The singapore prize, introduced in 2014, is a new award that recognises the impact of a book on Singapore’s history. It is administered by the Department of History at NUS and is open to both local and foreign authors. A panel of judges will select the winner, who receives a cash prize of S$50,000.

The inaugural prize was awarded to Professor John Miksic for his work Singapore and the Silk Road of the Sea, 1300-1800. This book provides detailed archaeological evidence that suggests Singapore’s history began much earlier than previously thought, and was one of the key factors behind a “fundamental reinterpretation” of Singapore’s history. The 2021 winner was Ms Hidayah Amin for her book Leluhur: Singapore’s Kampong Gelam, which is based on both primary and secondary sources and shows how changes in social, economic, and political history have affected the lives of residents of this neighbourhood over the years.

Ms Amin says that the win was an affirmation for ordinary people who want to tell their stories about the past. She hopes the prize will also encourage more people to become historians. The prize is supported by a naming gift from the Harvard Club of Singapore, and the winners were presented with their awards at an elegant ceremony hosted by the NUS President, Kishore Mahbubani. The winners were joined by their family members and friends, who were encouraged to share their joy on social media.

In addition to the monetary prize, the winners will be awarded a trophy and a plaque. In addition, they will be able to use the logo of the Singapore Prize on their books and promotional materials. The winners will also be invited to speak at NUS events, which will help them in their future careers as academics and writers.

Those who want to vote for the winner of the prize can do so by filling out a ballot form at any Singapore Pools outlet until October 2nd. They can choose from the six publications that have been shortlisted, which were compiled by a panel of experts. The members of the jury were Foo Hai Fellow in Buddhist Studies and Associate Professor Jack Meng-Tat Chia, NUS Department of History; NUS Director of the Asia Research Institute, Professor Peter A Coclanis; and Senior Curator Dr Seng Yu Jin, National Gallery Singapore.

The NUS Singapore Prize is a yearly award that honours individuals who have made outstanding contributions to their field, community or nation. The prize is presented by the NUS Department of History and will be given out every three years. NUS students and staff can nominate anyone who they feel has made a significant contribution to Singapore’s culture, economy or society. The winning individual will receive a cash prize of S$50,000 and the runners-up will each be awarded S$20,000. The prize was launched in 2014 as part of NUS’s 50th anniversary programmes. Earlier, NUS had already established the Harvard Prize for Excellence in Teaching and Learning to celebrate its own achievements.