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Summary:

A “The Hindu Lit for Life Unplugged” event in Chennai celebrated journalist Shubashree Desikan’s translation of Ki. Rajanarayanan’s “Gopallapurathu Makkal,” titled “The People of Gopallapuram.” Speakers highlighted the difficulty and importance of translating Ki.Ra’s works, emphasizing their deep cultural nuances. Participants also commended the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation (TNTB and ESC) for supporting this translation and promoting literary freedom, particularly in a climate of increasing communal hate and suppression of democratic freedoms. The importance of translation in cultural and intellectual development was also discussed.

News Article:

Ki. Rajanarayanan Translation Celebrated at ‘The Hindu Lit for Life Unplugged’

Chennai, January 4, 2026 – A special edition of “The Hindu Lit for Life Unplugged” event, held in Chennai this Saturday, celebrated the translation of renowned author Ki. Rajanarayanan’s “Gopallapurathu Makkal” into English as “The People of Gopallapuram,” translated by journalist Shubashree Desikan.

Chennai South MP Thamizhachi Thangapandian lauded Desikan’s work, stating that translating Ki.Ra, as the author is known, presents a unique challenge, even more so than translating epic poems, due to the rich dialectical nuances embedded in his writing. She noted that the translation captures the “sound, smell, and texture” of the culture depicted in the book.

N. Ram, Director of THG Publishing Private Ltd., praised the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation (TNTB and ESC) for their support of the project, calling it a “unique initiative for governments in India.” He highlighted the significance of such creative freedom, especially “when there is a great deal of communal hate in this country, unleashed by a certain political movement”.

Mini Krishnan, coordinating editor of TNTB and ESC, emphasized the vital role of translation in the development of civilizations, stating that without it, advancements in fields like mathematics, astronomy, and science would not have been possible. Dr. T.S. Saravanan, Honorary Advisor, TNTB and ESC, also spoke at the event. The event underscored the importance of preserving and promoting regional languages and literature through translation.

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