SINGAPORE — The stories of average Singaporeans take centre stage on the shortlist for this year’s singapore prize, which recognises works that speak to the heart and soul of the nation. While academic tomes and works with a scholarly slant remain, this year’s shortlist also includes novels and non-fiction with a personal slant. “The idea is to look at history from a layperson’s perspective,” says National Institute of Education senior lecturer Anitha Devi Pillai, who helped her mother Kamaladevi research and translate the novel Sembawang. The story looks at events of the 1950s, including leftist political movements and detentions, from the eyes of a family navigating them. “To us, history isn’t just something that happened, but what it meant to average people,” she said in an e-mail interview.
The prize, which carries a cash award of $50,000 and a trophy, is a biennial award to recognise Singapore writers of literary merit across the four national languages: Chinese, Malay, Tamil and English. This year, it carries a new prize for debut authors, with all shortlisted works by first-time writers eligible for the accolade. The Readers’ Favourite award, which is based on public voting, has been scrapped in favour of an enhanced category that celebrates translation and the work of Singaporean creators.
This year’s judging panel comprises an eminent group of authors, historians and cultural figures who have a shared vision to encourage the next generation of Singapore writers. The winner of the prize will be announced in October.
In addition to the singapore prize, Singapore also has a number of other awards that honour different fields and achievements. The Lee Kuan Yew Water Prize, for example, recognises outstanding contributions by individuals and organisations towards the world’s water challenges, with a particular focus on developing or applying innovative technologies, policies or programmes that benefit humanity.
Meanwhile, the President’s Science and Technology Awards, established in 1987 as the National Science and Technology Awards, was elevated to Presidential status in 2009. The awards are given out to scientists who have contributed significantly to upholding research excellence and building a growing community of scientific talent in Singapore. The finalists for the 2021 prize will be announced in Oct.