Greeting the Gratiaen again!
by Nilma Dole
"The Gratiaen Prize is an
attempt on one level to share the wealth. I was lucky. But more
important it is to celebrate and test and trust ourselves. To select and
argue about the literature around us. To take it seriously, not just to
see it as a jewel or a decoration." - Michael Ondaatje at the very first
Gratiaen Prize in 1993
 Ever since Michael Ondaatje won the coveted Booker Prize in 1992 for
'The English Patient' that even went far to Hollywood to win accolades,
he did his bid to Sri Lanka by bringing the beloved Gratiaen Prize which
has inspired many local writers to take the pen and pour their hearts
out.
Despite spending most of his life as a 'Canadian', he has done his
duty as a Sri Lankan born writer by offering the chance for others to
shine like him. Primarily set up to encourage English writing by Sri
Lankans, the Prize was dedicated to Michael Ondaatje's mother, Doris
Gratiaen, who was a dancer in the manner of Isadora Duncan. Previously,
the Prize was administered by Ian Goonetileke, the former librarian,
University of Ceylon, Peradeniya, but later handed over to the Gratiaen
Trust, which was set up for the purpose.
The three judges for the Prize are chosen by the Trust where they
receive several entries every year. These range from fiction to poetry,
drama to literary memoirs which can be either published during the last
year or presented in a manuscript. The most loved and well-revered
literary prize in Sri Lanka, the Gratiaen will announce nominations
tomorrow at the British Council at 6pm for the public with the main
event to be held on the 8th of May by invitation only.
The value of the Gratiaen Prize is Sri Lankan Rupees 200,000 and
another 200, 000 for the Ian Goonetileke Prize for Translation.
Former Gratiaen Prize winners:
1993 - Lalitha Witanachichi for Wind Blows over the Hills
1993 - Carl Muller for Jam Fruit Tree
1994 - Punyakanta Wijenaike for Amulet
1995 - Sybil Wettasinghe for The Child in Me
1995 - Rajiva Wijesinhe for Servants
1996 - Tissa Abeysekera for Bringing Tony Home
1997 - Gamini Akmeemana for The Mirage
1998 - Jeanne Thwaites for It's a Sunny Day on the Moon
1999 - Neil Fernandopulle for Shrapnel
1999 - Visakesa Chandrasekkaram for Forbidden Area
2000 - Ruwanthie De Chickera for Middle of Silence
2000 - Lakshmi de Silva for Kuveni
2001 - Elmo Jayawardena for Sam's Story
2001 - Sumathy Sivamohan for In the Shadow of the Gun and The Wicked
Witch
2002 - Vijitha Fernando for Out of Darkness
2003 - Nihal De Silva for Road from Elephant Pass
2004 - Jagath Kumarasinghe for Kider Chetty Street
2005 - Delon Weerasinghe for Thicker Than Blood
2006 - Seneka Abeyratne for Three Star K
2006 - Isankya Kodituwakku for The Banana Tree Crisis
2007 - Vivimarie VanderPoorten for Nothing Prepares You
2008 - Shehan Karunatilaka for Chinaman: The Legend of Pradeep Mathew
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