The H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Literary Translation is a bi-annual literary prize in Sri Lanka. It is awarded by the Gratiaen Trust, which also awards the Gratiaen Prize, for the translation of Sinhala or Tamil language creative writing into English. It was established in 2003.
Michael Ondaatje, who initiated the Gratiaen Prize, had also wanted to promote Sri Lankan writing in the local languages to an international audience. He had also hoped it would foster cross-cultural understanding amongst the various ethnic groups within the country.
The prize is named after his friend Henry Alfred Ian Goonetileke, the first chairperson of the Gratiaen Prize, former Director of the University of Peradeniya library, and bibliographer.
The award is open to Sri Lankan authors who are resident in the country. In 2019, the monetary award was Rs 200,000.
Winners YearTranslatorOriginal WorkGenreJudges2023 - 2024Priyangwada PereraWid Keirdo (from Sinhala)NovelDr. Krishantha Fedricks (chair); Shash; Dileepa2021 - 2022Manel EriyagamaJewels: An English Translation of Selected Sinhala Short Stories by Contemporary WritersShort storiesDr. Prabha Manuratne (chair); Kaushalya Kumarasinghe; Dr. Ponni Arasu2019 - 2020Malinda SeneviratneThe Indelible (Senkottan) by Mahinda Prasad Masimbula Prose-PoetryRohana Seneviratne; Sivasegaram; Kaushalya Fernando 2017 - 2018Vini VitharanaKav Silumina by Parākramabāhu II, King of CeylonPoetryProf. Sumathy Sivamohan; Prof. Saumya Liyanage; Charulatha Thewarathanthri; Esther Surenthiraraj2015 - 2016Aditha DissanayakeGolden Casket (Ran Karanduwa) by Batuwangala Rahula TheroNovelEmeritus Prof. K.N.O. Dharmadasa (chair); Dr. Kumudu Kusum Kumara; Madhubashini Dissanayake–Ratnayake2013 - 2014Vijitha FernandoTime Rebounds (Kala Sarpa) by Keerthi WelisarageNovelDr. Sunil Wijesiriwardena; Prof. Kusuma Karunaratne; Krishantha Fedricks2010 - 2011Malinda SeneviratneThe Hunter In the Wilderness of Sansara (Sansaaraaranyaye Dadayakkaraya) by Simon NayagaththegamaNovelAriyawansa Ranaweera (chair); Sandagomi Coperahewa; Shravika Damunupola Amarasekara2007 - 2008Edmund JayasuriyaSedona by Eva Ranaweera2006Kumari GoonesekereThe Hour When the Moon Weeps by Liyanage AmarakeerthiShort Stories2005Vijita FernandoThe Chameleon (Nandithaya) by Sunethra RajakarunanayakeNovel
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