The Gallantry Awards Ceremony 2008 was held at the Bandaranaike Memorial International Conference Hall (BMICH) on the 24th January 2008 at 4.30 p.m. His Excellency the President, Commander-in-Chief of the Armed Forces Mahinda Rajapaksha conferred gallantry honours on three hundred personnel from the tri services, Sri Lanka Army, Sri Lanka Navy and Sri Lanka Air Force.
Two minutes’ silence was observed in honour of the Service Personnel who have made the supreme sacrifice in the defence of the territorial integrity and sovereignty of the motherland.
During the Gallantry Awards ceremony, “Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya” (WWV), “Rana Wickrama Padakkama” (RWP) and “Rana Sura Padakkama” (RSP) were conferred on the recipients.
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 without regard for his own security with the objective of safeguarding thereby the lives of his comrades or facilitating the operational aim of his force or for a meritorious act or a series of acts of a human nature of high order displayed in saving life from drowning, fire and rescue operations in mines, floods and similar calamities under circumstances of bodily injury or danger to the life of the rescuer.
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.
One hundred and twenty-five (125) personnel of the Sri Lanka Navy received gallantry medals at the ceremony. Among them were eight (08) recipients of Weera Wickrama Vibushanaya, thirty-one (31) recipients of Rana Wickrama Padakkama and eighty-six (86) recipients of Rana Sura Padakkama.
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