Indian Language, Translation & Representation with Arunava Sinha
Does inclusive literature in Indian languages give us an opportunity to speak more boldly of subjects that are otherwise not explored in as much depth through English language literature in India? Where do the lines exist and what is the scope of such literature? Translated literature provides a window into the lives of others who are unlike us in some ways but like us in others. But what are some of the challenges involved in translation? How does a translator retain the nuances of the original text? Eminent translator Arunava Sinha attempts to answer some of these questions and talks about the evolution of translations in India.
About the Guest:
Arunava Sinha is Associate Professor of Creative Writing at Ashoka University and co-director of Ashoka’s centre for translations. More than sixty of his translations have been published so far, including Desire for Fire: Modern Bengali Poetry in Translation and the Akhtaruzzman Elias's Khwabnama, Anita Agnihotri’s The Sickle, Perumal Murugan’s Poonachi . He was the recent recipient of Vani Foundation Distinguished Translator Award 2022.
This series is hosted by Yoshita Srivastava, literature collective associate at Belongg. She believes inclusive representation is essential for a better future — empathy being key in dismantling prejudice. She is interested in exploring intersections of gender, sexuality, identity and culture studies, and has previously worked at media and social sector organizations.