The Singapore Prize is a biennial award in four official languages that recognises outstanding published works of Chinese, English, Malay and Tamil. Established in 2009, the prize gives out a total of 12 top prizes. Each year, the top winner gets a trophy and $10,000 cash, as well as an invitation to an awards ceremony in London.
The prize is one of the highest honours that can be bestowed on a Singaporean. It is a national-level award that honours the best and most exciting innovations in science and technology, and recognises scientists and engineers for their contributions to the country. The prize also aims to uphold research excellence and strengthen the growing community of Singaporean scientists and engineers.
Winners of the 2017 prize have been recognised for their innovative projects, which range from helping people in need to finding new uses for recycled materials. They have also shown leadership in fostering the development of young scientists, promoting women’s careers in STEM and making the world a better place through their scientific endeavours.
Former Singapore diplomat Kishore Mahbubani, who chaired the five-member jury panel for the prize, set up the award in 2014 to commemorate the country’s 50th anniversary of independence. He describes the biggest challenge facing Singapore today as building a sense of shared history, and says the award’s goal is “to encourage a broad understanding of our common heritage and identity”.
This year, two non-fiction titles were joint winners of the prize: Straits Times journalist Akshita Nanda’s debut novel Nimita’s Place, about two women navigating expectations in India and Singapore; and Wong Koi Tet’s speculative short story collection Dakota, about the lost housing estate where he grew up. In the Chinese fiction category, the winner was Chia Joo Ming’s SG50-centric book Kian Kok.
A maker of solar-powered dryers, a soil carbon marketplace and groups that help make electric car batteries cleaner, restore Andean forests and deter illegal fishing were among 15 finalists for this year’s Earthshot Prize, launched by Britain’s Prince William. The winning solutions, announced at a ceremony in Singapore on Tuesday, showed “hope does remain” as the effects of climate change are felt worldwide.
Founded in 1968, the Singapore Pools is an independent state-owned not-for-profit organisation that runs lotteries, sports and motor racing betting. It contributes to the income of Singapore’s government, which in turn provides funding for education, healthcare and other social services. Its Toto 4D lottery is famous throughout South East Asia and its e-sports business provides opportunities for thousands of Singaporeans to win real money through gambling. The company is a major employer, with some 38,000 staff in Singapore and 70,000 overseas. Its products are sold in more than 100 countries. The company also owns and operates Singapore Pools Online, which provides a safe and secure online gaming environment for its customers. The company is a member of the Asian Lotteries Association. It is the largest operator of e-sports in the world. In addition to its own digital platforms, the company partners with other reputable companies to provide the most comprehensive gaming experience for its players.