<P> Before independence, Ceylon used the coat of arms of the United Kingdom as the imperial emblem and a unique shield for the colony . This contained a Sri Lankan Elephant and Coconut trees and later a stupa . </P> <P> When Ceylon was granted independence from Britain as a dominion in 1948, the need of a new national emblem arose . A committee was named in order to create a national emblem . According to its recommendation a national emblem was adopted in 1954 . The island had been a British Crown Colony since 1802 . The emblem was not strictly in the heraldic tradition, however was granted by the College of Arms in 1954 . It was derived from the Royal Banner of the Kandyan Kingdom . It largely reflected the Buddhist traditions of the Sinhalese people . At its center had a disk with a gold lion passant holding a sword (here called the Ceylon lion) in its right fore paw, on a maroon background, was taken from the Royal Banner of the Kandyan Kingdom . Around it were the golden petals of a water lily and topped with the crown ensigning the roundel is called the Ceylon crown; it follows the design of the crown worn by the kings of Kandy . The crown apparently symbolised Queen Elizabeth as Head of State of Ceylon, and it disappeared from the country's arms after change of status to a republic . </P> <P> The present emblem of was created in 1972 with the ideas and guidance of Nissanka Wijeyeratne . At the time, he was Permanent Secretary to the Ministry of Cultural Affairs and Chairman of the National Emblem and Flag Design Committee . The designer of the emblem was Venerable Mapalagama Wipulasara Maha Thera and Art Work by S.M Seneviratne . The emblem features a gold lion passant, holding a sword in its right fore paw (the same lion from the flag of Sri Lanka) in the centre on a maroon background surrounded by golden petals of a Blue Lotus, the national flower of the country . This is placed on top of a traditional grain vase that sprouts sheaves of rice grains that circle the border reflecting prosperity . </P> <P> The crest is the Dharmacakra, symbolizing the country's foremost place for Buddhism and just rule . Traditional Sinhalese heraldic symbols for the sun and the moon form the supporters . </P>

Who created the national emblem of sri lanka
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