President Dr Mohamed Muizzu has conferred the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin, the Maldives' highest state honour, on Mohamed Moosa (Champa), Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa, Hussain Afeef (Champa), and Dr Mohamed Latheef in recognition of their exceptional contributions to national development.
The honours were presented during the official Independence Day celebrations, where the four recipients received badges of honour and commemorative shields. The awards are conferred under the National Honours Act, which authorises the President to bestow the nation's highest honours, medals and titles.
The National Honours system comprises the Highest Honour of the State, the Distinguished Honour of the State and honours conferred at the President's discretion. Of this year's recipients of the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin, Mohamed Moosa and Hussain Afeef had previously been awarded the Order of the Dignified Rule of the Muleege Dynasty.
Mohamed Moosa honoured for contributions to business and national development
Prominent businessman Mohamed Moosa, widely known as Champa, was recognised for his decades of contributions to business, tourism, agriculture and national development.
After studying at Majeediyya School, he pursued higher education at Jamia Darussalam in Oomerabad, Tamil Nadu, India, where he became fluent in Hindi and Urdu. He later gained industrial experience in Coimbatore before returning to the Maldives to establish a number of business ventures.
Moosa pioneered agricultural initiatives, trained local farmers and supplied affordable produce to the domestic market. His work earned him a place on the government's Agriculture Advisory Board and the Thimaavesheege Fehi Faiy award for his contributions to agriculture and environmental conservation.
Today, he leads Champa Wholesale, supplying food and essential goods to resorts and the local market while distributing agricultural products and fertiliser from Thilafushi to Malé. His business portfolio also includes industrial operations and a boatyard.
Widely regarded as one of the pioneers of the Maldivian tourism industry, Moosa's investments have generated employment and economic opportunities for many Maldivian families. He also helped advance media freedom by establishing the country's first private broadcasting outlets, including Dhi FM, Dhi FM Plus and Dhi TV.
Through the Ali Fulhu Thuthu Foundation, established by his family, he has funded annual scholarships and supported major infrastructure projects, including Addu International Airport and Madivaru Domestic Airport in Lhaviyani Atoll. He also played a key role in establishing the Maldives Finance and Leasing Company, the Commercial Bank of Maldives and Tree Top Hospital.
His previous honours include the Order of the Dignified Rule of the Muleege Dynasty in 2013, the Tourism Gold Award in 2022 and the Face of South Asia Tourism Award in 2024.
Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa recognised for advancing Islamic education
Renowned Islamic scholar Ibrahim Rasheed Moosa received the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin for his lifelong service to Islamic scholarship, religious education and public service.
After completing his higher education at Al-Azhar University in Egypt, he returned to the Maldives and began his career as a mathematics teacher at Majeediyya School.
He later became one of the country's leading figures in Islamic education, playing a central role in establishing Mauhad al-Dhiraasaathil Islamiyya during the early years of President Maumoon Abdul Gayoom's administration. As Director of the institution, he expanded Arabic language education at both primary and secondary levels while creating opportunities for students to pursue higher Islamic studies overseas.
His public service career spanned more than 43 years, serving mainly at Mauhad al-Dhiraasaathil Islamiyya and later at Kulliyyah al-Dhiraasaathil Islaamiyyah before retiring as President of the National Centre for the Holy Quran.
Hussain Afeef recognised for pioneering the tourism industry
Tourism industry pioneer Hussain Afeef (Champa) was also honoured with the Order of the Distinguished Rule of Izzuddin for his outstanding contribution to the development of Maldivian tourism.
A previous recipient of the Order of the Dignified Rule of the Muleege Dynasty, Afeef began his tourism career working in resort kitchens, tour operations and resort management before becoming one of the country's leading tourism entrepreneurs.
Among his landmark achievements was the establishment of Gasfinolhu as the world's first fully solar-powered resort, alongside international promotional campaigns that helped introduce the Maldives to European tourism markets.
A founding member of the Maldives Association of Tourism Industry, Afeef currently serves as its Chairman after previously serving as Vice Chairman. His investments have also extended to aviation, banking and healthcare.
He contributed to the development of Addu International Airport and played an instrumental role in establishing Tree Top Hospital, which introduced tertiary healthcare services and the Maldives' first fertility clinic.
Through the Ali Fulhu Thuthu Foundation, named after his father, he has funded scholarships and supported water and sewerage projects across inhabited islands. As Chairman of the Commercial Bank of Maldives, he has also contributed to strengthening financial services for local businesses.
His previous recognitions include the Public Service Medal in Tourism in 1989, the Public Service Honour in Tourism in 2004, the title of State Dignitary in 2010 and the Order of the Dignified Rule of the Muleege Dynasty in 2013.
Dr Mohamed Latheef honoured for transforming education
Veteran educator Dr Mohamed Latheef received the nation's highest state honour in recognition of more than four decades of service to education and public administration.
As Minister of Education, Dr Latheef spearheaded efforts to modernise the national education system and expand access to higher education.
During his 22 years in the education sector, he played a leading role in establishing the Educational Development Centre, the Institute for Teacher Education and the Maldives Centre for Management and Administration.
He also helped formulate the Maldives' first and second Education Master Plans, expanded secondary education, introduced the Built-in Supervision System and contributed to the establishment of the Maldives College of Higher Education.
Dr Latheef obtained both a Master of Education and a PhD in Educational Planning from the University of Wales by 1992. He later served in Parliament and the Constitutional Assembly before concluding his distinguished career as Chancellor of the Maldives National University.
President presents Public Service Awards to 66 recipients
Alongside the highest state honours, President Muizzu presented the National Award for Public Service to 66 individuals in recognition of their decades of dedicated service to the nation.
Recipients received commemorative shields during the official Independence Day ceremony. The award is one of the country's highest recognitions for public servants and acknowledges long-serving employees for their dedication, integrity and contributions to strengthening state institutions.
This year's recipients represented a broad range of sectors, including healthcare, education and business.
According to the President's Office, 130 nominations were received before the 11 June deadline. Eligible nominees included current and former employees of government institutions, state-owned companies and majority government-owned enterprises, with nominations accepted from organisations, third parties and through self-nomination.
