In a historic first for Sri Lanka, Professor (Retired) Hemanta Sirisena of the University of Kelaniya was presented with a Certificate of Appreciation by the Russian Government for his long-standing efforts to promote Russian language and literature in the country. The award ceremony took place on October 6, 2025, at the Russian Embassy in Colombo, with Ambassador Levon Jagaryan presenting the honour on the recommendation of Russia’s Minister of Science and Higher Education, V.