The 2018 award, to be presented at a grand ceremony at the BMICH on Saturday, 15th September, will go to the novel chosen through three rounds of judging of 125 novels published in 2017 and submitted for consideration.
A five-member supreme panel of judges will select the winner out of five novels that made the final shortlist. The judging panel for the first round comprised of 12 judges who were required to read every one of the 125 books. The twelve best novels shortlisted by this panel were then submitted to a second panel of five other judges, which cut the shortlist down to the final five.
The Chief Guest at the ‘Swarna Pusthaka’ Awards ceremony will be Minister of Higher Education & Cultural Affairs, Dr Wijayadasa Rajapaksa, and the Guest of Honour the Managing Director of Sampath Bank, Mr Nanda Fernando. Sampath Bank is the Principal Sponsor of the 2018 Swarna Pusthaka award.