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The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (PWV) (Sinhala: පරම වීර වීභූෂණය parama vīra vibhūṣaṇaya; Tamil: பரம வீர விபுஷனைய) is Sri Lanka's highest military decoration, awarded for acts of exceptional valour in wartime. Parama Weera Vibhushanaya translates as the "Order of the Supreme Valour", and the award is granted for "individual acts of gallantry and conspicuous bravery of the most exceptional order in the face of the enemy". Corporal Gamini Kularatne, was the first recipient. , the medal has been awarded 32 times, of which all were posthumous and arose from actions in the Sri Lankan Civil War. Of the 32 awardees, 29 have been from the Sri Lanka Army, two have been from the Sri Lanka Navy and one has been from the Sri Lanka Air Force.

Ceylon used the British awards system and continued post-independence until 1956, when British imperial honours were suspended. New awards were instituted in 1981. PWV is equivalent to the Victoria Cross in the United Kingdom, the Medal of Honor in the United States and Param Vir Chakra in India.

History From its formation the Ceylon Defence Force used British military decorations. The practice was continued after Ceylon gained independence in 1948 and the formation of the Ceylon Army in 1949, the Royal Ceylon Navy in 1950, and the Royal Ceylon Air Force in 1951. Following up on his election promise, S. W. R. D. Bandaranaike suspended imperial honours. This meant only service medals such as the Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal, the Efficiency Decoration (Ceylon) and the Efficiency Medal (Ceylon) were awarded. No gallantry medals were award during the 1971 JVP Insurrection. In 1972, Ceylon became a republic as the Republic of Sri Lanka. On 1 September 1981, President J. R. Jayewardene instituted new Sri Lankan awards for gallantry the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya(PWV), Weerodara Vibhushanaya(WV), Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya(WWV), Rana Wickrama Padakkama(RWV), and the Rana Sura Padakkama(RSP) by the Gazette Extraordinary No. 156/5 of 1982.

Authority and privileges As the highest award for valour in Sri Lanka, Parama Weera Vibhushanaya is always the first award to be presented at an awards ceremony by the President of Sri Lanka which includes the medal and a sanasa (award scroll). Recipients of the decoration can use the post-nominal letters "PWV" and it is always the first decoration worn in a row of medals and it is the first set of post-nominal letters used to indicate any decoration. Since all awards have been posthumous no tradition exists that require "all ranks to salute a bearer of the Parama Weera Vibhushanaya", nor does it provide for any annuity or monitory benefits for the recipient or next of kin other than statuary pension or WNOP pension as with other similar awards such as the Victoria Cross.

Award process The medal can be awarded to all ranks of the tri services, to both regular and volunteer forces, in recognition of:

Field commanders report actions that fulfill the conditions for a PWV to their respective service commanders, who review these reports and, if satisfactory, forward an official recommendation to an awards board composed of officers from the three armed services branches for further review. The board's report is sent to the office of the President who, as commander in chief, has final authority on the award.

As of 2018, all recipients of this award were killed or missing in action- no living serviceperson has ever worn the medal or the ribbon bar, or used the post-nominal letters to date, effectively making the PWV an exclusively posthumous award.

Recipients Busts of recipients Name Rank** Unit Date of action Conflict Place of actionCitations Saliya AladeniyaCaptainSri Lanka Sinha Regiment Battle of Kokavil Kokavil, Northern Province, Sri Lanka Gamini KularatneCorporalSri Lanka Sinha Regiment First Battle of Elephant Pass Elephant Pass, Northern Province, Sri Lanka K. W. T. NissankaLieutenantGajaba Regiment Battle of Pooneryn Pooneryn, Northern Province, Sri Lanka Pasan GunasekeraWarrant Officer II Gajaba Regiment Operation Riviresa Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka Jude Lakmal WijethungeLieutenant Commander Sri Lanka Navy Defending a Navy transport from a Sea Tiger attack Seas off Northern Province, Sri Lanka W. I. M. SeneviratneLance CorporalSri Lanka Light Infantry Suicide bombing Jaffna, Northern Province, Sri Lanka A.F. LafirColonel Special Forces Regiment Battle of Mullaitivu (1996) Mullaitivu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka G. S. JayanathMajor Commando Regiment Operation Jayasikurui Maankulam, Northern Province, Sri Lanka Tyron SilvapulleWing Commander Sri Lanka Air Force Sri Lankan Civil War Seas off Thamilamadam, Elephant Pass, Northern Province, Sri Lanka P.N. SurangaSergeant Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment Battle of Jaffna (2006) Muhamalai-Nagarkovil defense line, Northern Province, Sri Lanka G. N. PunsiriCaptain Gajaba Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Uvarakkulam, Northern Province, Sri Lanka K. ChandanaCorporal Special Forces Regiment LRRP action Northeast of Mankulam, Northern Province, Sri Lanka A. M. N. P. AbesingheCorporal Sri Lanka Light Infantry Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Thunukkai, Northern Province, Sri LankaT. G. D. R. DayanandaLance-Corporal Sri Lanka Light Infantry Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Kilinochchi-Akkarayankulam Road, Northern Province, Sri Lanka K. G. ShanthaChief Petty Officer Sri Lanka Navy Battle against sea Tigers between Point Pedro and Nagar Kovil Seas off Point Pedro, Northern Province, Sri Lanka Lalith JayasingheLieutenant Colonel Special Forces Regiment LRRP action Oddusuddan, Northern Province, Sri Lanka A. M. B. H. G. AbeyrathnebandaLance Corporal Sri Lanka Sinha Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Visuamadu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka H. A. Nilantha KumarCorporal Commando Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Puthukuduiruppu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka P. M. Nilantha Pushpa KumaraCorporal Gemunu Watch 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Vishvamadu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka U. G. A. S. SamaranayakeCaptain Gemunu Watch 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive PTK Junction, Northern Province, Sri Lanka H. G. M. H. I. MegawarnaCaptain Gemunu Watch 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive PTK Junction, Northern Province, Sri Lanka Sugath Chandrasiri BandaraSergeant Special Forces Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Puthukkudiyiruppu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka K. G. D. GunasekaraSergeant Commando Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Dara Point, Northern Province, Sri Lanka K. A. GamageMajor Special Forces Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Ampalavanpokkanai, Northern Province, Sri Lanka W. T. JayatillakeLieutenant Gemunu Watch 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Iranamadu, Northern Province, Sri Lanka K. G. N. PereraStaff Sergeant Commando Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Puthumatalan, Northern Province, Sri Lanka S. P. M. L. PushpamaCorporal Commando Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Puthumatalan, Northern Province, Sri Lanka W.M.I.S.B. WalisundaraMajorGajaba Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive A.M. AnuraSergeantSinha Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive K.G.M. RajapakshaLance CorporalSinha Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive R. M. D. M. RathnayakeLance-Corporal Sri Lanka Light Infantry Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Nandikadal Lagoon, Northern Province, Sri Lanka H. G. S. BandaraStaff Sergeant Vijayabahu Infantry Regiment 2008–2009 Sri Lankan Army Northern offensive Nanthikadal, Northern Province, Sri Lanka

References

Army, Sri Lanka. (1st Edition - October 1999). "50 YEARS ON" - 1949-1999, Sri Lanka Army Sri Lankan military awards and decorations

External links Award Website (Sinhala) Ministry of Defence, Sri Lanka Sri Lanka Army Sri Lanka Navy Sri Lanka Air Force