After being conferred with Sri Lanka’s highest civilian award, the Mitra Vibhushana medal, PM Modi dedicated the honour to 140 crore Indians as he thanked Sri Lankan President Anura Kumara Dissanayake for the gesture.
Sri Lanka President Anura Kumara Dissanayake on Saturday announced to honour PM Modi with Sri Lanka’s highest honor, the Mitra Vibhushana medal. On being awarded the highest civilian honour, PM Modi dedicated the honour to 140 crore Indians as he thanked Sri Lankan President Dissanayake. He said, “It shows the historical relation and deep friendship between the people of Sri Lanka and India, and for this, I thank the president, the government of Sri Lanka, and the people in Sri Lanka.”
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About the ‘Mitra Vibhushana’ medal
The “Dharma Chakra” reflects the shared Buddhist heritage that has shaped the cultural traditions of both nations. The “Pun Kalasa” (a ceremonial pot) adorned with sheaves of rice symbolises prosperity and renewal. The “Navarathna” (nine precious gems) represents the priceless and enduring friendship between the two countries, depicted within a globe encircled by pure lotus petals.
Finally, the “Sun and Moon” signify the timeless bond, stretching from the ancient past into the infinite future. Together, these elements beautifully capture the deep cultural and spiritual connection between the two nations.
In the joint press brief with the Sri Lankan President, PM Modi also announced that the relics that were found in Gujarat’s Aravalli are being sent to Sri Lanka for darshan.
He also underlined that both countries had discussed the fishermen’s issue and agreed on a humanitarian approach. He said, “We should release them quickly and give them the boats, we also discussed reconciliation.”
‘Happy to see Sri Lanka on path of progress’: PM Modi
While acknowleding that it is his fourth visit to the Island nation, PM Modi emphasised that during his last visit to Sri Lanka, he had the belief that Sri Lanka will rise and rise stronger, as he added, “Today, I am happy to see Sri Lanka on a path of progress again. It makes me feel proud that we have stood with Sri Lanka like true neighbours. Be it the terrorist attack of 2019, the Covid pandemic or the recent financial crisis, we have always stood up with the people of Sri Lanka.”
PM 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).
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