• ‘Kura Hadeki Viyaekena’ stands out among 90 submissions

The Swarna Pusthaka Award is one of the most prestigious literary awards given to Sinhala novels. It is awarded by the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association annually, and is one that readers look forward to, especially as the winning novel as well as the short and long list tend to be promoted heavily at the Colombo International Book Fair, which will be held this year from 22 September to 1 October at the BMICH.

The 17th instalment of the Swarna Pusthaka Award was held on Friday (8), with Nobert Ayagamage winning the award for his latest novel “Kura Hadeki Viyaekena”.

In a recorded message for the award ceremony, the author said: “‘Kura Hadeki Viyaekena’ is my latest novel. Several incidents in history did not occur smoothly. There has been a lot of bloodshed, fighting and battles, through which history has flowed. It is the story of people who have dissolved like a rock of salt that this book talks about.”

About winning the award, he said at the event that he was feeling immense pride, and recalled his mother, who, when he was a child, read him stories and awakened his interest in literary works. He shared that his mother wasn’t an educated woman, but that the stories she told him, of ancient kings, stayed with him. “This is not my strength, but the strength my mother gave me,” Ayagamage said.

The shortlist also consisted of “Munnakkare Sansare” by Manjula Wediwardena, “Pahanaka Adhura” by Eric Illayapparachchi, “Usavi Giya Neruda Nohoth Kama Gora Kaviya” by P.B. Jayasekara, and “Duo” by Surath de Mel.

Speaking at the event was Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association President Samantha Indeewara Samarasinghe, who shared that the Swarna Pusthaka Award was a special occasion not just for the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association but also literary enthusiasts. “Without limiting publishing and book selling to a mere business, the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association introduced this award in 2007. The objective of this award was to strengthen creative writers, and has today been recognised as a meaningful project implemented in order to publish good literature,” he said.

Samarasinghe added that the introduction of the Swarna Pusthaka Award has paved the way for good novels in the Sinhala language, and that the novels submitted for the award make it clear that new authors are encouraged by it.

“We received 90 submissions this year for the consideration of the Swarna Pusthaka Award. Due to the paper shortage, the increase in price of printing materials and the situation in the country in the past year, we didn’t expect this many novels to be published. However, this is a good sign,” he went on to say.

Samarasinghe assured that the three panels of judges ensured the highest level of transparency in the process, with zero interference from other parties. The winning novel was judged fairly, he said, adding that the Sri Lanka Book Publishers’ Association planned on holding the Swarna Pusthaka Award annually going forward as well.