This prize, with a cash award of S$50,000, seeks works that contribute to our understanding of Singapore history and are written either non-fictionally, fictionally, or creatively with clear historical themes. Submissions may come from both individuals or organisations and must have been published between January 2017 and May 2024 in English language publication.
Professor John Miksic won the inaugural prize in 2018 with his book Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800 which revealed archaeological evidence of our island nation starting off 700 years ago. Hidayah Amin won in 2021 with Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Gelam which shed light on its rich history despite it now only being seen as tourist attractions.
This year’s prize also celebrated two shortlisted writers who had successfully created an imaginative short story cycle. The prize jury described Prasanthi’s collection, Beachlight, as skillful yet assured – comedic at times yet profoundly moving. Furthermore, judges encouraged more authors to experiment with this form; “it provides an ideal way of exploring various perspectives and contexts”.
Consumer-choice category shortlisted works: four books
The 2024 prize will be selected by a five-member jury panel composed of Kishore Mahbubani, Distinguished Fellow at the NUS Asia Research Institute and chairperson; Prof John Miksic; Prof Tan Tai Yong (President of NUS School of Social Sciences & Foo Hai Fellow in Buddhist Studies); Professor Peter A. Coclanis (Director Global Research Institute University of North Carolina Chapel Hill) as well as historians, artists & literary figures and museum curators – this jury will review 25 books submitted by publishers, before selecting six for nomination.
Mahbubani explained that this prize was inspired by American social scientist Benedict Anderson, who held that nations are created through shared imagination and historical understanding is the lynchpin that holds them together. Mahbubani noted with pleasure that works were submitted from such a diverse array of disciplines and communities which contributed to our common history, with several books accessible to students and general readers – something Mahbubani hopes continues in future editions of the competition! Support is provided by grants from National Research Foundation Singapore with sponsorship by various sponsors who also show great appreciation.