- The flower 'Manel' was declared as the National Flower of Sri Lanka in 1986 on the proposals made by the public and based on the recommendations of a Committee of Scholars and Officials. Considering the discrepancies that had taken place during recent times as the right image of the National Flower of Sri Lanka has not been displayed every time the National Flower is mentioned, and as such the proposal made by H.E. the President Maithripala Sirisena, in his capacity as the Minister of Mahawali Development and Environment to refer to the National Flower of Sri Lanka as 'Manel' in Sinhala, 'Neelothpalam' in Tamil and 'Blue Water Lily' in English and to use the correct image of the flower and the correct scientific name, 'Nymphaea Nouchali Burm.f', every time the National Flower is referred to and also to provide adequate publicity to popularize the correct name and the image of the flower and to educate the public institutions in that regard, was approved by the Cabinet.