A Malaysian author, a Chinese translator and an Indian-origin lecturer are among the winners of this year’s singapore prize, which was announced tonight. The biennial award honors writers in English, Tamil, Malay and Chinese. This year, 17 authors, translators and comic artists received awards across four categories. The President of Singapore Tharman Shanmugaratnam was the guest-of-honour at the ceremony, which also saw a special achievement award presented to the late Malay author Suratman Markasan.
Previously known as the National Science and Technology Awards, the President’s Science and Technology Awards (PSTA) was elevated to Presidential status in 2009. The PSTA is a flagship event that honours outstanding scientists and engineers for their significant contributions in the fields of applied research and development.
The PSTA is the highest recognition given to Singapore’s scientific community and is a platform to highlight our country’s growing pool of scientific talent, as well as celebrate our successes in international competitiveness. Over the years, the PSTA has built a reputation as one of the most sought-after science and technology prizes in Asia.
In 2024, a tome that took 14 years from conception to publication sailed past fierce competition to win the triennial NUS Singapore History Prize, an annual book award run by NUS’ Department of History. Titled The Food of the Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago, Khir Johari’s lavishly illustrated opus won praise from judges for its scholarly ambition and its ability to transcend superficial impressions as a coffee-table cookbook.
Former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, who chairs the prize’s five-member jury panel, describes the 21st century as the age of the Asian Renaissance. He explains that Singapore’s biggest challenge in this new era is not economic, but in building a strong sense of nationhood based on a shared history.
Other winners included Shelly Bryant, who divides her time between Shanghai and Singapore as a writer and translator. Her translation of Sheng Keyi’s Northern Girls was long-listed for the Man Asian Literary Prize in 2012, and she has edited poetry anthologies for the National Library Board, Epigram Books, HSRC and Alban Lake. ITE student Muhammad Dinie, meanwhile, won the Young Social Changemakers award for his work leading a team to go around Ang Mo Kio estate during the Covid-19 pandemic to thank Town Council cleaners for their hard work.