CLBA unveils ‘Mawathe Abhiman,’ Sri Lanka’s first-ever luxury bus awards

In a landmark initiative, the Ceylon Luxury Bus Association (CLBA) recently launched ‘Mawathe Abhiman,’ the country’s first-ever national awards program dedicated to recognise excellence within Sri Lanka’s luxury passenger transport industry. 

‘Mawathe Abhiman’ has been established as an annual national platform to recognise bus operators, drivers, conductors, and service providers that have made outstanding contributions to shaping Sri Lanka’s premium transport sector. 

The inaugural awards ceremony is scheduled to be held on 31 July at The Forum, City of Dreams Sri Lanka, and is set to bring together more than 500 industry leaders, policymakers, transport operators, tourism stakeholders, and corporate partners.

CLBA President Nikitha Grero said: “This is the first time that we have seen something like this. If we compare with the world, the quality of this industry is not very good. But our people have a great passion for the bus industry. Other countries don’t have that passion. This is a very beautiful thing. With this initiative, I hope that we will be able to take this to the top level and drive it.”

He emphasised that over decades, Sri Lanka’s luxury bus industry has contributed to tourism and economic development, noting that through ‘Mawathe Abhiman,’ there would now be a national platform to honour those who are dedicated and inspire the industry to strive for higher standards of excellence. 

The initiative also seeks to promote a culture of safety, discipline, professionalism, and continuous improvement across both passenger and tourism transport services. Organisers said the project is aimed at promoting higher service standards while aligning Sri Lanka’s transport sector with international best practices and strengthening public confidence in the industry. 

The inaugural awards will feature a range of categories that cover excellence and achievements across the industry. These categories include awards like Best Bus Driver – Passenger Bus Service, Best Conductor – Passenger Bus Service, Best Tourism Driver, Best Modified Bus – Special Hire, Most Modified Bus – Special Hire Service, Most Popular Bus Service – People’s Choice, among others. 

In order to ensure a transparent, credible, and merit-based evaluation process, entries will be judged by an independent panel headed by transport sector expert and distinguished academic Prof. Renuka Herath, who will serve as Head of the Jury.

Prof. Herath said: “Transport is ultimately a people-centred service. While modern fleets and technology are important, it is the professionalism, discipline, safety consciousness, and commitment of the people behind the wheel and behind the scenes that truly define service excellence.” 

She said ‘Mawathe Abhiman’ represented an important milestone in recognising these often-overlooked professionals while creating meaningful benchmarks that would inspire higher standards and contribute to the long-term development of the passenger transport sector of Sri Lanka. 

The organisers also mentioned that unlike conventional industry awards, ‘Mawathe Abhiman’ had been designed to be a long-term national program instead of a one-off initiative. By rewarding responsible service, encouraging continuous professional development, and celebrating excellence, the initiative aims to strengthen the industry’s reputation and drive sustained improvements in quality and safety. 

Through the launch of ‘Mawathe Abhiman,’ the CLBA hopes to position Sri Lanka’s luxury passenger transport industry as a regional model for quality, safety, and service while recognising the work of dedicated individuals in the sector.