Isankya Wins the Gratiaen Prize!

Isankya Kodithuwakku, who used to blog as Turtle a long time ago, has won the Gratiaen award for 2006 for her book of short stories The Banana Tree Crisis. The awards ceremony was held at the Trustee's CEO's quarters in Colombo (I think!). The award for 2006 was given jointly to Isankya and Senaka Abeysinghe (for his play Three Star K). The fact that I am ecstatic about Isankya being given the prize of course is obvious seeing as I was a fan since way before..and I'd say the book truly deserved the prize..but then, I might be accused of being a bit too biased! :(

The book, when it was shortlisted a couple of weeks ago, was described by the judges as "…neither patronising nor self absorbed, unpretentious yet poetic and very simply, compelling and beautiful". The shortlist was Isankya, Senake, Ashok Ferrey (for Good Little Ceylonese Girl), Rita Perera (Coalescing with Omega) and Vihanga Perera. The shortlist announcement is here. Will update this when more articles appear about the prize.

A lot of the people who I talked to at the ceremony kept saying it was obvious from the start it was going to be a winner, including a couple of the judges and Ashok Ferrey.. So perhaps my bias is justified :oD

Anyways, If Isankya's still hanging around the blogosphere and reading this..Congratulations!! and you are a complete idiot for saying/ thinking that you weren't even going to make the shortlist! :op