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Gratiaen prize winners announced
The Gratiaen Trust, in partnership with John Keells Foundation, on Sunday announced the winners of the 32nd Gratiaen Prize for English creative writing and the H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Literary Translation. These awards, which were presented at the Cinnamon Life City of Dreams – the venue partner for the Prize event – brought together Sri Lanka’s literary community in a celebration of outstanding contemporary writing and translation achievements. The event was also supported by Sarasavi Books and the British Council.
Savin Edirisinghe was awarded the 32nd Gratiaen Prize for his remarkable work, Katha: Gossip, Rumours, and Idle Talk. His work was selected from an exceptional shortlist that also included: Upali Mahaliyana for ‘He Was God’s Child Too’; Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe for ‘Nowhere No Return’, Vihanga Perera for ‘The Warm South’ and Ranudi Gunawardena for ‘Wombful of Weeds’.
The jury for the 32nd Gratiaen Prize included Professor Gregory Pardlo, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, essayist, and Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at NYU Abu Dhabi. He was joined by Dr. Crystal Baines, a researcher at the Social Scientists’ Association and visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo, and Savithri Rodrigo, an award-winning journalist and biographer. In the Jury’s statement, they said that Kata Katha is a collection of witty, bold, and experimental short stories which rests on the premise that “Kata Katha” or “gossip”, a form of oral knowledge system, is the cornerstone of civilisation. The stories, or ‘Kata Katha’ in this collection, meander through the absurd, the magical, and the irrational, offering readers a cast of young characters from varying walks of life through an ingenious lens and narrative that deftly balances tragedy with satire.
From left: Nafeesa Amiruddeen – Co-Chair of the Gratiaen Trust, Nisreen
Jafferjee – Co-Chair of the Gratiaen Trust, Savin Edirisinghe (Winner 32nd Gratiaen Prize 2024), Dr. Crystal Baines, researcher at the Social Scientists’
Association and visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo, Professor
Gregory Pardlo, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, essayist, and Professor of
Literature and Creative Writing at NYU Abu Dhabi, and Nadija Tambiah –
President, Legal, Secretarial and CSR, John Keells Group
The Trust simultaneously announced Priyangwada Perera as the winner of the biennial H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for her translation of Wid Keirdo from Sinhala into English. The judging panel for this award comprised Dr. Krishantha Fedricks, a Senior Lecturer in Sinhala and Linguistics at the University of Colombo, Shash Trevett, a poet, critic, and translator of Tamil poetry into English, and Dileepa Abeysekera, a creative professional and literary translator whose work bridges the worlds of advertising and literature. The jury praised the translation, stating: ‘The winner of the 2025 HAIG Prize for Translation is a path maker, building a bridge between Sinhala and English in order to make the voices and lives contained in the Sinhala original find a sense of belonging elsewhere. The linguistic acrobatics displayed by the winning translator, coping magnificently with the intricate word play of the Sinhala original, were astounding, and deeply satisfying.”
Savin Edirisinghe (Winner 32nd Gratiaen Prize 2024), Priyangwada Perera as the winner of the biennial H.A.I. Goonetileke
Prize for her translation
In a joint statement, the Co-chairs of the Gratiaen Trust Nafeesa Amiruddeen and Nisreen Jafferjee said, “The Trust congratulates Savin Edirisinghe and Priyangwada Perera. This year’s winning works are a testament to the extraordinary creativity and depth of Sri Lankan literature and stand as a source of inspiration and pride for our literary community. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both winners and the shortlisters for their exceptional contributions that continue to enliven our literary landscape. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the judges for their discerning selections and our partners for making this celebration possible.”
Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of CSR, John Keells Group, added, “John Keells Foundation is proud to support the Gratiaen Trust’s mission to nurture literary excellence. This year’s winners demonstrate how Sri Lankan writers can captivate and inspire, aligning perfectly with our Social Health & Cohesion focus aimed at empowering a healthy and progressive Sri Lanka by combating social barriers, promoting dialogue and supporting creative industries under our vision of ‘Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’.
