The NUS Singapore History Prize is awarded for a publication that has made a significant contribution to the study of the history of Singapore. The first-ever prize devoted solely to the island’s history, it was established in 2014 in support of the national SG50 programme to commemorate Singapore’s 50th anniversary. It is a biennial award, with the inaugural prize presented in 2018 to Professor John Miksic for his book Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800, which synthesises years of archaeological research to explore how trade and social development influenced Singapore’s evolution. The prize is open to publications published in any language, with the shortlisted works this year being:
The heir to the British throne William visited Singapore today to promote the new Earthshot Prize that he and his Royal Foundation charity launched in 2020 to support innovative solutions that can tackle climate change. He arrived at Changi Airport to a standing ovation and then took the lift up to the Rain Vortex, the world’s tallest indoor waterfall, which was illuminated green in his honour, before meeting local residents at the United for Wildlife summit that brought together law enforcement agencies, conservation groups and companies working to combat the illegal wildlife trade, estimated to be worth $20 billion a year.
He also met young scientists at the National University of Singapore and visited a water reclamation project in the city centre, which he said was an example of the kind of work that could be done by young people here. The prince also joined a session of the National Service Commission’s Yishun Community Chest programme to hear about the work of the organisation that helps poor families and children.
Back at the awards ceremony, held in the state-owned Mediacorp theatre, the finalists were honoured in a glitzy ceremony hosted by Emmy award-winning actresses Hannah Waddingham and Sterling K. Brown and featuring performances from Bastille, OneRepublic and U.S. singer Bebe Rexha. Actors Donnie Yen, Nomzamo Mbatha and Cate Blanchett, as well as filmmaker Lana Condor and conservationist Robert Irwin were among those who served as presenters.
All winners received $3,000, a trophy and a 12-month Storytel audiobook gift subscription. English fiction was won by Straits Times journalist Akshita Nanda’s debut novel Nimita’s Place, which centres on two women named Nimita navigating society’s expectations in India and Singapore. The prize in Chinese fiction was split between writer Chia Joo Ming’s SG50-centric novel Kian Kok and Wong Koi Tet’s speculative short story collection Black Panther.
The Singapore Literature Prize, which celebrates outstanding works in Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil, saw an overhaul of its categories this year. There are now 12 top prizes, including a new translation award and the addition of a category for comics and graphic novels, which will compete with fiction in previous years. Also, the Readers’ Favourite award has been replaced by a best-debut award. All shortlisted works by debut authors will be eligible for this award.