The Singapore Prize is awarded to individuals or organizations that make outstanding contributions in different fields. This includes physics, biology, and other social sciences as well as the arts, humanities, and engineering. These awards are presented to those who are able to take on challenges and push the boundaries of knowledge. They also work towards the betterment of society. The award ceremony is held every year and attracts people from various niche sectors around the world. The winners receive a cash prize along with a certificate of achievement.
The prestigious awards were presented at the Ritz Carlton Millenia in Singapore. The awards ceremony was attended by a wide range of dignitaries from several countries. Among them were Ms. Chonlatee Chanracjakul, Minister of Royal Thai Embassy and Ms. Panalee Choosri, Counsellor of Royal Thai Embassy. The event was hosted by Ms. Anitha Devi Pillai, a National Institute of Education senior lecturer and Kamaladevi’s daughter.
There was a diverse selection of books this year for the award. There were nine books for the fiction category, eight for non-fiction and three for a joint-category. There were a total of 49 books on the shortlist, which is smaller than last year’s list. However, this is due to the pandemic and the effect it has had on publishing.
Several of the books were nominated for other prizes as well. Imperial Creatures, for example, was a finalist for the British Society for the History of Science’s Hughes Prize, and Sembawang and Home Is Where We Are both made it to the shortlist for the Singapore Literature Prize.
Prof Miksic was particularly delighted with his win, saying that it “paves the way for a fundamental reinterpretation of Singapore’s history.” He credited his work with helping to explain how the island came into existence and its place in Asia. He has also been a pioneer in using modern technology to excavate Singapore’s past.
He hopes to continue working on new excavations and publishing his findings in the future. He also plans to help set up a website on ancient artefacts in Singapore. He will be collaborating with NUS Press to do this, which is expected to be ready next month. Currently, his book is available at Kinokuniya bookstores in Singapore and online. It is not available in Mandarin, but the publisher will release a Mandarin edition next year. Those who want to find out more about the book can visit the NUS Press website.