# Awards and decorations of the Sri Lanka Armed Forces

The Sri Lankan Armed Forces award medals and their associated ribbon bars in recognition of various levels of service, personal accomplishments and commemorative events while a regular- or volunteer serviceperson is a member of the Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and the Sri Lanka Air Force. Together with military badges, such awards are a means to outwardly display the highlights of a serviceperson's career.

## Medals for gallantry

* Parama Weera Vibhushanaya (Order of the Supreme Valour)
* Weerodara Vibhushanaya (Order of Courage)
* Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya (Order of Conspicuous Gallantry)
* Rana Wickrama Padakkama (Combat Gallantry Medal)
* Rana Sura Padakkama (Combat Excellance Medal)

## Sri Lanka orders

* Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya (Distinguished Service Order)
* Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya (Efficient Service Order) (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force)
* Prashansaniya Seva Vibhushanaya (Commendable Service Order) (Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force)

## Wound medals

* Uththama Pooja Pranama Padakkama (Medal of Honour for Supreme Sacrifice)
* Desha Putra Sammanaya (Son of the Nation Award)

## Medals for long service and good conduct

* Uttama Seva Padakkama (Meritorious Service Medal)
* Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal
* Karyakshama Seva Padakkama (Efficient Service Medal) (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force)
* Prashansaniya Seva Padakkama (Commendable Service Medal) (Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force)
* Videsha Seva Padakkama (Foreign Service Medal)

## War service medals

* Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal
* Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal
* Purna Bhumi Padakkama
* North and East Operations Medal
* Vadamarachchi Operation Medal
* Riviresa Campaign Services Medal

## Peacetime service medals

* Sewabhimani Padakkama (Meritorious Service Medal)
* Sewa Padakkama (Service medal)

## Commemorative medals

* Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal - 1951
* Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal - 1953
* Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal - 1972
* Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal - 1974
* Sri Lanka Navy 25th Anniversary Medal - 1975
* Sri Lanka Air Force 25th Anniversary Medal - 1976
* President's Inauguration Medal - 1978
* Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Centenary Medal - 1981 (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force)
* 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal - 1998
* Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal - 1999
* Sri Lanka Navy 50th Anniversary Medal - 2000
* Sri Lanka Air Force 50th Anniversary Medal - 2001
* 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal - 2023

## United Nations Service Medals

The United Nations Medal for participation in UN peacekeeping operations:
* United Nations Operation in the Congo (MONUC) - 1960
* United Nations Security Force in West New Guinea - October 1962 to April 1963
* United Nations India-Pakistan Observation Mission - 1965, 1966
* United Nations Military Observer Group in India and Pakistan
* United Nations Operation in Mozambique - 1992 to 1994
* United Nations Truce Supervision Organization
* United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti - since 2004
* United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon - since 2010
* United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in the Central African Republic (MINUSCA) - since 2014
* United Nations Mission in South Sudan - since 2015
* United Nations Multidimensional Integrated Stabilization Mission in Mali (MINUSMA) - since December 2017
* United Nations Mission for Justice Support in Haiti - since 2017
* United Nations Interim Security Force for Abyei (UNIFSA)
* United Nations Mission for the Referendum in Western Sahara (MINUSRO)

## Former decorations and medals
### Dominion of Ceylon (1949 - 1972)

From its formation in 1949, the Ceylon Armed Forces continued the use of British military decorations. This was discontinued in 1956 with a suspension of nominations for British honours; until Sri Lanka's republican constitution of 1972, the following awards were used:
* Officer of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) (suspended in 1956)
* Member of the Order of the British Empire (Military Division) (suspended in 1956)
* Efficiency Decoration (Ceylon) (1930 - 1972)
* Efficiency Medal (Ceylon) (1930 - 1972)
* Decoration for Officers of the Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve (1938-1950)
* Royal Naval Volunteer Reserve Long Service and Good Conduct Medal (1938-1950)
* Queen's Medal for Champion Shots in the Military Forces (1954-1966)
* Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (1961 - 1972)
* General Service Medal (Malaya Clasp) (1949 to Ceylon Pioneers)

### Colonial (pre-1948)

Imperial and local medals awarded for military service to the colony and empire.
* Capture of Ceylon Medal (1807)
* Ceylon Medal (1818)
* Volunteer Officers' Decoration (1892-1930)
* Volunteer Long Service Medal for India and the Colonies (1892-1930)
* Queen's South Africa Medal (1989-1900 for service with the British Imperial Forces)
* King Edward VII Coronation Medal (1902)
* King George V Coronation Medal (1911)
* British War Medal (1914-1918 for service with the British Army)
* Victory Medal (1914-1918 for service with the British Army)
* Ceylon Volunteer Service Medal (1914-1919)
* King George V Silver Jubilee Medal (1935)
* King George VI Coronation Medal (1937)
* War Medal 1939–1945 (1939-1945)
* Defence Medal (1939-1945)
* Burma Star (1939-1945 for service with the British Army)
* Africa Star (1939-1945 for service with the Royal Army Service Corps)
* 1939-1945 Star (1939-1945 for service with the Royal Air Force)
* Air Crew Europe Star (1939-1945 for service with the Royal Air Force)

## Order of precedence

The various decorations and medals are worn in the order stipulated for each service by its service commander.

