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Highest national award for Kadir, Clarke
The slain Foreign Minister Lakshman Kadirgamar and world renowned space prophet Sir Arthur C. Clarke have been conferred with Sri Lanka's highest national honour -- the Sri Lankabhimannya -- by President Chandrika Kumaratunga.

The honours will be conferred on them and about 200 others at the National Awards ceremony to be held tomorrow at the BMICH. Mr. Kadirgamar is getting the award "in recognition of his astute advocacy of Sri Lanka's case in international fora and for his undaunted valour and indomitable courage”.

Sir Arthur is getting the honour “in recognition of his outstanding contribution to major pioneering breakthroughs in global communications and space technology and in appreciation of his abiding love of this paradise island”.
Several foreign nationals have also been awarded National honours by President Kumaratunga, among them the Editor of the Chennai-based The Hindu newspaper, N. Ram, the much respected Professor S. N. Muni of the Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and Ms. Monica Deprez de Decker, Sri Lanka's Honorary Consul in Belgium.

Nearly 200 people who have rendered great service to the country will be conferred Deshamanya, Deshbandu, Vidya Jyothi, Kala Keerti and Weerachudamani awards.

The Deshamanya award will be conferred on Prof. A. H. Sherifdeen, Prof. W. D. Lakshman, Prof. J. B. Dissanayake, Dr. Nihal Jinasena, Bradman Weerakoon, K. H. J. Wijedasa, Dr. J. B. Pieris, Dr. Premasiri Khemadasa, Dr. Roland Silva, Rohan de Sarem, Lt. Gen. Denis Perera, Rear Admiral Basil Goonasekera and Air Vice Marshal P. H. Mendis.

Prof. Kerthi Thennakoon, Dr. A. N. S. Kulasinghe, Dr, Kapila Gunawardene, Dr. Shiran Deraniyagala, Dr. Sadhdhamangala Karunathilake, Dr. Ranjith Atapaththu, Olcott Gunasekera, Ray Forbes, Lyn de Alwis, Lakshman de Mel, Joe Abeywickrema, Harold Herath will be bestowed Deshabandu honours.
The Vidya Jyothi title will be conferred on Colvin Gunarathne, Prof. Dayantha Wijesekera, Prof. S. Mohandas, Dr. Eric Karunanayake and Dr. Mohan Jayathileke.

Ashoka Handagama, Carl Muller, Dharmasena Pathiraja and Stanley Kirinde will be honoured with the Kalakeerthi title.

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