Mysore/Mysuru: The Annual Sarasa Translation Workshop was conducted at Dhvanyaloka in Bogadi here in collaboration with the Central Institute of Indian Languages (CIIL), Mysuru, recently.

Welcoming the participants, Prof. C.N. Srinath, Director Dhvanyaloka and Editor, Sarasa, observed that Translation was a highly creative activity, which made many demands on  the translator. Apart from wide scholarship and linguistic competence, what was also most imperative was selection of texts for translation. One had to be singularly discerning in this regard, steering clear of mediocrity if one’s work had to be a contribution towards enrichment of both language and literature.

Prof. Srinath also made a few announcements: 1. Launching of a Translation Centre which would provide an opportunity to the participants to showcase their work; 2. To publish their work under the auspices of Sarasa; 3. Presentation of Sarasa Award of the Year carrying a cash amount of Rs.10,000 at the next workshop.

 Dr. Tariq Khan, Officer-in-charge, National Translation Mission, CIIL, speaking about the aims and objectives of CIIL in this area to make translation an important, valid and reliable activity, admitted that there was still a lot to do. Hence, he requested all the participants to visit CIIL and submit a proposal to the Government of India to make Translation a kind of professionalised skill like Medicine. Through this we could avoid operating from the outer periphery, he said, dwelling on certain aspects of Translation at length, notably Interpretation.

The workshop took up classics like Harihara’s Ragale and DVG’s Manku Thimmana Kagga apart from contemporary biographies, poems and short stories.