# Myanmar National Literature Award

Myanmar National Literature Awards (Burmese: အမျိုးသား စာပေဆု) are awards presented to a Burmese author who has published a particularly lauded piece or body of work. There are awards for forms of writing ranging from poetry to novels. Many awards are also dedicated to a certain genre of fiction or non-fiction writing (such as science fiction or politics). Most literary awards come with a corresponding award ceremony.

## Background

The Myanmar National Literature Awards have been presented since 1970. They are for the best works published in the previous year in each category as determined by a selection committee from Sarpay Beikman ("Palace of Literature"), a division of the Ministry of Information that is concerned with promoting books in Burmese and other national languages. Sarpay Beikman also gives the Sarpay Beikman Manuscript Awards for unpublished works that are submitted in manuscript. In recent years the genres covered by Sarpay Beikman Manuscript and National Literary Awards have been gradually extended and the number of awards increased. As of 2007 there were twelve types of award, of which the recently instituted lifetime achievement award was the most prestigious. The awards complement the privately sponsored Sayawun Tin Shwe Award, Pakokku U Ohn Pe literary award, Thuta Swesone literary award and Tun Foundation award.
The award has been given since 1962 for distinguished work in categories that include:
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Fiction
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Collected Short Stories
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Translation
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Collected Poems
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Political Literature
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Historical Documentary
* Myanmar National Literature Award for Lifetime Achievement Award
Maung Wuntha, a member of the selection committee for the National Literary Awards and a veteran journalist died on 11 August 2013.

## List
### 1972

* Mya Than Tint, Translation: War and Peace

### 1977

* Kyaw Win , Novel:Nout Aww Naga
* Nu Yin, Poems
* Hla Myo Nwe,Fiction

### 1978

* Mya Than Tint, Translation: Gone with the Wind

### 1979

* Saya Zawgyi for Nin-la-hè chit dukkha (Damn You, Broken Heart) and Other Short Stories

### 1986

* Moe Moe (Inya) for Moe Moe's Short Stories
* Maung Nyein Thu for Mya Ah Phuutwe Thit Thit Waie and Youth Short Stories

### 1987

* Saya Zawgyi for Ancient Bagan and Other Poems

### 1988

* Mya Than Tint, Translation: Dream of the Red Chamber

### 1989

* Saw Mon Nyin, Myanmar Women’s Clothing and Hairstyles

### 1992

National Literary Awards for 1992 were announced on 2 December 1993. They were:
| Category | Author | Work |
| Collected Short Stories | Nay Win Myint | Hset-na-kyo |
| Poems | Nyunt Wai (Katha) | Seik Bya-tin kabyar-myar |
| General Knowledge (Arts) | Tekkatho Htin Gyi | Myanmar NaingNgan Thadinzar-mya Ahnyun (History of the press in Myanmar) |
| General Knowledge (Applied Science) | U Pe Thein | Hlyat-sit Pyin-nyar Thabaw-taya hnint Let-twe |
| Translation | Mya Than Tint | City of Joy (သုခမြို့တော်) |
| Children's Literature | Theikpan Soe Myint Naing | Nyi-htwelay atwet Khalay Kabyar-myar |
| Myanmar Culture and Arts | U Kyaw Nyein | Bagan Myohaung Myingaba Gu-byauk-gyi Paya |
| Belles-Lettres | Maung Hkun Nwe (Innlay) | Pa-O |
No awards were made for Novels, Drama, Youth Literature, Translation (general knowledge), General Knowledge (science) or Political Literature.

### 1995

| Category | Author | Work |
| Fiction | Khin Hnin Yu | Mya Kyar Phyu မြကြာဖြူ White Lotus |
| Translation | Mya Than Tint | Beyond Love (အချစ်မိုးကောင်းကင်) |
Fiction|| Saya Pe Myint ||

### 2003

Awards for 2003 were presented in December 2004. The Lifelong National Literary Award was won by writer Htay Maung. Other winners of National Literary Awards were Hsaung Win Lat, Khin Khin Htoo, Salin Phone Kyaw, Daw Mi Mi Lay, Maung Thit Sar, Myinmu Maung Naing Moe, Than Aung (Anyamyay), Hlaing Thin, Maung Tun Thu, Ma Kyan, Kyaw Oo, Naing Shwe Moe, Kyu Kyu Thin and Dr Ma Tin Win.

