KKS WINS BEST SHORT STORY COLLECT AT THE STATE LITERARY AWARDS 2021

Daily Mirror’s columnist KKS Perera’s short story collection ‘Under the Lovi Tree’ won the Best Short Story collection (English) at the recently held State Literary Awards - 2021. Following is a note written by the award winning writer about his journey as a writer and his award.

“Our teacher’s review of Martin Wickremasinge’s short story Begal , in Apegama, in the JSC class, was an inspiration. We were asked to write our own “Tall Stories”. Mine, she read out to the class. The seed planted 64 years ago lay dormant with career, family taking up this time— no writing until retirement, and sprouted as “Under the Lovi Tree,” the maiden Collection of Short Stories.

Having nostalgic memories of sprinting to the garden under the sunshine, greenery, and the breeze, that conspired with each other to create an enchanting environment on a background of red, pink and green fruits, for picking few Lovi, for it was Grandma’s favourite dessert; a decade later, I enjoyed a savoury bite with mother’s Lovi jam, and continues with wife taking over the task. As of now, being ordered to shut the laptop and leave the desk, I do oblige the tiny granddaughters who want to pluck a few fresh Lovis for they don’t touch the fallen ones!

The Lovi flowers usually teem with minute bee-like insects gathering honey. Their light humming was playing second fiddle to the sweet melodies of the battichchas singing hosannas to the dawn, when I received a call from organizers of State Literary

Awards, saying that the book has been nominated. I marvelled; the tiny yellowish petals of Lovi flowers competed with the withered yellowbrown leaves to reach the ground as they come floating down in rusty golden showers.

Sooner or later a dark shadow of the Lovi tree will stretch over the front garden. The mournful cawing of the crows would mute the birdsongs and the buzzing of the bees that filled the air. A weird breeze would sweep across creating a ghostly noise. Will the place look haunted then?

Let me confess; the Award, in reality, belongs to the senior print media journalists who encouraged me by publishing every piece I forwarded over past decade to receive accolades from readers. I thank the Cultural Department for a very well organized event, and my teachers, family and well-wishes for their sincerity.”