Last modified: 2024-12-07 by ian macdonald
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It seems that each Sri Lankan president has his own flag. From the
rulers.org site here is the list of presidents
of the Republic (1978-2000 Democratic Socialist Republic):
Presidents
22 May 1972 - 4 Feb 1978 William Gopallawa (b. 1897 - d. 1981)
4 Feb 1978 - 2 Jan 1989 Junius Richard Jayawardene (b. 1906 - d. 1996)
2 Jan 1989 - 1 May 1993 Ranasinghe Premadasa (b. 1924 - d. 1993)
2 May 1993 - 12 Nov 1994 Dingiri Banda Wijetunge (b. 1916 - d. 2008) (acting to 7 May
1993)
12 Nov 1994 - 19 Nov 2005 Chandrika Kumaratunga (f) (b. 1945)
19 Nov 2005 - 9 January 2015 Mahinda Rajapaksa (b.
1945)
9 Jan 2015 - 2019 Maithripala Sirisena (b. 1951)
2019 - 2022 Gotabaya Rajapaksa
After the oath of office
has been taken by the elected president, a presidential flag was adopted by the
president as the insignia of their office. Each president had a unique flag,
incorporating traditional symbols associated with the president or their home
region. This was the case until Interim President abolished the presidential
flag on 15 July 2022.
Zoltan Horvath, 10 October 2024
After the resignation of Gotabaya Rajapaksa, the new
Interim President abolished the presidential flag on 15 July 2022. The current
President, having assumed office on 23 September 2024, hasn’t had a presidential
flag, I haven’t found any pictures of a new presidential flag at least. The
presidential website shows the national flag and the national emblem only.
https://www.president.gov.lk/
Zoltan Horvath, 10 October 2024
image
located by Zoltan Horvath, 10 October 2024
From
https://www.newsfirst.lk/2019/11/18/president-gotabaya-rajapaksas-flag-unveiled
President Gotabaya Rajapaksa’s flag unveiled
Written by Staff Writer 18
November, 2019
The flag of the newly elected President of the Democratic
Socialist Republic of Sri Lanka Gotabaya Rajapaksa was introduced today. A white
lotus has been used as the main theme of the flag and it depicts the pure
governance of the President. Fame and glory have been depicted from the
four-sided filaments that extend from the stigma of the white lotus.
Wisdom and honesty have been depicted by the white and yellow circles around the
lotus. Buddhism and the influence it has had on the nation has been depicted by
the Bo Leaves on the four corners. Necessary factors for happiness; Uttana
Sampadha, Arakka Sampadha, Kalyana Miththa, and Samajeevatha have also been
depicted by the Bo leaves.
Hospitality and accommodation extended towards
the people who come from all corners of the globe to forge international ties
are depicted by the four Na flowers in the four corners of the flag. Dark brown
has been used as the main colour of the flag and protection provided in all
aspects has been depicted by the white line around the flag. Unity between
races, peace and mutual understanding has been depicted by the yellow line.
Jason Saber, 19 November 2019
image
located by
sidekickgang, 26 February 2015
The Sri Lanka President website shows his picture with the flag. The image
should be his flag:
http://www.president.gov.lk/news/new-heads-of-mission-present-credentials-to-president-maithripala/.
Nozomi Kariyasu, 27 February 2015
image by
Eugene Ipavec, 23 July 2009
Mahinda Rajapaksa took office 19 Nov 2005. A small image of his new
presidential flag can be seen in the header at the home page of the Presidential
website http://www.president.gov.lk/.
Photos showing partial views of the flag are included in the photo gallery at
www.presidentsl.org/data/html/photoessays/photogallery.htm.
The flag has a maroon or burgundy field, a yellow ornamental border, the 4
inward-pointing yellow leaves which are also on the main portion of the national
flag, and a yellow circular device in the center.
Ned Smith, 3 June 2007
This flag can be seen in use at
http://www.defence.lk/new.asp?fname=20090603_01 (third photo - click on
photo for enlargement).
