An important initiative recently launched by Jadavpur University as part of their translation festival in Kolkata, aimed at promoting indigenous dialects and enriching the archive of Indian literature. Timed to coincide with International Translation Month, the event runs from September 12 to 19, marking the 20th anniversary of the university’s Centre for Translation of Indian Literatures (CENTIL).
The festival stands out for its series of five one-day translation workshops, conducted by students from institutions such as Amity University, Basanti Devi College, Gurudas College, Ramakrishna Mission Residential College, and Jadavpur University. Sessions are spread across multiple venues, covering language pairs including Bangla-English, English-Bangla, Nepali-English, Nepali-Bangla, and even Nepali-Khasi translations.
According to joint coordinator Professor Sayantan Dasgupta of CENTIL, the initiative emphasises translation as a collaborative process. Rather than focusing on popular works, the centre prioritises lesser-known linguistic traditions like Lepcha, Kudmali, Kurux, Sadri, Tibetan, and Bodo. “Our aim is to build awareness of India’s cultural diversity,” he noted, stressing that student translators play a key role in CENTIL’s projects, honing their craft in an academic-social framework.