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At just 25 years old, Savin Edirisinghe has made literary history, winning the 32nd Gratiaen Prize—Sri Lanka’s top award for creative writing in English. His celebrated collection of short stories, Kata Katha: Gossip, Rumours, and Idle Talk, captured the jury’s attention for its bold, witty, and experimental approach.
Hailing from Imaduwa in Galle, Savin’s work is rooted in the idea that gossip, or “kata katha,” forms an essential oral knowledge system, shaping civilization itself. In a lively acceptance speech, Savin credited his parents for encouraging his journey into English literature. A past student of Sussex College and Mahinda College in Galle, Savin took home a cash prize of Rs. 300,000.
Meanwhile, the H. A. I. Goonetilleke Prize, given biennially for excellence in translation from Sinhala or Tamil into English, was awarded to Priyangwada Perera. She translated Surath de Mel’s novel Lamuthu Amaya into Wid Keirdo, bringing local literature to a wider audience.
The Gratiaen Prize, founded by Michael Ondaatje in 1992 using his Booker Prize winnings from The English Patient, was named in honor of his mother, Doris Gratiaen.
