The newest addition to the Sri Lankan literary scene is the Vidarshana Literary Prize. The countdown has already begun for the grand award festival on September 1 at Waters Edge.
Over the past few weeks, the event has created swirling waves on social media by announcing the shortlisted writers in four categories: Sinhala novel, Sinhala short story collections, Sinhala poetry collections, and translations into English from Sinhala. The Vidarshana Literary Prize is awarded to the best manuscript that has not yet been published as a book.
In an interview with the Sunday Observer, Janaka Inimakada, the owner of Vidarshana Publishers and a passionate art lover, explained his intention behind the Vidarshana Literary Prize. He said that “The history of Vidarshana Publishers spans 27 years within the Sri Lankan publishing industry.”
Inimakada said that, aside from the D.R. Wijewardene Awards, there are a very few opportunities in the Sinhala literary scene for unpublished manuscripts to receive recognition. He said that the D.R. Wijewardene Awards has not honoured manuscripts of Sinhala books translated into English, which is an area Vidarshana Publishers aims to address by seeking international markets for Sri Lankan literature.
Vidarshana
Literary Prize
The Vidarshana Literary Prize will elevate the literary reading culture in the country by transitioning manuscripts from the printing stage to published status, thereby generating wider social interest in the creative works produced by authors. Although the Vidarshana Literary Prize is organised under the concept of Vidarshana Publishing House, it operates as an independent entity. Inimakada said that the organisers ensure there is no interference in the evaluation of the literary works, serving solely as facilitators and coordinators.
He said that the current literary award festivals in Sri Lanka face scepticism and added that Vidarshana Publishers has made concerted efforts to identify and mitigate these issues. The jury panels were announced at the very initial stage of the Vidarshana Literary Prize, a practice that is not common in other literary festivals across the country.
“We have done this to maintain transparency in the process,” Inimakada said. “Once the writers submit their manuscripts, we present them to the jury boards without the authors’ names, ensuring a fair opportunity for both upcoming and established writers to be judged purely on their talent rather than their names or prior works.” The jury board becomes familiar with the authors only during the finalisation of the longlist.
For this year’s Vidarshana Literary Prize, they received 199 poetry collections, 107 short story collections, 96 novels, and 20 Sinhala novels translated into English. From these, 12 manuscripts were shortlisted—three from each category. Inimakada said that, “The most significant aspect of these shortlisted manuscripts is that most of the selected manuscripts are debut works, which is quite fascinating and a notable victory.”
Inimakada’s innovative approach is regarded as a courageous business decision that not only solidifies his position as a publisher but also offers significant opportunities for writers to showcase their work. The winning manuscript in each of the four categories will be awarded Rs. 150,000, and the manuscripts will be published by Vidarshana Publishers by September 10. Every shortlisted manuscript will receive Rs. 50,000 and assistance in finding publishers. The winning novel, short story collection, and poetry collection will be translated and published in English within six months, ensuring wider accessibility to Sinhala literature.
Unique award sculpture
The Vidarshana Literary Award sculpture carries a unique story, crafted by the award winning, young architect and artist, Sumudu Athukorala. He said, “We write on blank pages, which gain meaning through our writing and refinement. Some of our works are folded and packed before being published. Even after the folded pages are unfolded, the creases will remain visible.” This analogy reflects the intricate design of the award, which is intended to represent the journey of creativity and expression.
Sumudu said, “When a page is folded into geometric shapes, it contains more energy than when it is flat. Therefore, when a sheet is folded geometrically, it holds more significance than an unfolded page.” This idea is embodied in the sculpture’s creation, which resembles a standard A4 size sheet that has been meticulously folded into several geometric patterns. The artist’s intention is that when the sculpture is thrown with force against a designated background, it becomes embedded in that surface.
The award’s aesthetics feature a glossy white iron finish with brushed accents in the upper section, while the lower part is composed of natural wood. Sumudu said that this design symbolises “the way the steel sheet firmly strikes and locks into the wooden base.”
When recipients stand before the sculpture, they can see their own reflection in its polished surface, inviting them to contemplate their achievements and the journey that led to receiving the Vidarshana Award.
