Judges pose with the novels that were selected for the short lists

The eagerly awaited Fairway National Literary Awards 2016 Shortlists were announced at a ceremony held at the Hilton Colombo Residences (JAIC Hilton) on 30th August 2016. The shortlisted authors will receive a cash award of Rs. 100,000/= each while the eventual winner in each language category will receive a net cash award of Rs 500 000/- each.   

The shortlisted novels are as follows 

FNLA 2016 Shortlisted Novels

English

Novel                                                         Author                                            Publisher

The Dalada Chronicles                  Shyam S. Dissanayake                     M. D. Gunasena & Co.
Celibacy Factor                              Quintus G. Fernando                       Author Publication
First Utterance                               Theena Kumaragurunathan              Author Publication
Parallel Lives                                  Nanda Pethiyagoda                        S. Godage Brothers (Pvt)Ltd

Sinhala

Asandhimitta                                 Saman Wickramarachchi                 Sarasavi Publishers
Ahambakaraka                              Liyanage Amarakeerthi                    Fast Publishing (Pvt) Ltd
Paradesi                                         Eric Ilayaparachchi                       S. Godage Brothers (pvt) Ltd
Maha Ravana                                Tennyson Perera                            Sarasavi Publishers
Sapthambaraye Diga Dawasak       Kapila Kumara Kalinga                    Fast Publishing (Pvt) Ltd  
  
Tamil

Panjam Pilaikka Vantha                M. Sivalingam              Damayanthi Publishers                           Neenthi Kadantha Neruppaaru       N. Yogendranathan        Author Publication
Kalavan Kathikal                          J. Wahabdeen              Department of Culture, Eastern Provincial                                                                                       Council

Mr. Kavinda Dias-Abeysinghe, Deputy Chairman of Fairway Holdings addressing the gathering

The Sinhala language category panel of judges comprise the renowned film director Dr. Dharmasena Pathiraja, Krishantha Fedricks, an academic specializing in linguistic anthropology, and the well-known short story writer, Professor Piyaseeli Wijemanna. 

The panel of judges for the Tamil language entries are; Professor Emeritus Sitralega Maunaguru, S. Pathmanathan, former Principal of Palaly Training College and better known as the poet and translator ‘Sopa,’ and Professor Mohamed Abdulla Mohamed Rameez, Professor of Tamil Language at the South Eastern University. 

The English language category’s panel of judges comprises the distinguished former civil servant and author, TissaDevendra, DrVivimarieVanderPoorten, an acclaimed poet and academic, and novelist and Commonwealth Book Prize Winner Nayomi Munaweera.

Ms. Anomaa Rajakaruna, Co-ordinator of the FNLA delivering her speech

These distinguished judges will, over the coming months, select the winners in each language category, the announcement of which will take place in January 2017 at the Fairway Galle Literary Festival, one of the most popular literary festivals in the world.

The Fairway National Literary Awards are sponsored by Fairway Holdings with the goal of encouraging, recognizing and rewarding Sri Lankan creative writing excellence.  

Prof. Sitralega Maunaguru of the Tamil judging panel introduces the short lists for the Tamil category

 Dr. Vivimarie Vander Poorten of the English judging panel introduces the short list for the English category

The novels that were selected for the short lists