### Sri Lanka Army

The order in which decorations and medals are to be worn have been defined in the Dress Regulation of the Sri Lanka Army.
| Award | Postnominals | Established |
| Parama Weera Vibhushanaya | PWV | 1981 |
| Weerodara Vibhushanaya | WV | 1981 |
| Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya | WWV | 1981 |
| Rana Wickrama Padakkama | RWP | 1981 |
| Rana Sura Padakkama | RSP | 1981 |
| Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya | VSV | 1981 |
| Karyakshama Seva Vibhushanaya (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force) | KSV | 1972 |
| Uttama Seva Padakkama | USP | 1981 |
| Karyakshama Seva Padakkama (Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force) | KSP | 1972 |
| Desha Putra Sammanaya | - | 1972 |
| Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal | - | 2010 |
| Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal | - | 2010 |
| Purna Bhumi Padakkama | - | 1977 |
| North and East Operations Medal | - | 1983 |
| Vadamarachchi Operation Medal | - | 1983 |
| Riviresa Campaign Services Medal | - | 1996 |
| Queen’s Medal for Best Shooter in the Army | - | 1954 |
| Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal | - | 1972 |
| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal | - | 1953 |
| Sri Lanka Army 25th Anniversary Medal | - | 1974 |
| 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal | - | 1998 |
| 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal | - | 2023 |
| Sri Lanka Army 50th Anniversary Medal | - | 1999 |
| Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal) | - | 1968 |
| Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal | - | 1979 |
| President's Inauguration Medal | - | 1978 |
| Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal | - | 1955 |
| Sri Lanka Army Volunteer Force Centenary Medal | - | 1981 |
| Sewabhimani Padakkama | - | 2019 |
| Sewa Padakkama | - | 2019 |
| Videsha Seva Padakkama | - | 1981 |
| United Nations Medals | - | Various |

### Sri Lanka Navy

| Award | Postnominals | Established |
| Parama Weera Vibhushanaya | PWV | 1981 |
| Weerodara Vibhushanaya | WV | 1981 |
| Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya | WWV | 1981 |
| Rana Wickrama Padakkama | RWP | 1981 |
| Rana Sura Padakkama | RSP | 1981 |
| Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya | VSV | 1981 |
| Uttama Seva Padakkama | USP | 1981 |
| Videsha Seva Padakkama | - | 1981 |
| Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal | - | 1972 |
| Sri Lanka Navy 50th Anniversary Medal | - | 2000 |
| Sri Lanka Navy 25th Anniversary Medal | - | 1975 |
| Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal) | - | 1968 |
| Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal | - | 1979 |
| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal | - | 1953 |
| President's Inauguration Medal | - | 1978 |
| 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal | - | 1998 |
| 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal | - | 2023 |
| Desha Putra Sammanaya | - | 1972 |
| Sewabhimani Padakkama | - | 2019 |
| Sewa Padakkama | - | 2019 |
| Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal | - | 2010 |
| Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal | - | 2010 |
| Purna Bhumi Padakkama | - | 1977 |
| North and East Operations Medal | - | 1983 |
| Vadamarachchi Operation Medal | - | 1983 |
| Riviresa Campaign Services Medal | - | 1996 |
| Prashansaniya Seva Vibhushanaya (Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force) | PSV | 2000 |
| Prashansaniya Seva Padakkama (Sri Lanka Volunteer Naval Force) | PSP | 2000 |
| Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal | - | 1955 |

### Sri Lanka Air Force

| Award | Postnominals | Established |
| Parama Weera Vibhushanaya | PWV | 1981 |
| Weerodara Vibhushanaya | WV | 1981 |
| Weera Wickrama Vibhushanaya | WWV | 1981 |
| Rana Wickrama Padakkama | RWP | 1981 |
| Rana Sura Padakkama | RSP | 1981 |
| Vishista Seva Vibhushanaya | VSV | 1981 |
| Uttama Seva Padakkama | USP | 1981 |
| Videsha Seva Padakkama | - | 1981 |
| Republic of Sri Lanka Armed Services Medal | - | 1972 |
| Sri Lanka Air Force 25th Anniversary Medal | - | 1976 |
| Sri Lanka Air Force 50th Anniversary Medal | - | 2001 |
| Queen Elizabeth II Coronation Medal | - | 1953 |
| Ceylon Armed Services Long Service Medal (Replaced by the Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal) | - | 1968 |
| Sri Lanka Armed Services Long Service Medal | - | 1979 |
| President's Inauguration Medal | - | 1978 |
| 50th Independence Anniversary Commemoration Medal | - | 1998 |
| 75th Independence Day Commemoration Medal | - | 2023 |
| Desha Putra Sammanaya | - | 1972 |
| Sewabhimani Padakkama | - | 2019 |
| Sewa Padakkama | - | 2019 |
| Eastern Humanitarian Operations Medal | - | 2010 |
| Northern Humanitarian Operations Medal | - | 2010 |
| Purna Bhumi Padakkama | - | 1977 |
| North and East Operations Medal | - | 1983 |
| Vadamarachchi Operation Medal | - | 1983 |
| Riviresa Campaign Services Medal | - | 1996 |
| Ceylon Armed Services Inauguration Medal | - | 1955 |
| United Nations Medals | - | Various |