Esteban Rivera, 3 June 2009
The Flag of the current President of Sri Lanka appears in this series of
pictures in an article on the Sri Lankan Army official website:
http://www.army.lk/detailed.php?NewsId=979
Esteban Rivera, 22
July 2009
The number of florets in the border is conjectural, as no entire side is
visible.
Eugene Ipavec, 23 July 2009
![[Naval ensign of Sri Lanka]](../images/l/lk_pre1.gif)
image by
Željko Heimer
[See Junius Jayawardene's flag for significance of some of the elements.]
Yellow flag with red-white-red unequal border and four white pipul leaves,
one in each corner. In the middle there is a red white and yellow rosette
(arabesque, if you like, though probably this is not proper word here). [Red
here is the brownish red of the national flag.]
Source: Album des Pavillons (2000)
Željko Heimer, 23 January 2003
The ratio is 4:9. The patterned border ornament is still not known as we lack
a precise original picture.
Pascal Vagnat, 27 January 2003
This flag seems to be a recent development. Previous editions of
Album des Pavillons do not mention anything of the sort, nor does Smith (1982). However,
there is a presidential flag in Smith (1975c),
blue with a coat of arms and inscription (see below). It seems that it was
abandoned in late 1970's?
Željko Heimer, 23 January 2003
It seems that in all these representations
of the presidential flag it is not in ratio 1:2, but (very) close to 4:9.
Željko Heimer, 25 January 2003
Ms. Kumaratunga served from Nov
1994 to Nov 2005.
Ned Smith, 3 June 2007
![[Sri Lanka president]](../images/l/lk_rprem.gif)
image located by Ian MacDonald, 19 March 2020
On
https://ceylontoday.lk/site-api/uploads/FeatureHeader/5dd915bf6bed2_1.jpg
are images of all the Sri Lankan presidential flags.
Ian MacDonald,
19 March 2020
![[Sri Lanka president]](../images/l/lk_jjaya.gif)
image located by Ian MacDonald, 19 March 2020
On
https://ceylontoday.lk/site-api/uploads/FeatureHeader/5dd915bf6bed2_1.jpg
are images of all the Sri Lankan presidential flags.
Ian MacDonald,
19 March 2020
![[Civil ensign of Sri Lanka]](../images/l/lk_pre75.gif)
image by
Željko Heimer
President Gopallawa used (I believe) the flag shown in
Smith (1975), blue with the national coat of
arms in full colours above a white bordered red inscription (reading Sri Lanka,
I suppose, but I might need some lectures in Sinhalese).
Gopallawa was the Governor-General of the Dominion of Ceylon (since 1962,
Dominion created in 1948) and was elected president after the formation of the
republic. I guess as the Governor General he used a standard
Governor General flag. Therefore the presidential flag
is somewhat of a logical analog.
Željko Heimer, 24 January 2003
I notice that Gopallawa is not included in a list of the Executive
Presidents, therefore their list has only four names. Did Gopallawa held some
other title? This might explain the drastically different flag used by him.
Željko Heimer, 25 January 2003
Before 7 September 1978 executive power in Sri Lanka was in the hands of the
prime minister. Only after the new constitution of 1978 did the presidents gain
executive power
Jaume Ollé, 25 January 2003
![[Speaker]](../images/l/lk_speak.jpg)
image located by from Janith Leanage, 6 November 2018
A previously unknown Sri Lankan flag is seen here behind the Speaker of the House, Karu Jayasuriya. Since it carries the mace, the symbol of Parliament, it is probably a flag connected to that institution. Janith Leanage, 6 November 2018
I can confirm this is the flag of the Speaker of Parliament for Sri Lanka. https://www.parliament.lk/en/news-en/view/4061?category=6 and https://www.parliament.lk/en/news-en/view/4266?category=6
The symbol in the center of the flag is the Mace used by the Sri Lankan
Parliament.
https://parliament.lk/component/phocagallery/category/5?tmpl=component&format=pdf
Zachary Harden, 29 November 2024
