The first edition of the Chennai International Book Fair (CIBF) held in Chennai in January has paved the way for translation of Tamil works into many foreign languages, including Polish, Norwegian, Arabic, Slovak, Hungarian, Italian, Welsh, English, Icelandic, Filipino, Lithuanian, Spanish, and French, at the ongoing Frankfurt Book Fair in Germany.
The works of Perumal Murugan, which have the most translations, have set the trend. Now, his books are going to be translated into Amharic, an Ethiopian language, and Icelandic.
“The diverse range of countries and languages we have interacted with is a testament to the global appeal of Tamil literature. Each of these interactions has presented us with potential translation opportunities in their respective languages,” said Elambaghwath, Director of Public Libraries, who is leading a team in Frankfurt. He said there was evident enthusiasm about Tamil literary heritage and the unique initiative “One Thought, One World: Uniting Through Translation.” “Our live translation sessions and the game, “TransLingual Tales” have been the highlights, garnering significant attention,” he added.