### 2005

Award winners in 2005 were:
| Category | Author |
| Lifetime Achievement | Daw Yin Yin (Saw Monnyin) |
| Novel | Hsinbyukyun Aung Thein |
| Collected short stories | Yin Yin Nu (Mandalay) |
| Belles-letters | Maung Moe Yan |
| Myanmar culture and fine arts literature | Minshin Aung (Twantay) |
| Child literature | Tin Lin Zaw |
| Translation | Nan Mya Kay Khine |
| General knowledge (arts) | Ma Kyan |
| General knowledge (science) | Aye Kyaw |
| Political | Pe Thein Tin (ambassador) |

### 2007

The 2007 award winners included:
| Category | Author | Work |
| Lifetime achievement | Saya Hsinbyugyun Aung Thein | |
| Belles-letters | Tekkatho Sein Tin | Biography of Grandma U Zun |
| Youth Literature | Linkaryikyaw | Voice of a crane’s flapping (Kyokyar Taungpan Khathan) |
| Translation | Saya Tin Maung Myint | Black dream, green love, written by Henry Denker |
| Collected Short Stories | Nay Win Myint | |

### 2008

The 2008 awards were presented at the Ministry of Information on 31 December 2009. Winners were:
| Category | Author |
| Life-Time Achievement | Sayagyi Dr Kyaw Sein |
| Belle-letter | Yein Nwe Par |
| Selected short stories | Kyu Kyu Thin |
| Myanmar culture and fine arts literature | Myat Wai Toe (Institute of Education) |
| Child literature | Yenanmye Maung Manug Kyi |
| Youth literature | Kyunsinmye Saw Khet |
| Translation (general knowledge) | Taw Kaung Min |
| Translation (aesthetics) | Win Htut Zaw |
| General knowledge (arts) | Dr Dagon |
| General knowledge (science) | Dr Kyaw Tint |
| General knowledge (applied science) | Aung Soe |

### 2009

The 2009 awards were presented at the hall of the Ministry of Information in Nay Pyi Taw on 31 December 2010. The Lifetime Achievement for National Literary Award was presented to Dr Khin Maung Nyunt. Other winners of literary awards were Linka Yi Kyaw, Maung Cheint, Maung Ni Win, Maung Khin Min (Danubyu), U Kyaw Than (Phekon), Min Shwe Min (Insein), Ye Tint, Ma Kyan, Pho Swe (Timber Enterprise) and U Saw Aung Hla Tun.

### 2010

2010 award winners were:
| Category | Author | Work |
| Lifetime achievement | Dr Thaw Kaung | Many articles and ten books including From the Librarian's Window: View of Library and Manuscript Studies and Myanmar Literature (2008) and Aspects of Myanmar History and Culture (2010) |
| Translation (Aesthetic) | Nay Win Myint | Yekantha Kyataingaye, translation of The Glass Palace by Amitah Gosh |
| Collected Short Stories | Ye Shan | Budayongale (A Little Railway Station) |
| Collected Poems | Myinmu Maung Naing Moe | Alwan-thadin Pan-ta-khin (Melancholic News and a Bed of Flowers) |
| Belles-letters | Tint Swe (Pyapon) | Kyawpoeikalayko Chikalwe (A Bag Riding on Me) |
| Youth Literature | Tin Myint | From Shinma Mountain to Ayeyarwady |
| Translation (General Knowledge) | Boe Hlaing | Discovery of India |
| General Knowledge | Dr Aung Myint Oo | Research on Language |
| General Knowledge (Science) | Sayagyi U Han Tun | Narathukha Treatise and Prose Treatise |
| General Knowledge (Applied Science) | Saw Ngu Wah (Pyinmana) | IM Bio-technological Agriculture |
| Political Literature | Ko Than (Kyimyindine) | The Secret Journey of a Myanmar Youth Group to the Battlefield of Vietnam |
| English Language | Kyaw Latt | Art and Architecture of Bagan and Historical Background |

