BHUBANESWAR: There is an urgent need to improve the quality of translation in the country and increase interaction between various Indian languages, opined panelists at the 13th edition of the Odisha Literary Festival here on Saturday.
Speaking on the session, ‘Translating India: The Multicultural Country’, eminent translator and writer Rakshanda Jalil said she wants to see texts being translated in Indian languages instead of English. “It would be much nicer if somebody translated directly from Marathi to Urdu or Tamil into Bangla without using English. Translation between the Bhasas should be encouraged,” she said.
In the session moderated by Lipika Bhushan, Jalil said literary translators are a species that are distinct from commercial translators. Literary translators pick up a text that speaks to them or is in consonance with their larger world view. But commercial translators are in the business of translating texts with “washing machine instructions”.
Giving examples of noted Odia litterateurs Sarala Das, Manoj Das and Gopinath Mohanty, editor and translator Mini Krishnan said these are the people whose books changed the literary landscape. But they are not the favourites of publishers who are only interested in award-winning writers.
“Besides, Indian writers in order to be translated are writing in a language that is easy to translate these days for the books to sell. This is a dangerous trend” she said.
Krishnan said there are so many languages in India that have never been translated. The materials for translation are available but are not being looked at. Translating these works will be a real achievement that lies ahead of Indian translators.
She further stressed that translation should be taught to students in colleges and universities across India.