Bridging Worlds: Translation Studies and the Rich Culture of India

 

India, with its 22 official languages and hundreds of dialects, is a living archive of diverse cultures, stories, and histories. In such a multilingual nation, translation is not just about converting words from one language to another — it’s about bridging worlds, preserving heritage, and enabling cross-cultural dialogue.

From ancient Sanskrit texts like the Vedas to regional epics and modern literature, translation has played a key role in shaping Indian knowledge systems. Movements like Bhakti and Sufism spread across regions precisely because their messages were translated into local languages, making profound spiritual and philosophical ideas accessible to all.

Translation in India is deeply tied to identity, caste, class, and gender. For example, Dalit and tribal literatures bring forward raw, lived experiences that often resist easy translation. Works like Omprakash Valmiki’s Joothan, when translated into English, challenge readers to confront caste realities that are often ignored or diluted in mainstream discourse.

Today, translation continues to thrive — from literary fiction to film subtitles, from folk songs to social media. It enables regional authors like Perumal Murugan and Bama to reach national and international audiences, while also reviving forgotten voices and resisting cultural erasure.

However, translation is never neutral. It requires ethical responsibility — to retain cultural context, respect the source voice, and avoid homogenization. Every act of translation is a negotiation between fidelity and creativity, between preservation and adaptation.

In a country as complex as India, translation is both an academic discipline and a cultural necessity. It is how India speaks to itself — across time, space, and language — and how it tells its stories to the world.