Winners With Judges: Dr Kaushalya Perera, Sukanya Wignaraja and the joint winners of the Gratiaen Prize 2022 Yudhanjaya Wijeratne for his novel The Wretched and The Damned and Chiranthi Rajapakse for her short story collection Keeping Time and Other Stories and Romesh Gunesekera

The Gratian Prize was first awarded in 1993 through funds that Michael Ondaatje (the founder of the Gratiaen Prize) received from his Booker Prize award for ‘The English Patient’ in 1992. This award is given to the best work in creative writing in English done by a Sri Lankan citizen residing in Sri Lanka. The Gratiaen Prize this year was significant as it marked its 30th year anniversary as it celebrated the highly anticipated Gratiaen Prize evening on Saturday, the 17th of June at the Westminister House, Colombo Seven where the two victors of the 2022 Gratiaen Prize; Chiranthi Rajapakse for her collection of short stories called ‘Keeping Time and Other Stories' and Yudhanjaya Wijeratne for his novel ‘The Wretched and The Damned’ were celebrated.

Chiranthi Rajapakse has been shortlisted before for the Gratiaen Prize in 2017 for her collection of short stories called ‘Names and Numbers’. The writer is a lawyer as well as a developmental professional. She was shortlisted yet again this year and eventually won. ‘Keeping Time’ is a book of short stories that give us a glimpse into modern life. She writes in a fashion as to make one think about the book and read it again and then again to find the intrinsic details one may have missed the first time around.

Even though this is Yudhanjaya Wijeratne’s very first publication submitted to the Gratiaen, he has certainly started in the most potent manner. His award winning science fiction novel ‘The Wretched and the Damned’ has an eerie clairvoyance that illustrates a futuristic state with a corrupt government and destroyed environment. This book creates a group of fantasy heroes for the Sri Lankan audience who deals with probable futures and unusual solutions. Yudhanjaya is not only a writer, but a data scientist and an activist as well. 

Manel Eriyagama received the prize for her translation of ‘Jewel’ for the H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for translation. This prize, which is awarded biannually, was awarded to Manel for her translation of a book of 14 Sinhala language short stories compiled by the translator and published by Sarasavi. Manel made it very obvious to all of us who were at the event just how difficult translating from one language to another is by a simple example. She probed the audience to try and interpret into English from Sinhala the word ‘you’. In Sinhala there are so many words to express the simple word ‘you’. There are at least eight and not all of them are nice, whereas others are loving and respectful. However, in English, all of these are encompassed into ‘you’. The job of a translator is not at all easy. She showed us this with a very simple, yet talented way. It is no wonder that this particular prize takes two years for the judges and the jury to pick the best. Manel Erigama is very graceful and elegant and when she expressed her thanks she said, ‘I’m Sinhala. I only know Sinhalese. So how did I receive this honor?’ Well, she must really know her English as well!

Orlando Edwards, Country Director, British Council. Prof. Neloufer de Mel, Chair, The Gratiaen Trust, Manel Eriyagama (WInner H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize), Yudhanjaya Wijeratne (Joint Winner Gratiaen Prize), Chiranthi Rajapakse (Joint Winner Gratiaen Prize) Carmeline Jayasuriya from the John Keells Foundation and the British High Commissioner to Sri Lanka Sarah Hulton 

Along with Chiranthi Rajapakse (for ‘Keeping Time and Other Short Stories’) and Yudhanjaya Wijeratne (for ‘The Wretched and the Damned’), there were two others shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize this year. These were Isurinie Anuradha Mallawaarachchi, for her book of poems named ’Flowers Teach Me to Let Go’ along with another book of poetry called ‘Samsara’ by Shirani Rajapakse. 

The 2021 Gratiaen Prize winner and now the second person from Sri Lanka (since Micheal Ondaatje himself, 30 years ago) to win the Booker Prize in 2022, Shehan Karunatilaka (for ’The Seven Moons of Maali Alimeida.’) was present this year for an onstage chat with the Chair Romesh Gunesekera. The two of them spoke to each other like old friends in battle. They both know through their own individual accomplishments what a complicated task writing can be. The spoke to each other expressively about being writers and the hardships of being one. As Booker Prize winner so articulately stated, ‘It takes at least eight bad books, before you deliver that great one.’ The winner as most would call it.  

Chaired by Romesh Gunesekera, a globally acclaimed, award-winning author as well as an elected Fellow of the Royal Society of Literature, there were three members all together of the jury for the prize this year. Along with Romesh Gunesekera the other members of the jury consisted of Sukanya Wignaraja and Dr, Kaushalya Perera. Ms Wignaraja is a psychotherapist, as well as a former editor at Oxford University Press, New Delhi. She is also known for being an avid reader of literature. Dr. Perera is the Senior Lecturer in English at the Department of English, at the University of Colombo. Her research interests span from linguistics to literature. The decision was a unanimous one to award these two uniquely varying talents for their ‘two markedly contrasting and effective styles of prose,’ stated Mr. Guneserera.

The Chair of the Gratiaen Trust Professor Neloufer de Mel drew from one of Michael Ondaatje’s novels when opening the ceremony. She was expressive when thanking the sponsors especially since the crisis Sri Lanka has faced since 2020. Neloufer gave thanks for all the support that the Trust has received through these past 30 years. Professor de Mel added that she has observed that despite the challenging economic environment that Sri Lanka finds herself in, this sponsorship has enabled the Trust to develop its activities significantly. This includes the Gratiaen Young Writers Club, open mike events and students original, creative writing workshops to guide young people in their ventures in to the art of creative writing.