After having waited in the wings for so long, translations are slowly moving centre-stage

Aarachar drew much attention, both good and not-so-good. Yet, when K. R. Meera’s novel with a gender-neutral Aarachar for title became the Hangwoman in translator J. Devika’s hands, it took to the skies. The translation wriggled and made space for itself, particularly, in the national media. Publisher Hamish Hamilton, an imprint of Penguin India, planned Hangwoman’s publication and promotions meticulously. Meera’s book and Meera earned welcome reviews in mainstream, English publications. This mirrored signs of change. Translations are no more sitting at the fringes; instead, from what is a concerted effort from big-time publishers, naturally bi-lingual translators and solid original works, it is moving centrestage. Aggressive book promotions typically ear-marked for Indian writing in English, is now happening with translations too and they are the better for it.

A progression

R. Sivapriya, executive editor at Penguin India, and who specialises in translations, says the new turn for the publishing firm began when they brought out Benyamin’s Goat Days. “Penguin has been publishing translations since its inception in India. But with Goat Days in late 2012, the way we published and promoted translations changed,” says Sivapriya. The publisher’s instinct about the book also had to do with the uniqueness of the tale it told. “Goat Days was the right book at the right time. It could travel well with translation. It could speak to anyone anywhere,” says Sivapriya.

A renewed focus on translations, she points out, came from the firm belief that the “most exciting writing was happening in Indian languages.” “We knew we cannot ignore it and if we are doing translations, we rather do it well,” says Sivapriya. More.

See: The Hindu

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