Jamaludeen Mohamed Sali, a 76-year-old Indian-origin writer, whose 57 books are read in universities has been declared as the winner of this year’s prestigious South East Asia Write Award. Jamaludeen Mohamed Sali has been writing for over 50 years and has several literary awards to his credit, including Singapore’s prestigious Cultural Medallion and a number of them from Tamil Nadu. Better known as J M Sali, the author has written 57 books, 80 plays and more than 400 short stories including Vellai Kodugal (White Lines) Alaigal Pesuginrana (the Sound Of The Waves) that are now studied by Tamil Literature students in Singapore and Indian universities.

About the Author

• Born in Madras in 1939, the son of a betel leaf seller and housewife, Sali was invited to Singapore at the age of 25 to be an assistant editor at the Tamil Murasu newspaper by its founder, the late G Sarangapani.
• He went on to work for local broadcasting station and produced books on famous people including martial art icon Bruce Lee and legendary boxer Muhammad Ali.

About the Award

• Started in 1979, the South East Asia Write Awards, or the Southeast Asian Write Awards, are presented annually to poets and writers in Southeast Asia.
• The awards are given to a writer from a country that is part of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).