BANGALORE : Naanu Malala, the Kannada translation of I Am Malala, the autobiography of the 17-year-old Nobel Peace Prize winning Pakistani children's rights activist Malala Yousafzai (with Christina Lamb) by journalist B S Jayaprakasha Narayana, is all set for released at 10.30 am at Karnataka Chitrakala Parishath on Sunday.
Well-known poet Siddalingaiah, veteran writer Bolwar Mahammad Kunhi and thinker G B Harish will take part in the programme.
"This is the story of an innocent girl who faced difficulties from the formidable Talibans who wanted to kill her because she started fighting for the girl children's rights. This is not just the story of Pakistan, it can happen anywhere. It is the story of mankind. Whenever people want to impose rules in the name of religion, women and children are their first targets. This is very much clear from the life and struggle of Malala," he says.
"Malala is a symbol of struggle against terrorism also. How she took on the Talibans and fought for her rights is an interesting account in itself. She was very innocent when she started her fight and it is notable that such a small girl could take up this cause and she continues to do so," he adds.
Narayana, who written a number of works including the biography of veteran photographer K G Somashekhar recently, says he started translating this work in July and completed it in September. “A few days after I completed it, the Nobel Peace Award was announced. This work shows that humanity wins over force and cruelty."
“Today, a number of books are being released in Kannada right from poetry to novels. We have to explore new avenues in literature and at the same time, write about our poet laureates like Pampa and Ranna. The literature should include everything. Books which suit Kannada milieu should be brought out to make our literary world rich,” he feels.
Publisher Guruprasad of Akruthi Pustaka says Malala’s autobiography in English was first translated in Hindi first and now Kannada is the second Indian language in which this seminal work is being retold.
The book has five parts and 25 chapters. It starts with the birth of Malala, goes on to talk about the Swat region where she lived, her family, societal taboos imposed by the Taliban and her experiences in London where she joined school after she escaped from the militants' attack. It has 348 pages and is priced `250. The book is available at all major book shops. For details call 080-23409479.