The State Literary Awards of Sri Lanka is a momentous and prestigious occasion that celebrates the best of the island’s literary talent across various categories in all three languages. It is an event which both authors and readers look forward to with great anticipation each year. This year, The Jam Fruit Tree Publications is thrilled to be a successful part of the occasion, with three of their books coming back as winners and five other books being nominated in the English category.
For Best Original Poetry, The Jam Fruit Tree Publications produced a winner and a nominee. Gayathri M. Hewagama’s poetry collection, Amber Lights, won the award, whereas Isurinie Mallawaarachchi’s poetry collection, My Mind is a Light Switch, was nominated.
“The big picture is that it’s wonderful to have a continuing state-sponsored award ceremony annually for literature, along with the kind of publicity it gets,” said Gayathri. “The arts definitely need publicity and recognition, although usually it’s seen as a realm that is above the market. Even Shakespeare was a dramatist, a poet and a businessman all at once during his time after all.” Gayathri noted how it is important that literature is produced, talked about, and recognised as a significant need of the life of the human being. “I see this as an honour, not just for myself and family but for the kind of writing I see myself as representing: writing that comes out of a great amount of work and time and years of developed skill. Something that just arrives from the inner core of the self doesn’t necessarily turn into literature. It has to be crafted and moulded into art. And that takes scholarship, creativity, imagination, discipline and patience,” Gayathri explained.
Similarly, Isurinie Mallawaarachchi is extremely honoured and excited that her book, My Mind is a Light Switch, was nominated for best collection of poetry at the State Literary Awards 2024. “It contains poems which are quite personal. My Mind is a Light Switch is my second collection of poetry; my first collection, Flowers Teach Me to Let Go, was also shortlisted for the Gratiaen Prize in 2023. Considering that my work mostly revolves around my personal experiences, this recognition makes me feel empowered. I also think that this would be a motivation for the other young poets who write around similar themes,” the poet said.
In the category of Best Original Youth Literature, all three contestants were proud authors of The Jam Fruit Tree Publications. Anju Moses’s book, Anya and the Spirit of Yala, was announced as the winner, Aanjali Salgado’s book, A Rebel Legacy: The Poison Arrow and Achini Pahalawatte’s Waves became nominees.
“When I heard my name announced as the winner for Best Original Youth Literature, I was hit with a mix of emotions and a feeling of surrealness. Standing on that stage, I felt an overwhelming sense of gratitude,” recalled Anju Moses. Writing has always been her passion and creative escape, but she explained how life often got in the way of chasing her dreams. The author gave thanks to everyone who’s been the wind beneath her wings, cheering for her and supporting her through all the curveballs along the way. “That afternoon was humbling, being in the presence of Sri Lanka’s great literary minds. It made me realise two things: Sri Lanka is bursting with amazing talent, and we should be so proud of that. Secondly, keep believing in and doing what you love, no matter how clichéd it sounds, because one day, your dreams will have wings. Believing in yourself is a key theme in all of my books, and my wish is that it resonates with readers as deeply as it does with me,” said Anju.
Aanjali Salgado, who was nominated for Best Youth Literature, recalled being stunned and overjoyed with the news of the nomination as well. “When I first read the letter about the literary award, I had to take a step back and read it over again. When it finally set in that my first novel had been nominated for a State Literary Award, I was on a permanent high and still am. This recognition has, without a doubt, given me a lot more confidence in my writing, and I am so very thankful for all those who facilitated and encouraged me on this journey,” said Aanjali.
Achini Pahalawatte, who was also nominated, was excited to receive such recognition for her debut novel at the State Literary Awards. “Waves is a book that speaks of a lot of important social issues in the simplest and most enjoyable way possible, and I hope, by having this novel nominated for the state literary awards, many young people will be encouraged to read about them and learn to be an important part of the conversation,” she said.
Sajida Fazal’s children’s book, Collin and the Caterpillar, won the award for Best Original Children’s Literature, whereas Mokshini Jayamanne’s children’s book, Saying Hello, was nominated.
“Winning a state literary award is an incredible honour. I’m deeply grateful to Jeremy Muller from the Jam Fruit Tree Publications for believing in my work,” said Sajida. “This recognition encourages me to believe in my ability to create stories that inspire and entertain young readers. It’s a motivating force to keep writing and sharing my work both locally and internationally,” added the author.
Mokshini Jayamanne, who was nominated for the Best Original Children’s Literature for her book “Saying Hello”, found it challenging to articulate the range of emotions she has experienced since receiving the letters informing her of the news. “I feel in equal parts humbled and validated by this gesture. There are few things more exhilarating than having your work endorsed and recognised. I can’t thank my publisher for taking the initiative to send my book in for consideration, as I’d never have done it myself!”
In the category of Best Original Short Stories, Kanchuka Dharmasiri’s book, Tattooed Sherlock, was nominated as well. Kanchuka explained how the decision to publish Tattooed Sherlock took some time. She kept the stories with her for several years, revisiting and editing them. “At one point, I decided to let go of the stories. When the book was published, I felt free. Now the stories were out there, and they were no longer under my control. When readers began sharing their thoughts about the stories with me, I was able to look at the texts from their perspective. It was a delightful experience,” said Kanchuka. “When I heard that Tattooed Sherlock had been nominated as a finalist for the State Literary Festival, I was initially surprised. Then, I felt thrilled. Perhaps now the book might reach a wider audience. This is my first attempt at writing short fiction; so, being nominated as a finalist is very encouraging,” said the author.
These moments of acknowledgement thus serve as a reminder of the importance of storytelling and the value of creating a safe space to nurture the literary community of Sri Lanka. The Jam Fruit Tree Publication continues to strive towards this mission as they keep sharing more inspiring stories by talented Sri Lankan authors that deserve to be read, shared and recognised.