18 October 2021 12:55 am Views - 616
Will the upsurge of literary activity, as seen in the pre-pandemic year 2019, continue? The sixty seventh State
Winners of forty categories will receive their Awards at the State Literary Awards to be held shortly. The usual ‘surprise element’ when winners are announced however, will be missed this year. The pandemic, compelled the State Literary Advisory Board, headed by Venerable Rambukkana Siddhartha Thera and the Cultural Department to deviate from tradition and announce the winners ahead of the Awards Ceremony.
Although intense literary activity was visible among Sinhala writers, the SLA 2020 reflected lesser literary engagement of Tamil and English writers. In 2018, winners had emerged in twelve Tamil literary categories. In 2019 however, ‘Best Poetry in Translation,’ ‘Best Youth Literature,’ and ‘Best Translation in Varied Subjects’ are not represented.
The English Sector has suffered a worse fate with only nine categories represented - three less than in the previous year.
The most prolific writer in the Sinhala Section for 2019 is Eric Iliyapparachchi. His ‘Hambawa’ has won the ‘Best Poetry’ award while his book ‘Manto’ has been adjudged winner of ‘Miscellaneous Subject - Humanities.’
Winner of ‘Best Sinhala Novel’ is leading novelist, Kathleen Jayawardene whose ‘Ivuru Ganga Sindhi Giya Daa’ earned her the prime award. ‘Pena’ of Iliyapparachchi and ‘Athakin Ammaya Athakin Meramaya’ of P. B. Jayasekere are nominated novels for this award.
"Winner of ‘Best Sinhala Novel’ is leading novelist, Kathleen Jayawardene whose ‘Ivuru Ganga Sindhi Giya Daa’ earned her the prime award"
Even in the ‘Best Short Story’ category won by Sumudu Niragi Seneviratne (Sithuwamen Nerapu Kindurek,) Iliypparachchi’s collection - ‘Vishramika Pemwathiya’ is a nominated publication.
Chamika Hathlahawatte’s ‘Raja Mang Vahala’ is selected winner of the ‘Best Drama’ over Sunanda Mahendra’s ‘Sonia.’ Mahendra however, will collect his Award for ‘Kalandage Lokaya’ in the Children’s Literature 11. Three books, Lakshman Koradon’s ‘Alimankada Iskole,’ journalist Anula de Silva’s ‘Autism’ and Manel Karunatilleke’s ‘Igilena Lamai’ have been nominated for the Youth Literature Award which Bhuvaneka Vanniarachchi won for his ‘Hatha F’.
Upali Mahaliyana’s ‘Tom-Tom Boy,’ based on two boys who take to robes due to poverty, follow separate paths before they come together as emerged winner in the ‘Best English Novel’ category over ‘Salt Rakers’ of Lakmali Gunawardene and ‘An Untold Story’ of Kamala Wijeratne. Many women writers in the English categories incidentally have proved their literary skills, many winning Awards or their work being nominated.
The ‘Best Poetry’ is that of Premani Amarasinghe for her collection titled ‘A Tapestry of Verse.’ Nominated is Kamani Jayasekere’s ‘My Love Guru.’ ‘Novels in Translation’ is won by Madhubhashini Dissanayake Ratnayake for ‘The Sowing Field’ with K. A. N. Perera’s ‘Sathyakama’ nominated for the award.
‘A Few Scenes From a Missed Train’ of Dinuka Wijetunge is adjudged winner in ‘Short Stories in Translation’ with Vijita Fernando’s ‘Women Unknown’ nominated for the Award.
Sahithyaratne (2018) recipient Gananath Obeysekere will receive the Award in the ‘Best Academic and Research’ category. Nominated for the Award is G. H. Peiris’ ‘Planning for the Future of Kandy.’