Nicola Pozza – författare

The essays on translation in this book reimagine the poetry of Kunwar Narain, a seminal literary figure of modern times. His diverse, profoundly human, and cosmopolitan oeuvre—a distinctive, if somewhat underexplored, cornerstone of contemporary Indian literature—has seen growing interest. The essays dwell on the dual experience of his poetry and of translating it, foregrounding the intimate relation between the two.Originating from an international symposium on the poet in Switzerland, the volume draws on aesthetic, practical, and linguistic considerations to interrogate the landscape of literary and intersemiotic translation, navigating a mix of approaches and challenges. It brings together voices from Europe, India, and America working in eight languages—including the visual language of cinema—with reflections by translators, poets, and scholars. Its publication also marks Narain’s birth centenary in 2027. This first-of-its-kind collection melds three literary and academic streams: Narain’s poetry as an instance of new Hindi poetics, translation studies, and South Asian studies. Its eclectic exploration of poetry translation will speak to a range of audiences—lovers of world literature, those interested in translation, and researchers at the intersections of language, culture, and creativity.

The essays on translation in this book reimagine the poetry of Kunwar Narain, a seminal literary figure of modern times. His diverse, profoundly human, and cosmopolitan oeuvre—a distinctive, if somewhat underexplored, cornerstone of contemporary Indian literature—has seen growing interest. The essays dwell on the dual experience of his poetry and of translating it, foregrounding the intimate relation between the two.Originating from an international symposium on the poet in Switzerland, the volume draws on aesthetic, practical, and linguistic considerations to interrogate the landscape of literary and intersemiotic translation, navigating a mix of approaches and challenges. It brings together voices from Europe, India, and America working in eight languages—including the visual language of cinema—with reflections by translators, poets, and scholars. Its publication also marks Narain’s birth centenary in 2027. This first-of-its-kind collection melds three literary and academic streams: Narain’s poetry as an instance of new Hindi poetics, translation studies, and South Asian studies. Its eclectic exploration of poetry translation will speak to a range of audiences—lovers of world literature, those interested in translation, and researchers at the intersections of language, culture, and creativity.

What role have translations from Hindi literary works played in shaping and transforming our knowledge about India? In this book, renowned scholars, translators and Hindi writers from India, Europe, and the United States offer their approaches to this question. Their articles deal with the political, cultural, and linguistic criteria germane to the selection and translation of Hindi works, the nature of the enduring links between India and Europe, and the reception of translated texts, particularly through the perspective of book history. More personal essays, both on the writing process itself or on the practice of translation, complete the volume and highlight the plurality of voices that are inherent to any translation.As the outcome of an international symposium held at the University of Lausanne, Switzerland, in 2008, India in Translation through Hindi Literature engages in the building of critical histories of the encounter between India and the «West», the use and impact of translations in this context, and Hindi literature and culture in connection to English (post)colonial power, literature and culture.