### 2011

2011 award winners were:
| Category | Author | Work |
| Lifetime achievement | Min Yu Wai | |
| Translation (Aesthetic) | Tin Maung Myint | Myaw translation of Waiting by Ha Jin |
| Translation (General Knowledge) | U Kyi Myint (Lathar) | |
| Collected Short Stories | Ye Myat Tin | |
| Collected Poems | Pyinmana Maung Ni Thin | |
| Belles-letters | Kaythipan U Hla Myint | |
| Translation (General Knowledge) | U Kyi Myint | |
| General Knowledge (Art) | Dr U Win Naing | |
| General Knowledge (Science) | Khin Maung Swe | |
| General Knowledge (Applied Science) | Thaung Nyunt Thit | |
| Political Literature | Ko Ko Maung Gyi | |
| English Language (General) | U Thet Tun | |
| Drama | U Nyein Min | Tapin Kyo Hlyin Naut Hna Pin (Two Trees Grow where One Falls Down) |
| Myanmar Culture and Arts | Natmauk Tun Shein | |
| Children’s Literature | Maung Seinn Naung | |

### 2012

The 2012 awards was presented at the National Theatre, Yangon on 3 December 2013. 2012 award winners were:
| Category | Author | Work |
| Lifetime achievement | Khin Swe Oo Aung Thin Theikpan Hmu Tin | |
| Translation (Aesthetic) | Tin Maung Myint | Pyit Hume Ne Pyit Dan, translation of Crime and Punishment by Fyodor Dostoyevsky |
| Translation (General Knowledge) | Maung Myint Kywe | Myanmarpyi Hma Naeyet Myar, translation of Burmese Days by George Orwell |
| Collected Short Stories | Khin Mya Zin | Kaungkin Moe Tain Wuttu-to Mya (Clouds Over the Sky and Others Short Stories) |
| Collected Poems | Ko (Tekkatho) | Mya Kan Thar Kabyar Poung Chok (Mya Khan Thar Collected Poems) |
| Belles-letters | Dr Khin Latyar | Pae Pae Bo Let Ya (My Father, Bo Let Ya) |
| General Knowledge (Art) | Maung Hon Won(Kahtika) | Min Thu Wun Hint Kabyar (Min Thu Wun and His Poems) |
| General Knowledge (Science) | Kyaw Oo | Yae Kyi Ta Pauk |
| General Knowledge (Applied Science) | Dr Khin Sann Maw | Tilikesan Myar Hma Lu Ko Kuset That Taw Yawgar Myar |
| Political Literature | Kyaw Win | Myanmar Naing Nyan Yaw Lelar Sansit Chat (1948-1988) (Analysis on Political History of Myanmar (1948-1988)) |
| English Language (General Knowledge) | Myint Aung | Revealing Myanmar's Past: An Anthology of Archaeological Articles |
| Novel | Htet Naing (Talok Myoth) | Ma Pyaw Pyit Kae Tae Sagar |
| Myanmar Culture and Arts | Stephen Ni Kio | Chin Yin Kyae Hmu Dalae Htone Tan |
| Children’s Literature | Shwe Myaing Pyone Lei Maw | Aryone Oo Hmar Pu Tae Pan Nae Kalay Kabyar Myar |

### 2013

The 2013 awards were presented at the National Theatre, Yangon on 22 November 2014. 2013 award winners were:
| Category | Author |
| Lifetime achievement | Dr Khin Aye (Maung Khin Min-Danubyu) Sithu U Tin Hlaing (Ledwinthar Saw Chit) U Myint Kyi (Tekkatho Myat Soe) |
| Translation (General Knowledge) | Tun Tint Aung (Myanmar translator) |
| Collected Short Stories | Wai (University of Economics) |
| Collected Poems | Maung Lwan Naing (Sabeingon) |
| Belles-letters | Maung Yint Mar (Kyaunggon) |
| General Knowledge (Art) | U San Win (History Research) |
| General Knowledge (Science) | Dr Kyaw Than Tun (Guangdong Medical University) |
| General Knowledge (Applied Science) | Dr Ye Win Tun |
| Political Literature | Thein Oo |
| English Language (General Knowledge) | Ye Dway |
| Novel | Naing Zaw |
| Myanmar Culture and Arts | Myat Wai Toe (University of Education) |
| Children’s Literature | Than Aung (Anyamyay) |