About

The Gratiaen Trust was founded in 1992 by Michael Ondaatje, the internationally renowned novelist, poet and essayist of Sri Lankan origin. Funded with his Booker prize money for his novel The English Patient, Michael Ondaatje’s vision was to establish a Trust that would recognise and promote creative writing in English by Sri Lankan authors resident in the country. Towards this the Gratiaen Prize, to be awarded annually, was established in 1993. The Prize has been awarded continuously since then.

In 2003, the Trust decided to award a Prize for Translations named the H.A.I. Goonetileke Prize for translation. Read more about it here.

Supporting writers through their creative writing, helping to develop their craft, and fostering public engagement with their work remain important objectives for the Trust. Therefore the Trust curates and organizes regular workshops for writers and editors, masterclasses, outreach programs and panel events on literature, creative writing and publishing.