H. A. I. Goonetileke Prize
| H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Literary Translation | |
|---|---|
| Type | Literary translation |
| Awarded for | The best literary translation of Sinhala or Tamil language creative writing into English. |
| Description | Established to promote Sri Lankan writing in local languages to an international audience and foster cross-cultural understanding. Named in honour of H.A.I. Goonetileke. |
| Sponsored by | Gratiaen Trust |
| Date | Bi-annual |
| Country | Sri Lanka |
| Presented by | Gratiaen Trust |
| Eligibility | Sri Lankan authors resident in the country. |
| Reward | Rs 200,000 (as of 2019) |
| Status | Active |
| Established | 2003 |
| Website | www |
The H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for Literary Translation is a bi-annual literary prize in Sri Lanka. It is awarded by the Gratiaen Trust, which also awards the Gratiaen Prize, for the translation of Sinhala or Tamil language creative writing into English. It was established in 2003.
Michael Ondaatje, who initiated the Gratiaen Prize, had also wanted to promote Sri Lankan writing in the local languages to an international audience. He had also hoped it would foster cross-cultural understanding amongst the various ethnic groups within the country.
The prize is named after his friend Henry Alfred Ian Goonetileke, the first chairperson of the Gratiaen Prize, former Director of the University of Peradeniya library, and bibliographer.
The award is open to Sri Lankan authors who are resident in the country. In 2019, the monetary award was Rs 200,000.