2023 Singapore Prize Winners Announced

On Tuesday, 7 November at Mediacorp Campus as part of Earthshot Week, Temasek Trust and GenZero announced the winners of the 2023 Singapore Prize at a gala awards ceremony held as part of Earthshot Week: Accion Andina, GRST, WildAid Marine Program, S4S Technologies and Boomitra were named recipients of this year’s Earthshot Prize award.

President Tharman Shanmugaratnam held an awards ceremony where he presented all winners with their awards, and awarded one special achievement award posthumously to Malay author Suratman Markasan (who died earlier this year), for his contributions to Singaporean history.

The NUS Singapore History Prize is an annual literary award that recognises published works that provide fresh insights into Singapore’s past. The winner receives a cash prize of $50,000. According to Kishore Mahbubani, senior advisor on university and global relations for NUS Singapore Chapter and Global Relations Office at University of Singapore School (NUS) senior advisor on university and global relations he plans to expand what types of works qualify for consideration for this prize. “I think there can be stories told through fiction films or other formats,” said Kishore Mahbubani.

Professor Miksic gave a moving speech thanking the judges for acknowledging his book’s “fundamental reinterpretation” of Singaporean history, noting how it cast new light on where its story began and included new archaeological research and discoveries as well as literary records such as those written by Chinese trader Wang Dayuan in 13th century China.

Shubigi Rao’s Pulp III: An Intimate Inventory Of The Banished Book was awarded first place for English creative non-fiction. Her decade-long project explores Singapore’s book heritage through books that have been confiscated, removed from libraries or destroyed throughout time.

Khir Johari won the best Singaporean cuisine cookbook award with his 14-year effort, The Food of the Singapore Malays: Gastronomic Travels Through the Archipelago. This tome took 14 years from conception to completion and weighs in at an imposing 3.2 kg.

Down Memory Lane: Peter Ellinger’s Memoirs was shortlisted and won both biography and history prizes. Down Memory Lane is written by 91-year-old National University of Singapore professor Emeritus Peter Ellinger who won both accolades. Theatres of Memory: Industrial Heritage in 20th Century Singapore by Loh Kah Seng, Alex Tan Tiong Hee, Koh Keng We, Tan Teng Phee and Juria Toramae respectively were the other shortlisted works, respectively winning history prizes respectively.

The NUS Singapore History Prize is open to both local and foreign authors, with judges appointed by the NUS president determining who wins. Public voting takes place by filling out ballot forms available at Singapore Pools outlets until October 2; six shortlisted books published by NUS Press; this prize supported by both the National Arts Council and Ministry of Culture, Community, and Youth; NUS Press is an independent publishing house committed to discovering, disseminating and appreciating Singapore’s cultural heritage through publishing excellent scholarship in Singapore and across Southeast Asia while also working towards building an inclusive intellectual community among its publications – both missions it fulfils.