Prime Minister Narendra Modi was on Saturday conferred with the ‘Mithra Vibhushana’ award by Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake in recognition of his role in boosting bilateral ties.
The award, the highest civilian honour of the island nation, was instituted in February 2008 by then-President Mahinda Rajapaksa.
Its previous recipients include former Maldivian president Maumoon Abdul Gayoom and late Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
“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,” Modi said in his remarks.
The award was bestowed on Modi by Dissanayake during a ceremony at the presidential secretariat in Colombo.
The recipient of the honour is awarded a citation and a silver medal to be worn around the neck, studded and adorned with nine types of Sri Lankan gems and the symbols of a lotus, globe, sun, moon and sheaves of rice.
The Dharma Chakra on the medal reflects the shared Buddhist heritage that has shaped the cultural traditions of both nations.
The Pun Kalasa or ceremonial pot adorned with sheaves of rice symbolises prosperity and renewal, according to an official.
The Navarathna, or nine precious gems, is depicted within a globe encircled by lotus petals. Modi landed in Colombo last evening after concluding his trip to Bangkok, where he attended a summit of the BIMSTEC (Bay of Bengal Initiative for Multi-Sectoral Technical and Economic Cooperation).