip to Bangkok. There, he attended the BIMSTEC summit. The summit focused on boosting cooperation among Bay of Bengal nations in areas like trade, technology, and development.