Source : Business Standard
In an attempt to bring out translations of Indian literary works, publishing house Speaking Tiger has signed an MoU with JSW Group and
Indian Novels Collective.
The MoU aims at building a larger community of readers through readings, conversations and online promotions, a statement said.
According to the agreement, Indian Novels Collective will undertake a shortlisting process to identify literature works in various regional languages to be taken up for preservation and promotion.
Based on the shortlist, the three parties to this agreement will mutually finalise titles for translation, design and marketing.
Ravi Singh of Speaking Tiger said the initiative would help expand the reach of vast Indian literature to a larger audience.
“India has a vast treasure of books that tell unforgettable stories, but only a few of these are being read outside the languages in which they were written.
“As publishers nothing excites us more than bringing great literature to newer readers,” Singh said.
The first four shortlisted books to be translated in English include classics like “Karmelin” by Damodar Mauzo (Konkani), “Padma Nadir Manji” by Manik Bandopadyay (Bengali), “Ranangan” by Vishram Bedekar (Marathi) and Qurratulain Hyder’s Urdu works.
For Sangita Jindal, Chairperson of JSW Foundation, the agreement is a step forward towards conserving India’s rich cultural and literary heritage.
“Our effort is to create a platform to bring regional literature into the cultural mainstream of the country. Through our collective efforts we will be able to bring classics of non-English Indian literature to English readers across the world,” she said.
The collaboration, according to Ashwani Kumar of Indian Novels Collective, will also help bridge the gap between English readers and India’s regional literature classics.
Under the partnership, 10 regional literary masterpieces will be identified by Indian Novels Collective for translation, which will then be published, marketed and distributed by Speaking Tiger across the country.
The format and series design for all shortlisted titles will be uniform and decided mutually by the parties to this MoU, the statement said.