Lok Sabha Question No. 3822 (UNSTARRED), answered on 2018-03-19
Subject: Translation of Indian Literature
Ministry: CULTURE
Asked by: JYOTI DHURVE

## GOVERNMENT OF INDIA MINISTRY OF CULTURE

## LOK SABHA

## UNSTARRED QUESTION NO. †3822 TO BE ANSWERED ON 19.03.2018

## TRANSLATION OF INDIAN LITERATURE

## †3822 . SHRIMATI JYOTI DHURVE:

Will the Minister of CULTURE be pleased to state:

- (a) whether efforts have been made by the Government to promote/encourage the translation of Indian literature into foreign languages;
- (b) if so, the details thereof; and
- (c) the  details  of  the  funds  allocated  and  utilised  for  promotion  of  Indian  literature  abroad during the  last three years?

## MINISTER OF STATE (IC) FOR CULTURE & MINISTER OF STATE FOR ENVIRONMENT, FOREST & CLIMATE CHANGE (DR. MAHESH SHARMA)

## ANSWER

(a)&(b):Yes, Madam. Sahitya Akademi (SA), an autonomous organization under Ministry of Culture has been translating Indian literary masterpieces into foreign languages. Ministry of Culture's flagship project, Indian Literature Abroad (ILA) has been allotted to Sahitya Akademi. Prior to ILA and over the years, the Akademi promoted several Indian classics and popular Indian works into foreign languages.

Under the scheme to promote Indian Literature in foreign languages, Sahitya Akademi has published:

|   S.No. | Title                                | Language translated into and publisher        |
|---------|--------------------------------------|-----------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Herbert by Nabarun Bhattacharya      | German (Publisher - Draupadi Verlag)          |
|       2 | Train to Pakistan by Khushwant Singh | Swedish (Publisher - Aranan Publishing House) |
|       3 | Kaatil Oru Maan by Ambai             | French (Publisher - Zulma)                    |

## SA has prepared the following translations into Spanish:

|   S.No. | Title                                                        |
|---------|--------------------------------------------------------------|
|       1 | Bhoomi by Allam Rajaiah from Telugu                          |
|       2 | Joothan by Valmiki from Hindi                                |
|       3 | Hajar Churashir Ma by Mahasweta Devi from Bengali            |
|       4 | I take this Woman by Rajinder Singh Bedi from Urdu / English |
|       5 | Short Stories of Suresh Joshi from Gujarati / English        |
|       6 | Vaadivaasal by C.S. Chellappa from Tamil                     |
|       7 | Suraj Mukhir Swapna by Syed Abdul Malik                      |
|       8 | 18 th Parallel by Ashokamitran from Tamil                    |
|       9 | 75 Poems of Pash                                             |
|      10 | The Eye of God                                               |
|      11 | Spider in the Web by D.R. Bendre from Kannada                |

Apart from  the  above,  the  SA  has  published  the  following  books  under  Cultural  Exchange Programme:

|   S.No. | Title                                        | Language of publication   |
|---------|----------------------------------------------|---------------------------|
|       1 | Bhartala Da Natya Shastra by Kapila Vatsayan | Russian                   |
|       2 | Indian Short Stories by E.V. Ramakrishnan    | Russian                   |
|       3 | Kabita                                       | Slovenian                 |
|       4 | The Dual of the Heart                        | English                   |

In 1955, the Akademi recommended to UNESCO 29 Indian classics from 15 Indian languages and 25 books were published in English and French.

Sahitya Akademi, in collaboration with UNESCO, translated the Sacred Writings of the Sikhs (by Khushwant Singh and G.S. Fraser) and was published by George Allen and Unwin in 1960.

Over the years, the Akademi promoted several Indian classics and popular Indian works into foreign  languages  such  as  The  Ayodhya  Canto  of  the  Ramayana  as  told  by  Kamban  from Tamil  into  English,  Chemmeen  from  Malayalam  into  English  and  several  Eastern  European languages, Kavitavali by Tulsidas into English, Godaan by Premchand into English, Garambica Bapu by  S.N.  Pendse  into  English,  Pather  Panchali  by  Bibhutibhushan  Bandyopadhyay  into French, to name a few.1

- (c):   Separate funds are not allotted to Sahitya Akademi for promotion of Indian literature abroad during  the  last  three  years.  Sahitya  Akademi  has  been  publishing  these  translations  and participating in a number of International Book Fairs such as London Book Fair, Sharjah Book Fair , Frankfurt Book Fair etc out of general fund allotted to it.

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