At the Frankfurt Book Fair, Works by Tamil Writers Pique the Interest of European Publishers

Dive into the global fascination with Perumal Murugan's Tamil works, translated into languages from Amharic to Icelandic, at CIBF & Frankfurt Book Fair.

on Oct 20, 2023

At the Frankfurt Book Fair, Works by Tamil Writers Pique the Interest of European Publishers | Frontlist

According to officials, several delegates from countries such as Italy and Lithuania have expressed a strong interest in the Tamil Nadu Translation Grant. Perumal Murugan's works will be translated into Amharic, an Ethiopian language, and Icelandic.

The first edition of the Chennai International Book Fair (CIBF) in January paved the way for
Tamil works to be translated into many foreign languages, including Polish, Norwegian, Arabic, Slovak, Hungarian, Italian, Welsh, English, Icelandic, Filipino, Lithuanian, Spanish, and French, at the ongoing Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany.

The writings of Perumal Murugan, which have received the most translations, have established a precedent. His writings are now being translated into Amharic, an Ethiopian language, as well as Icelandic.

"The diverse range of countries and languages with which we have interacted demonstrates Tamil literature's global appeal." "Each of these interactions has presented us with potential translation opportunities in their respective languages," said Elambaghwath, who is managing a team in Frankfurt. He expressed his appreciation for Tamil literary history and the one-of-a-kind effort "One Thought, One World: Uniting Through Translation." "Our live translation sessions and the game, 'TransLingual Tales,' have been the highlights, garnering significant attention," he continued.

Many delegations from Italy and Lithuania expressed strong interest in the Tamil Nadu Translation Grant and the fellowship program announced by Chief Minister M.K. Stalin in the CIBF-2023.

Kannan Sundaram of Kalachuvadu stated his company had sold the rights to numerous minor languages, including Icelandic, Armenian, Azerbaijani, Slovak, and Amharic. "Rights to Azerbaijan and Armenia were sold through CIBF-23," Mr. Kannan, who has attended the Frankfurt Book Fair since 2007, explained. When asked if the money would come from these translations, he answered politely that the excitement of translating Tamil literature into foreign languages would compensate for the money.

Pookuli by Peruml Murugan is being translated into Amharic and Italian. Poonachi is now being translated into Italian, Icelandic, Azerbaijani, Armenian, and Arabic. One Part Woman (Mathorubhagan), A Lonely Harvest, Trial by Silence, and Current Show are also being translated into Italian, French, and Croatian.

"It's a source of immense enthusiasm. "Perumal Murugan will shatter the glass ceiling for other Tamil writers," he said. Oru Puliyamarathin Kathai (The Tale of a Tamarind Tree) by Sundara Ramaswamy has already been translated into Slovak.

The writings of Sahitya Academy Award winners Periyar, C.N. Annadurai, and M. Karunanidhi, as well as nationalised novels, will be translated into European languages. Bharathi, Bharathidasan, Pudhumaipithan, and Ki are among the other writers on the list.

Rajanarayanan, Ku. Alagirisamy, T. Janakiraman, Jayakanthan, Rajam Krishnan, Kannadasan, Prabhanjan, Erode Tamilanban, Abdul Rahman, Meththa, Vairamuthu, S. Ramakrishnan, Ambai, Thoppil Mohammed Meeran, and Imayam are among those who have participated.

"The Tamil Nadu government will sanction the grants announced to these publishers." It is also providing fellowships to international authors, publishers, and literary agents from other countries to attend CIBF-2024, which is scheduled to take place from January 16 to 18 at the Chennai Trade Centre," said T.S. Saravanan, Joint Director (Translation), Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation.