Savin Edirisinghe wins coveted 32nd Gratiaen Prize for “Kata Katha: Gossip, Rumours, and Idle Talk”

From left: Gratiaen Trustees Paikiasothy Saravanamuttu and Manjula Sirimane, Gratiaen Trust Co-Chair Nisreen Jafferjee, Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, essayist, and Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at NYU Abu Dhabi Professor Gregory Pardlo, Researcher at the Social Scientists’ Association and visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo Dr. Crystal Baines, the winner of the biennial H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize Priyangwada Perera, Winner of 32nd Gratiaen Prize 2024 Savin Edirisinghe, HAIG Judge and Senior Lecturer in Sinhala and Linguistics at the University of Colombo Dr. Krishantha Fedricks, HAIG Judge and creative professional and literary translator whose work bridges the worlds of advertising and literature Dileepa Abeysekera, Gratiaen Trust Co-Chair Nafeesa Amiruddeen and Gratiaen Trustee Savan Perera

Winner of 32nd Gratiaen Prize 2024 Savin Edirisinghe (left) and winner of the biennial H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for her translation Priyangwada Perera

• Priyangwada Perera wins biennial H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for her translation of Wid Keirdo from Sinhala into English

The Gratiaen Trust, in partnership with John Keells Foundation, last Saturday announced the winners of the 32nd Gratiaen Prize for English creative writing and the H.A.I. Goonetileke (HAIG) Prize for Literary Translation. 

These awards, which were presented at Cinnamon Life City of Dreams – the venue partner for the Prize event, brought together Sri Lanka’s literary community in a celebration of outstanding contemporary writing and translation achievements. The event was also supported by Sarasavi Books and British Council.

Savin Edirisinghe was awarded the 32nd Gratiaen Prize for his remarkable work, “Kata Katha: Gossip, Rumours, and Idle Talk.” His work was selected from an exceptional shortlist that also included: Upali Mahaliyana for ‘He Was God’s Child Too’; Ajith Perakum Jayasinghe for ‘Nowhere No Return’, Vihanga Perera for ‘The Warm South’ and Ranudi Gunawardena for ‘Wombful of Weeds’.

The jury for the 32nd Gratiaen Prize included Professor Gregory Pardlo, a Pulitzer Prize-winning poet, essayist, and Professor of Literature and Creative Writing at NYU Abu Dhabi. He was joined by Dr. Crystal Baines, a researcher at the Social Scientists’ Association and visiting lecturer at the University of Colombo, and Savithri Rodrigo, an award-winning journalist and biographer. 

In the Jury’s statement, they said that Kata Katha is a collection of witty, bold, and experimental short stories which rests on the premise that “Kata Katha” or “gossip”, a form of oral knowledge system, is the cornerstone of civilisation. The stories, or ‘Kata Katha’ in this collection, meander through the absurd, the magical, and the irrational, offering readers a cast of young characters from varying walks of life through an ingenious lens and narrative that deftly balances tragedy with satire.

The Trust simultaneously announced Priyangwada Perera as the winner of the biennial H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for her translation of Wid Keirdo from Sinhala into English. 

The judging panel for this award comprised Dr. Krishantha Fedricks, a Senior Lecturer in Sinhala and Linguistics at the University of Colombo, Shash Trevett, a poet, critic, and translator of Tamil poetry into English, and Dileepa Abeysekera, a creative professional and literary translator whose work bridges the worlds of advertising and literature. 

The jury praised the translation, stating: ‘The winner of the 2025 HAIG Prize for Translation is a path maker, building a bridge between Sinhala and English in order to make the voices and lives contained in the Sinhala original find a sense of belonging elsewhere. The linguistic acrobatics displayed by the winning translator, coping magnificently with the intricate word play of the Sinhala original, were astounding, and deeply satisfying.”

In a joint statement, Gratiaen Trust Co-chairs Nafeesa Amiruddeen and Nisreen Jafferjee said: “The Trust congratulates Savin Edirisinghe and Priyangwada Perera. This year’s winning works are a testament to the extraordinary creativity and depth of Sri Lankan literature and stand as a source of inspiration and pride for our literary community. We extend our heartfelt congratulations to both winners and the shortlisters for their exceptional contributions that continue to enliven our literary landscape. Our heartfelt appreciation goes to the judges for their discerning selections and our partners for making this celebration possible.”

John Keells Holdings Head of CSR Carmeline Jayasuriya said: “John Keells Foundation is proud to support the Gratiaen Trust’s mission to nurture literary excellence. This year’s winners demonstrate how Sri Lankan writers can captivate and inspire, aligning perfectly with our Social Health & Cohesion focus aimed at empowering a healthy and progressive Sri Lanka by combating social barriers, promoting dialogue and supporting creative industries under our vision of ‘Empowering the Nation for Tomorrow’.”

John Keells Foundation, the CSR entity of the John Keells Group, has been the Gratiaen Trust’s primary sponsor since October 2019. The venue partner for this year’s event was Cinnamon Life City of Dreams. The Trust also enjoys long partnerships with Sarasavi Books, The British Council, Wijeya Newspapers and Marga Institute, who have been unwavering in their support of its many projects, including this prize event. 

As part of its collaboration with NYUAD, The Gratiaen Trust will also host workshops and discussions, themed ‘Imagining Your Voice on Page’. These workshops, conducted by Prof. Pardlo, will offer writers unique insights into the creative writing process. These programs are a part of the Trust’s continued commitment to fostering new talent and enriching Sri Lanka’s literary community.