Visakesa Chandrasekaram has been named the winner of the 2025 Gratiaen Prize, the Gratiaen Trust announced yesterday (June 06).

Chosen from an exceptional shortlist, this winning work stood out for its exceptional originality, craft, and literary excellence, the Gratiaen Trust says. The shortlist for the 33rd Gratiaen Prize included Dear Father; The Refugee by Alan de Costa, God, Bangles and a Constitution by Ekeli Anuththara, In the Curve of the Smile by Uvini Atukorala, and The Son and the Lover by Visakesa Chandrasekaram, all of which were considered for the final award.Chandrasekaram, who was previously a joint winner of the Gratiaen Prize in 1999, is also widely known as a filmmaker, human rights lawyer, activist, writer, dramatist, songwriter, artist, stage performer, and academic, with notable works including Frangipani, Paangshu, and Munnel.