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PROJECT ONE - Orders, Decorations
and Medals relating to Sri Lanka (Ceylon)
from 1795 to the present.
A sample of a Gallantry Decoration from Part Two of Project One
PARAMA WEERA VIBUSHANAYA (PWV)
Instituted by Presidential Proclamation in Gazette No 156/5 of 1.9.1981
Description: A circular medal
Obverse: Bears in relief, in the center a stylized figure of the Heraldic
Lion as depicted in the Lion Flag of the Kandyan Period surrounded by a
curved leaf motif (GETAKOLA) and a lotus motif (NELUM MAL).
Reverse: Bears in relief the Armorial Ensign of the Republic of Sri Lanka in
the center comprising the Heraldic Lion of Sri Lanka surrounded by a lotus
petal border within a sheaf of paddy, surmounted by the wheel of Doctrine,
with the filled vessel at the base, with a depiction of the sun in splendour
and the Moon, on the right and left respectively, surrounded by the legend
'FOR GALLANTRY OF THE MOST EXCEPTIONAL ORDER' inscribed in Sinhala and Tamil
and the year of institution, 1981 inscribed below, and the whole surrounded
by the design as depicted in the obverse.
Metal: Silver gilt.
Suspension: Ornamental fixed suspender bearing a creeper leaf motif (LIYAPATHA)
Ribbon: Red (described as being wine in colour) 1 1/4 inches
Bars: Awarded for those who qualify on a subsequent occasion to receive this
Decoration. In undress uniform, when ribbons only are worn, the wearing of a
small gilted Lotus on the ribbon denotes the grant of a bar.
This Decoration is granted to all ranks of the Regular and Volunteer Forces
of the Army, Navy and the Air Force of the Republic of Sri Lanka, to reward
individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of the most exceptional
order in the face of the enemy, performed voluntarily whilst on active
service and with no regard to the risk to his own life and security with the
objective of safeguarding thereby the lives of his comrades of facilitating
the operational aim of his Force, and who are recommended by the Commander
of the Army, the Commander of the Navy or the Commander of the Air Force to
receive the award under the terms and conditions in the regulations listed
in the Gazette.
The act of gallantry, for which the Decoration is to be conferred, should be
witnessed by no less than three persons, and a Board of not less than five
senior officers nominated by the Service Commanders will examine the
recommendations.
This Decoration is worn on the left breast, and takes precedence over all
Orders, Decorations and Medals. It can be awarded posthumously to the lawful
next-of-kin of the recipient or to a person nominated by the next-of-kin.
The names of the Persons upon whom the Decoration is conferred shall be
published in the Gazette of the Democratic Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka
and a Register of all such recipients shall be maintained under the
directions of H.E. The President, and the Personal Number, Rank and Name of
the recipient, together with the date of award to be recorded in it.
The decoration shall be conferred by H.E. the President by citation under
his/her hand and seal and the award shall be made personally by H.E. the
President at a special Investiture.
Every recipient of the Decoration shall be entitled to use the post-nominal
letters 'PWV'.
If a recipient of this Decorations suffers death by sentence of a
court-martial or other Military, Naval or Air Force Court, or is cashiered,
dismissed, removed, or discharged with disgrace or ignominy from the Armed
Forces, or is convicted of treason, sedition, mutiny, cowardice, desertion,
or disgraceful conduct of an unnatural kind or is dismissed or discharged
for misconduct, or who while subject to Military, Naval or Air Force law, is
convicted by the civil power, he shall forfeit the Decoration, unless H.E.
The President shall direct otherwise.
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| An example of this
award
S/34553 Cpl. Y.G.Gamini Kularatne PWV, 6 SLSE
He was one of the soldiers defending the Elephant Pass Army camp on
14.7.1991. The LTTE were using caterpillar wheeled Armoured trucks with
devastating effect, and the camp had been under siege for 40 days. Food and
water had run out. One night the forward defence barrier and the bunkers had
been overrun, with soldiers crushed in their bunkers beneath the mass of
destructive steel. Kularatne, seeing the enemy approach the second barrier,
acted without hesitation, and inched his way through the darkness towards
the LTTE Armoured truck, climbed its ladder and tossed a grenade into the
opening of the gun turret. The truck was blown to pieces along with the
gallant Corporal. In the light of the blaze behind the armoured truck were
hundreds of LTTE personnel, who were forced to take to their heels. By
sacrificing his life, Cpl. Kularatne had saved the Elephant Pass camp, whose
defenders held on until relieved by Gen. Denzil Kobbekaduwa. For the above
mentioned act of gallantry, Cpl. Gamini Kularatne was posthumously awarded
the Parama Weera Vibushanaya (PWV) in SL Army Order 04/91 Annex 'A'
Other recipients of this Decoration (all posthumous awards)
Number Rank Name Unit Force Source
O/3113 Lt. S Aladeniya SLSR(V) SL Army SAO 02/94
O/61672 2/Lt. K W T Nissanka 3GR SL Army SAO 01/96
Both were posthumously promoted to the rank of Captain.
The following awards were made during the Investiture held on 10.10.1998,
for acts of gallantry performed in 1995/96 or prior.
S/15296 Pte W I M Seneviratne 7 SLLI SL Army
S/77304 WOII H P B Gunasekera 10 GR SL Army
NRX0517 Lt. L L D S Wijetunge SL Navy |
