29 immortal soldiers

The Parama Weera Vibhushanaya, Sri Lanka's highest military award for bravery, has been awarded to 29 individuals from all three Armed Forces to recognize supreme acts of heroism they had committed in combat in the three decades of war. The PWV is equivalent to the British Victoria Cross and the American Medal of Honour. All 29 recipients were ordinary men, though their deeds reflected utmost bravery. They were not in command of armies or naval fleets. In fact, only 12 of them were officers and the remaining seventeen were of other ranks. Twenty-six were from the Army, two were from the Navy, and one was an airman. Not a single recipient survived to enjoy the honour and recognition the medal would have brought him. According to military code, even the Chief of Defence Staff, the highest ranking military officer of the land, is required to salute the wearer of the PWV with no regard to rank.