Singapore Prize Winners

The annual Singapore prize celebrated its 30th anniversary this year with a gala ceremony in November. Winners were awarded in 12 categories across the island’s four languages. The winners included a former Singapore president, an alumnus of Harvard and two local authors. The winners also include a philanthropist who has helped athletes win medals at Olympic and Asian Games, and a team of Singapore scientists developing software that detects audiovisual fake media.

The award celebrates individuals who have made significant contributions to society, particularly in the areas of social service, arts and sports. It is a way to honour those who have gone above and beyond their duties, according to organisers. It also aims to inspire Singaporeans to do better in their respective fields. The winners receive a cash prize of $20,000 and a trophy. They were picked by a jury panel consisting of eminent members from the arts, academia and business community.

Those who received the award have shown “extraordinary leadership and compassion”, organisers said. “They are people who go the extra mile to help those in need,” a press release added. “They have touched the lives of others with their kind acts and sacrifices, regardless of age or social status.”

Five Singaporean-based teams won the inaugural Earthshot award, an international science prize for solutions to climate change, at a ceremony in Asia on Tuesday (Aug 25). Oscar-winning actress Cate Blanchett joined actors Donnie Yen, Lana Condor and Nomzano Mbatha to walk the green carpet at the first awards ceremony held in a country other than the US. The Prince of Wales praised the winning innovations for demonstrating that hope still remains for humanity as global temperatures rise. The innovations include solar-powered dryers, a new type of air filter that removes toxins and a battery-powered electric car that uses less fossil fuel.

In the literature category, a short story cycle by Prasanthi Ram won the English prize. The work explores generations of a Tamil Brahmin family dispersed in Singapore, Sydney and the US. It was described by a judges as “skilful, assured and comedic at times”, the Straits Times reports.

The NUS History Prize, a biennial award in the Singapore literature program that is run by NUS’ Department of History, was presented to Wesley Leon Aroozoo for his book The Punkhawala and the Prostitute (Singapore: Epigram Books, 2021). A special commendation went to the NUS team behind Theatres Of Memory: Industrial Heritage Of 20th Century Singapore (Singapore: NUS Press, 2022).

The prestigious Harvard Prize Book honours pre-tertiary students for their care for others. This year, the top 10 winners included a ITE student who led an initiative to show appreciation to Town Council cleaners during the coronavirus pandemic. Another winner, Muhammad Dinie from ITE College Central, volunteered to distribute packed food and groceries to residents in his neighbourhood in the wake of the outbreak. The other top 10 winners include a bioengineer who created a 3D printer to make prosthetic limbs for children, and an organisation that aims to make medical research more accessible to Singaporeans.