Oxford Bookstore and Long Night of LiteratureS present a captivating Literary Forum: Bridging Continents

Oxford Bookstore and The Long Night of LiteratureS hosted a literary forum on India-Europe narratives, exploring translations, colonialism, and cultural exchange.

on Sep 27, 2024

New Delhi, 26 September 2024: Oxford Bookstore, in association with The Long Night of LiteratureS, hosted a thought-provoking literary forum at the Embassy of the Czech Republic. This exclusive event, titled ‘Bridging Continents: The Interplay of Narratives and Translations between India and Europe’, brought together esteemed authors and publishers from Europe and India to explore the rich tapestry of literary connections between the two regions.

The distinguished panel included Dániel Levente PÁL, literary agent, poet, writer and circus dramaturge from Hungary; Ralph Tharayil, writer and translator from Switzerland; Olga Campofreda, researcher, writer and journalist from Italy; Arunava Sinha, translator and teacher from India; Rakhshanda Jalil, translator, writer and literary historian from India; and Moutushi Mukherjee, commissioning editor, Penguin Random House India.

The panelists delved into the rich, reciprocal relationships between European and Indian literary landscapes. They explored how these literatures intersect and influence each other, focusing on themes like colonialism, diaspora, and cultural exchange. The discussion highlighted the adaptation of traditional European narrative forms in Indian contexts through translated works and the broader literary discourse. Translations were emphasized as a crucial element in the field of literature. The speakers analyzed the impact of narratives and translations in both regions and discussed how each region's literary traditions have been woven into contemporary works.

The forum served as a precursor to The Long Night of LiteratureS, a much-anticipated literary extravaganza scheduled for 27 September 2024. This year's event will feature a diverse lineup of European authors, including Ana Schnabl (Slovenia), Sameer Rawal (Spain), Leif Randt (Germany), Tamara Bartkova (The Czech Republic), Szécsi Noémi (Hungary), Alexandra Lucas Coelho (Portugal), Wojciech Tochman (Poland), Hanan Issa (Wales), Sholeh Rezazadeh (The Netherlands), Kateryna Kalytko (Ukraine), Olga Campofreda (Italy), and Ralph Thayaril (Switzerland).