The ceremony to award national honours to 90 distinguished personalities who have rendered noble service to the country will be held this evening at Nelum Pokuna.

The ceremony, which is being held after 12 years, is under the patronage of President Maithripala Sirisena.

The honours; Deshamanya (Titular), Sri Lankabhimanya (Titular), Deshabandu (Titular), Vidyajothi (Titular), Kala Keerthi (Titular), Sri Lanka Sikhamani (Titular), Vidya Nidhi (Titular), Kala Suri (Titular), Sri Lanka Thilaka (Non-titular), Veera Prathapa (Non- titular), will be bestowed during the ceremony.

National honours Sri Lanka Ranjana (Titular); the second highest honour awarded to non-nationals for distinguished service of a highly meritorious nature to Sri Lanka in particular and/ or humanity in general will also be presented at this ceremony.

Those ninety persons were selected out of 426 applications received. Nominations are inspected by an intellectual panel.

According to the National Honours Act 1986, the list of awardees will be gazetted.