Singapore Prize 2021
The prize is named after Singapore’s first Prime Minister Lee Kuan Yew and awarded by a panel of judges drawn from academia, the arts and civil service. Previous winners include novelist Meira Chand, economist Lam San Ling and historian Peter Coclanis. Kishore Mahbubani, a distinguished fellow of the NUS Asia Research Institute and the prize’s current jury chair, said that the book’s “eloquent synthesis” of history and primary sources made it stand out from the pack. He added: “It’s a reminder that you don’t need to be a professional historian to write a history of Singapore, especially if it’s your life’s work.”
The winner of this year’s prize was Leluhur: Singapore Kampong Glam, by historian Hidayah Hidayatullah, who was born and raised in Kampong Glam, an area that traces its roots back to the 14th century. Her elegantly crafted book sheds light on how Singapore was cosmopolitan and dynamic even before Sir Stamford Raffles’ arrival, as it served as a trading hub for the Malay world. The citation for the 2021 prize noted that the book was well-researched, making use of maps, sketches and photographs to bring its narrative alive.
Other winners included Khir Johari’s The Food of the Singapore Malays, a tome that took 14 years to complete and weighs in at 3.2kg, which won this year’s Singapore history prize; and Lynn Wong Yuqing and Lee Kok Leong’s Theatres of Memory: Industrial Heritage of 20th Century Singapore (Singapore: Pagesetters Services, 2021). In English fiction, Straits Times journalist Akshita Nanda’s debut novel Nimita’s Place, about two women in India and Singapore who juggle expectations and relationships, won this year’s prize. In Chinese creative non-fiction, Ng Yi-Sheng’s speculative short story collection Lion City won the prize, while Wong Koi Tet’s Dakota, about the lost housing estate in which he grew up, won the award for Singapore Chinese fiction.
In line with the theme of sustainability, Britain’s Prince William attended the ceremony wearing a 10-year-old dark green blazer from Alexander McQueen, while actor Hannah Waddingham wore a bright blue gown by McCartney, known for its eco-friendly clothes. Other presenters walked the “green carpet” in recycled or vintage clothing. The bands One Republic and Bastille and New Zealand singer Bebe Rexha performed at the glitzy event.
Other prizes handed out at the event included the Harvard Prize Book, which was won by ITE student Muhammad Dinie for his work during the Covid-19 pandemic to lead a team that distributed packed food and groceries and thank-you cards to Town Council cleaners in the Ang Mo Kio estate. It was awarded by the Harvard Club of Singapore to pre-tertiary students who demonstrate a deep care for others. The winner will receive $3,000 and a trophy. Join us on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter and Telegram to get breaking news as it happens.