The Art of Translation

In this episode, I am joined by N. Kalyan Raman, a celebrated translator of modern and contemporary Tamil fiction and poetry into English. Our conversation will explore his journey as a translator, the Tamil literary milieu, the process of text selection, the power and significance of translation, the dynamic between author and translator, the challenges faced by translators, and the broader goal of fostering a more robust literary discourse around translated works.References:N Kalyan Raman: Website, X, Published WorksAshokamitran, Sundara Ramaswamy, D. Jayakanthan, Subramania Bharati, Perumal Murugan, Vaasanthi, Devibharathi, PoomaniHeart Lamp: Selected Stories by Banu Mushtaq, translated from Kannada by Deepa BhashtiTomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree, translated from Hindi by Daisy RockwellPyre by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan VasudevanPoonachi: Or the Story of a Black Goat by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanOne Part Woman by Perumal Murugan, translated from Tamil by Aniruddhan VasudevanChowringhee by Sankar, translated from Bengali by Arunava SinhaGhachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag, translated from Kannada by Srinath PerurA Southern Harvest (Katha Regional Fiction), edited by Githa HariharanFarewell, Mahatma: Stories, The Solitude of a Shadow by Devibharathi, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanBreaking Free: A Novel by Vaasanthi, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanVaadivaasal, the Arena by C.S. Chellappa, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan RamanVaadivaasal, the Arena by C.S. Chellappa, adapted by Perumal Murugan and Appupen [Graphic Novel]Animal Farm by George OrwellBoats Against the Current: The Kongunadu novels of Perumal Murugan by N Kalyan RamanWhy Perumal Murugan’s “One Part Woman” is Significant to the Debate on Freedom of Expression in India by N Kalyan RamanIndian judge rules novelist silenced by nationalist pressure ‘be resurrected’ by Vidhi DoshiNirmal Verma, Krishna Sobti, Mahasweta Devi, Sunil GangopadhyayThe JCB Prize for Literature has shut down. What else has ended with it? by Arunava SinhaSusan Santag: Quotes on reading and translationWalter Benjamin: The task of the translator