In April 1998 President of Sri Lanka Chandrika Kumaratunga awarded national honours to 78 individuals for distinguished services to mark the golden jubilee of Sri Lankan independence.
Deshamanya Fourteen individuals received the Deshamanya honour: Ranjit Abeysuriya (1932–2014), lawyer W. D. Amaradeva (1927–2016), musician Ken Balendra (born 1940), businessman Chitrasena (1921–2005), dancer Charitha Prasanna de Silva H. L. de Silva (1928–2009), lawyer R. K. W. Goonesekera (born 1928), academic Tamara Ilangaratne (born 1925), politician A. T. Kovoor (1898–1978), academic Vernon Mendis (1925–2010), diplomat Christopher Rajindra Panabokke Duncan White (1918–1998), athlete Doreen Winifred Wickramasinghe Elanga Wikramanayake, lawyer
Deshabandu Seventeen individuals received the Deshabandu honour: P. T. de Silva (1929–2015), physician Adhikari Mudiyanselage Dharmasena Thambimuttu Duraisingam S. D. Gunadasa (1931–2014), businessman Muhammed Abdul Hameed Muhammed Hussain Nowfer Saly Jabir Kolamba Patabendige Tissaweera Siriwardana Jinasena M. G. Mendis (1911–2000), trade unionist Chasnyn Musafer Rajapakse Pathirannehelage Jayaratne Pathirana Minuwanpitiyage Darmasiri Dayananda Pieris M. J. Perera (1915–2002), broadcaster Seekkubaduge Wilbert Silva Ananda Daivin Soysa Rajadurai Sellaiah Thanabalasundaram Balaupasakage Yasodis Thudawe Puvaneshwari Vaithianathan
Veera Chudamani One individual received the Veera Chudamani honour: Manorani Sarawanamuttu
Vidya Jyothi Nine individuals received the Vidya Jyothi honour: Arjuna Aluwihare Senaka Dias Bandaranayake M. A. Careem C. B. Dissanayake D. P. Anura Fernando J. B. Peiris, physician V. K. Samaranayake (1939–2007), academic Diyanath Samarasinghe R. O. Barnes Wijesekera
Kala Keerthi Five individuals received the Kala Keerthi honour: Dharmasiri Jayakody Nalini Jayasuriya Premasiri Khemadasa (1937–2008), composer Iranganie Serasinghe (born 1927), actress Regi Siriwardena (1922–2004), academic
Vidya Nidhi Three individuals received the Vidya Nidhi honour: Norman Rienzie de Silva S. K. Sayakkara Prematilake Wijesekera
Kala Suri Nine individuals received the Kala Suri honour: Tissa Abeysekara (1939–2009), filmmaker Dharmasiri Bandaranayake (born 1949), film director D. V. Richard de Silva Parakrama Kodituwakku, poet Jayalath Manoratne (born 1948), dramatist J. S. B. Jaya Rani Perera S. A D. D. Samarasekera A. Sivanesa Selvan Jiffry Yoonoos
Sri Lanka Thilaka Sixteen individuals received the Sri Lanka Thilaka honour: Karunapala Aprakke K. Arnis G. Liyanage David U. M. Haniffa H. K. Hettiarachchi K. S. Jayasena W. Jayathilaka M. R. T. Karunaratne Edmund Opanayake S. V. P. Tikiri Panikkiya Kuragala Pinsara D. C. M. Piyatilake Sunil Premadasa G. S. B. Senanayake T. A. Sirisena Piyadasa Wickramanayake
Veera Prathapa Three individuals received the Veera Prathapa honour: O. R. A. K. Perera Amithapala Weerasinghe R. P. R. Wickramapala
Sri Lanka Rathna One individual received the Sri Lanka Rathna honour: Susumu Saegi
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