Sumitra Peries, Sisira Kumara honoured with prestigious awards in Japan

On April 29, the recipients of “The Order of the Rising Sun” for the Spring Conferment, 2020 were made public by the Government of Japan. The Order is awarded by His Majesty the Emperor of Japan to foreign nationals who have made distinguished contributions to enhancing friendly relations with Japan.   

For the Spring Conferment this year, two respectable figures, as undermentioned, from Sri Lanka were honoured with this prestigious award:   

Kala Keerthi Ms. Sumitra Peries, The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays

Mr. Sisira Kumara, The Order of the Rising Sun, Gold and Silver Rays

As a renowned film director and a Committee Member of Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Cultural Fund Awards, Ms. Sumitra Peries has left an indelible mark in promoting cultural exchanges between Sri Lanka and Japan, notably by way of bridging the two peoples through the art of films. While introducing delicate cinematography styled by Mr. Kurosawa Akira, with whom Ms. Peries cultivated close friendship, her magnum opus “Sagara Jalaya”, which was telecast in 1990 by NHK, captured the hearts of many Japanese people. As a founding member of the Japan Sri Lanka Friendship Awards, Ms. Peries has also played a significant role in enriching the cultural scene in Sri Lanka, as the recipient of the award actively promoting cultural ties between the two island nations.   

Mr. Sisira Kumara, Hony. President of Sri Lanka Karate-Do Association made an invaluable contribution to strengthening bilateral relationship through promoting Karate in Sri Lanka. Seized by deep admiration for this Japanese martial art, which cultivates both inner and physical qualities of the practitioners, Mr. Kumara has dedicated wholehearted efforts to spreading the merit of Karate in schools and colleges across the island for four long decades. With his unremitting endeavour, there are no less than half a million practitioners in Sri Lanka today, making Karate the most popular sport in the country excelled only by cricket. With Mr. Kumara’s decoration, it is further expected that the popularity of Karate in Sri Lanka will continue to be augmented, with Karate qualified as an official sport in the Tokyo Olympic Paralympic Games scheduled in summer 2021.   

Taking this opportunity, the Embassy of Japan extends heartfelt congratulations to Ms. Sumitra Peries and Mr. Sisira Kumara, while offering best wishes and sincere prayers for continued good health and blessings for the Sri Lankan people in this difficult time under the global threat of COVID-19.