Diaspora (Commonwealth Union) _ Meira Chand, together with fellow novelist Suchen Christine Lim and Malay dance veteran Osman Abdul Hamid, was honoured with the Cultural Medallion, Singapore’s most prestigious arts award, at a ceremony held at the Istana. The accolade, presented by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, recognizes their artistic excellence and contributions to enriching the country’s arts and culture.
The prestigious award includes an SGD 80,000 grant for each recipient, supporting their ongoing artistic endeavours. Meira Chand, of Swiss-Indian descent, is notably the first English-language female writer to receive the award since Ho Minfong in 1997. Renowned for her portrayal of multicultural societies, Chand’s novel ‘The Painted Cage’ (1986) earned a longlisting for the prestigious Booker Prize.
President Tharman highlighted the recipients’ life explorations and their inspiration for generations, emphasizing their significant impact. Chand’s life, spanning England, Japan, India, and Singapore, is mirrored in her novels, capturing the essence of diverse cultures.
Born in London to a Swiss mother and Indian father, Chand’s upbringing and education took place in the UK. Her journey continued in 1962 when she moved to Japan with her Indian husband, teaching art at an international school. Later, she lived in India for five years, marking the beginning of her writing career.
Reflecting on her time in India, Chand described it as a “life-changing experience,” where she discovered a part of herself previously unknown. Writing became her medium for understanding and expressing this transformative experience.
The Cultural Medallion, established in 1979 by the late President and then Minister of Culture Ong Teng Cheong, stands as Singapore’s highest arts accolade. It honors individuals who have significantly enriched and distinguished the country’s arts and culture scene. The award, accompanied by a grant, recognizes inspiring local artists displaying professional maturity and contributing extraordinarily to Singapore’s artistic development.
Having been conferred on 132 artists across film, literary arts, performing arts, and visual arts, the Cultural Medallion celebrated Meira Chand, Suchen Christine Lim, and Osman Abdul Hamid in this year’s ceremony. Last year, the award was presented to 56-year-old Tamilian Hindu Aravinth Kumarasamy.