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In order to safeguard the future of the country, a quality human resource must be developed. – Prime Minister
Prime Minister Dr. Harini Amarasuriya stated that in order to ensure the economic, social, and cultural security of the country, it is essential to develop a quality human resource, and that education plays a vital role in achieving this goal.
The Prime Minister emphasized that the government is committed to bring about a transformation in the education sector, and that the government will continue to move forward by overcoming obstacles encountered along the way, guided by a clear vision and purpose.
The Prime Minister made these remarks while addressing the EDCS Sisu Nena Pranama scholarship award ceremony held on Saturday (31) at Temple Trees, organized to recognize the children of the members of the Education Co-operative Society (EDCS) who have been selected to state universities for the academic year2023/2024.
Elaborating further, the Prime Minister noted that this program, organized by the Education Service Employees– Co-operative Thrift and Credit Society Ltd, is not merely about providing scholarships, but is an occasion that recognizes and appreciates the dedication of students and their parents who are preparing to shoulder the responsibility of the country’s future.
The Prime Minister also pointed out that it is a remarkable achievement that a society which began in 1930 with just 58 members and a membership fee of one rupee has today grown into the largest cooperative society in South Asia, with approximately 215,000 members.
The Prime Minister further highlighted how rapidly the world is changing, and the increasing necessity of developing human resources in the face of economic and environmental crises. She stressed that the education system must be transformed from the level of school education itself to align with the demands of the modern world, and that students entering universities should become leaders and active participants in this transformation.
Noting that out of nearly 300,000 students who enter primary education each year, only about 40,000 gain admission to universities, the Prime Minister urged students to make use of this opportunity for the development of the country.
Addressing the occasion, Deputy Minister of Labour and General Secretary of Ceylon Teachers Service Union, Mahinda Jayasinghe, stated that due to corruption-free management, it was possible to increase the financial stability of the society from Rs. 1,200 million to Rs. 1,700 million within a short period of approximately nine months.
Under this year’s program, scholarships amount to over Rs. 13.7 million were awarded to 2,292 students who have been selected to state universities.
This scholarship program, which initiated in 1984 with 15 students and an initial fund of Rs. 3,500, has been conducted continuously for 41 years. At present, scholarships of up to a maximum of Rs. 75,000 per student are awarded, demonstrating the collective strength and solidarity of the teaching community.
The event was attended by the Chairman of the Education Development Cooperative Society, Lal Kumara, the Western Province Director of Education, Darshani Iddamalgoda, along with other officials.
[Prime Minister’s Media Division]
IGP Priyantha Weerasooriya says that the Police is facing a shortage of nearly 32,000 personnel and is currently operating well below its required strength.
He made these remarks while attending a ceremony held on Friday morning (30) to recognise the contribution of fingerprint officers, crime analysis officers and forensic photographers attached to the Criminal Investigation Department for their role in solving crimes.
Addressing the gathering, the IGP said that around 2,500 police officers are due to retire this year, with a further 2,700 officers expected to retire next year.
In view of the growing cadre shortfall, he said plans are underway to recruit 10,000 new officers to the Sri Lanka Police in the future.
Sri Lanka earned international recognition at the 41st Mrs. World pageant, with Sabina Yousaf being named Second Runner-Up, marking a notable achievement for the country at the prestigious global competition.
In addition to securing a top-three finish, Yousaf also won the Mrs. Photogenic mini-title and placed among the Top 20 contestants, underscoring her strong performance on the international stage.
The Mrs. World 2025 crown was won by Chanita Seedaket Craythorne of Thailand, while Paige Ewing of the United States was declared First Runner-Up.
The grand finale was held on 29 January in Las Vegas, Nevada, and featured contestants from more than 60 countries competing for the coveted title.
The announcement of the Top Three finalists placed Sri Lanka alongside leading global pageant contenders, reinforcing the country’s growing presence in international pageantry.
Final Results – Mrs. World 2025:
Winner: Thailand – Chanita Seedaket Craythorne
First Runner-Up: United States – Paige Ewing
Second Runner-Up: Sri Lanka – Sabina Yousaf
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