The Gratiaen Trust announces the shortlist for the 31st Gratiaen Prize

The Gratiaen Trust, in partnership with John Keells Foundation and with the support of British Council as its event partner, announced the shortlist for the 31st Gratiaen Prize, on April 29, 2024, at the British Council Library in Colombo. This prestigious annual award founded by Michael Ondaatje celebrates exceptional English creative writing by Sri Lankan authors. This year, of the eight longlisted writers, five have been short-listed for the next stage of the competition, these include in alphabetical order: A Passing Return by Pasan Jayasinghe (Travelogue – Unpublished); Father Cabraal’s Recipe for Love Cake by Ramya Jirasinghe (Novel – Unpublished); Gnanam by Selvi Sachithanandam (Biography – Published); Students and Rebels by Vihanga Perera (Novel – Published) and When Ghosts Die by Lal Medawattegedara (Novel – Unpublished).

Reflecting on the Gratiaen Prize’s longstanding tradition of representing three perspectives within the judging process, the jury panel this year comprises a creative writer, an academic and an informed general reader. The 31st Gratiaen Prize jury panel comprises distinguished international and local literary figures. It is chaired by Dr Anthony Joseph F.R.S.L., a T.S Elliot award-winning poet, novelist, academic, and musician. Joining him are Dr. Ruvani Ranasinha, a professor specialising in postcolonial literature at King’s College London; and Angeline Ondaatjie, a renowned hotelier and academic with a background in chemical engineering and literature.

Speaking of his experience as Chair of the jury, Dr Anthony Joseph, said, “Judging the Gratiaen Prize has given me an insight into the complexities of the Sri Lankan history and culture. Each book has offered something of the island. There is a richness of detail throughout the entries, which is vivid and sensuous, with elegant, transportive descriptions of the island and its landscape. It has also been great to see how as writers, we are all, regardless to our geographies, trying to say something about what it means to be human. The stories and poems here are grappling with issues and concerns which are universal but are doing this in a distinctively Sri Lankan way. It’s been an honour to be part of this process.”

Representative of John Keells Foundation, the primary sponsor to the Trust, Carmeline Jayasuriya, Head of CSR and Senior Assistant Vice President, John Keells Holdings PLC, speaking at the event said, “John Keells Foundation is delighted to partner with the Gratiaen Trust for the fifth successive year in its commitment to support an increasingly vibrant literary culture in Sri Lanka. As the CSR entity of the John Keells Group, one of our six pillars is Arts & Culture aimed at safeguarding and fostering the cultural heritage of Sri Lanka whilst promoting social cohesion and well-being and boosting creative economies through strategic initiatives and collaborations. As the process for the prestigious Gratiaen Prize progresses, we look forward to celebrating the achievements of Sri Lankan writers and continuing our collaborative efforts with the Gratiaen Trust to nurture creativity and innovation.