Penguin to Publish New Non-Fiction Translation Series with Ashoka Centre for Translation

Penguin Random House India and Ashoka Centre for Translation launch "Chronicles," a new translation series featuring non-fiction works in 10 Indian languages, including Hindi, Tamil, and Marathi. The series aims to bring diverse perspectives on Indian history, society, and culture to English readers, offering memoirs, autobiographies, essays, and biographies. Notable works include: - "Ninaivu Alaigal" by TSS Rajan (Tamil) on sociopolitical dynamics - "Yatra Samrithi" by Dasarathi Krishnamacharya (Telugu) on a poet and anti-Nizam rebel - "Selected Essays of Kirthinath Kurtakoti" (Kannada) on arts and aesthetics - "Nij Jivan Ki Chhata" by Ram Prasad Bismil (Hindi) on India's freedom struggle - "Raghnak" by Shekhar Govindrao Korde (Marathi) on an illiterate landlord from the 'untouchable' caste - "Mari Hakikat" by Narmadashankar Dave (Gujarati) on an author's life and times - "Amar Katha" by Binodini Dasi (Bengali) on a pioneering actress and playwright - "A Women’s History of Malayalam Theatre" by Sajitha Madathil (Malayalam) on female contributions to theater

Non-fiction books written in 10 Indian languages, including Hindi, Telugu, Tamil, and Marathi, that shed light on specific moments and movements from India's past to the present will soon be available to English reader under a new translation series by Penguin Random House India in collaboration with the Ashoka Centre for Translation, the publisher announced on Wednesday.

Supported by the Manju Deshbandhu Gupta Fellowship, the non-fiction translation series, titled ''Chronicles'', is aimed at bringing creative critical textual narratives from various Indian languages into English and will ''serve as both an archive and a resource'', offering readers a wide array of thoughts, ideas, histories, and life stories from across India. The inaugural line-up of ''Chronicles'' features a diverse selection of works, offering a unique perspective on Indian society, history, and culture. From memoirs and autobiographies to critical essays and biographies, the series promises a wide-ranging exploration of the human experience.

''Ninaivu Alaigal'' by TSS Rajan, translated from Tamil by N Kalyan Raman, is a memoir chronicling an exploration of sociopolitical dynamics and personal evolution from the perspective of a reformist and politician.

Translated from the Telugu language by T Vijay Kumar, ''Yatra Samrithi'' by Dasarathi Krishnamacharya is an autobiography capturing the poignant narrative of a poet and anti-Nizam rebel, offering a striking story of the making of Telangana's history.

''Selected Essays of Kirthinath Kurtakoti'', translated from Kannada by Kamalakar Bhat, is a collection of critical essays providing perspectives on arts, aesthetics, and literary practices in South Asian societies.

''Raghnak: The Saga of Mahar Landlordism'' by Shekhar Govindrao Korde, translated from Marathi by Prashant Ingole, unveils the extraordinary life of Raghunath Mahar, an illiterate member of the 'untouchable' caste who rose to prominence as the ''Kuber of Vidarbha''.

The once-banned autobiography of freedom fighter Ram Prasad Bismil, ''Nij Jivan Ki Chhata'', translated form Hindi by Awadhesh Tripathi, recounts the daring exploits of Bismil and his fellow revolutionaries and offers an affective glimpse into the trials and triumphs of India's freedom struggle.

''While books in translation have been receiving enormous attention lately, this has been more prominently in the genre of fiction. It's exciting to be able to bring to readers in English some of the most stimulating non-fiction writings that have been taking place in different Indian languages,'' Elizabeth Kuruvilla, associate publisher, Vintage, Penguin Random House India, said in a statement. The other books to be available in English are: ''Mari Hakikat'' by Narmadashankar Dave, translated from Gujarati by Abhijit Kothari; ''Anandaram Dhekial Phukan's Jivan Charitra'' by Gunabhiram Barua, translated from Assamese by Banani Chakravarty; ''Bharatayatre'' by Lakshmisha Tolpadi, translated from Kannada by Vanamala Viswanatha; Amar Katha by Binodini Dasi, translated from Bengali by Arunava Sinha; and ''A Women's History of Malayalam Theatre'' by Sajitha Madathil, translated from Malayalam by Jayasree Kalathil. Releasing under Penguin's Vintage imprint, the first of the books under the series is expected to be released in December.

(This story has not been edited by Devdiscourse staff and is auto-generated from a syndicated feed.)