The former Head of the Guard Force at the British High Commission (BHC) in Colombo Tuan Ismail was awarded an honorary MBE by Her Majesty The Queen in the Birthday Honours List of 2013. 

 

The British High Commission in Colombo said that his award was presented by The Prince of Wales at a personal and special ceremony during his visit to Sri Lanka this year. Among those present at the investiture ceremony were a number of important British dignitaries, including Her Royal Highness, The Duchess of Cornwall, British Foreign Secretary William Hague and the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka, John Rankin, as well as Mr Ismail’s proud family and members of the BHC staff.
 

Ismail – as he is fondly known – started his career at the British High Commission in March 1983. In 1993 he was promoted to Senior Guard and Head of the Guard Force. He consistently showed exceptional commitment in his role in spite of any personal risks, especially during the long years of the Sri Lankan conflict, and his professionalism, resilience and dedication were unfaltering until his retirement in March 2013, it added.