Contribution of translated literary works to Indian literature highlighted

From our Staff Correspondent

Dibrugarh, September 5: “Translator is like a surrogate mother,” said noted Tamil writer and translator, Padmini Rajappa during her deliberation at the intimate discussion held in the second day of the three-day long Sahitya Akademi convention at Indira Miri Conference Hall in Dibrugarh University (DU). The intimate discussion held among the Translators Award winners of Sahitya Akademi was chaired by eminent Assamese poet and writer Prof Karabi Deka Hazarika of DU.

The speakers spoke extensively on the importance and contribution of translated literary works both fiction and non-fiction to Indian literature. Speaker in their deliberation stated that comparison of words in translation is like finding honey in sugar syrup. They highlighted the big task of understanding the language before translating it into their own language and said that one must try to keep the essence of the book in its pure form even after translation.

The second session of the day was iugurated by noted writer banita Dev Sen while president of Sahitya Akademi, Biswath Prasad Tiwari presided over the function.  Vice Chancellor of DU, Dr. Alak Kumar Buragohain, attended the function as guest of honour. Later book reading sessions were held in which some eminent writers of Assamese, Bodo, Hindi, Manipuri, Tamil, Telugu and Urdu read a few lines from their translated works.

The vote of thanks was delivered by Deputy Secretary of Sahitya Akademi, Renu Mohan Bhan.

The three-day long convention that started on September 4, has been organized by the Sahitya Akademi and is the first of its kind in this part of the region. All total 24 Indian writers of different Indian languages were awarded with the Translators Award, 2014. Bipul Deori of Sadiya bagged the prestigious award for translating Amish Tripathi’s book  The Immortals of Meluha from English to Assamese.

Deori who is working as the Superintendent of Taxes, Government of Assam, has translated several works of fiction and non-fiction from English and Bengali into Assamese. He is also the recipient of the Amulya Chakraborty Memorial Translation Award in 2014 for his translation of Mark Shand’s River Dog. The other Northeast writer who won this year’s Translators Award were Surath rzary for his translation of Tagore’s Geetanjali in Bodo language and Manipuri writer Waikhom Cha Ibotombi Mangang for translating Kabi Guru Rabindra th Thakur’s novel uka Dubbee in Manipuri language.  The Translator awards of Sahitya Akademi comprise a sum of Rs 30,000, a citation and memento.

The other recipients of Translator Awards, 2014 were , Biy Kumar Mahata (Bengali) , Yashpaul ‘Nirmal’(Dogri), Padmini Rajappa (English), gin Das Jivan Lal Shah (Gujrati) , Phulchand Mav (Hindi), G N Rangatha Rao (Kanda), MH Zaffar (Kashmiri) , Pandurang Kashith Gaude(Konkani), Ram rayan Singh (Maithili), Priya AS (Malayalam), Madhukar Sudam Patil (Marathi), Dambarmani Pradhan (Nepali), Rabindra Kumar Praharaj (Odia), Tarsem (Punjabi), Kailash Mandela (Rajasthani),  raya Dash (Sanskrit), Saro Hansdah (Santali) , Ram Kukreja (Sindhi), S.Devadoss(Tamil), R Santha Sundari ( Telegu),  Ved Rahi (Urdu)

Earlier, noted Odia writer Prathiva Roy as a chief guest spoke on various aspects of translation work as well as its difficulty. The president of Sahitya Akademi  and eminent writer of Hindi, Biswath Pratap Tiwari in his presidential address also spoke on the essence of translation work and said that it was the only means through which human beings could share their feelings and culture. He further stated that translator should translate the origil book moulding  in  the culture and essence in which language the book would be translated.

The valedictory function of the event will be held on Sunday and as such a book fair-cum-exhibition sale will be held where books published by Sahitya Akademi will be exhibited for sale to mark the three-day event.