Josephian wins Edwin Thumboo Merit Prize for Literature

Congratulations to alumnus Keevan Kanagalingam (IB Class of 2023) who received the  2024 Edwin Thumboo Merit Prize for Literature! This is the third consecutive year that a Josephian has received this prize from the Department of English, Linguistics and Theatre Studies at the National University of Singapore (NUS) Faculty of Arts and Social Sciences.

Keevan shared, “It is a true honour to receive this prestigious prize for my literary essay which explored how the poetry of Mary Oliver unifies the seemingly-incompatible realms of the material and the spiritual. I certainly owe much of my success to the incredible Literature teachers who guided and nurtured me throughout my time in SJI, especially Mrs Jasmine Tan and Ms Rita Roop. They, in the words of Mary Oliver, have shown me that Literature truly is 'a life-cherishing force' – much more than just an academic discipline, it teaches us to approach our lives with keen attentiveness and a spirit of wonder.”

Named after one of Singapore’s most prominent poets and scholars, the Edwin Thumboo Prize, aims to promote excellence in the study of Literature at the pre-university level by recognising outstanding literary works by A-level and International Baccalaureate Diploma (IBDP) students of English Literature in Singapore. It is administered by the Department with support from the Ministry of Education (MOE).