CHENNAI: The Tamil Nadu Textbook and Education Services Corporation will translate 600 books on a variety of subjects from other languages into Tamil over next three years to develop the language, said the state budget. Of the books, one-third will be focused on children’s literature to help inculcate reading habit.
During the tenure of former CM M Karunanidhi, the corporation had translated 875 arts and science textbooks of 32 departments into Tamil for college students. Then, the corporation published 340 translated volumes on medicine, engineering, arts, science, and literature to commemorate his centennial year, said Finance Minister Thangam Thennarasu. The corporation will also translate twin epics - Silappathikaram and Manimegalai that portray the life of the Tamil community - into 25 Indian and foreign languages. It will ensure important Tamil literary works are available in top 100 universities and renowned libraries across the world.
“The corporation translated 206 books to Tamil last year. We will also visit the Bologna Children’s Book Fair in Italy in April to obtain the rights for translating various books into Tamil. We have already obtained the rights of 50 Iranian books for translation. Rest 400 will be in various categories. We have also sold rights of nearly 120 Tamil books to other languages at the Delhi book fair,” said TS Saravanan, joint director of the corporation. The corporation will also seek the help of more than 60 Tamil sangams in various foreign countries to promote Tamil books in renowned universities and libraries, he added.