T eluguki pratinidhi Kahania , a compilation of translated versions of two scores of stories in Telugu, authored by 36 popular writers, was published as a two-part book recently. The books were released at a function organised last Sunday by Srijan, a literary and dramatic body at Pavan Enclave, Vishakapatnam, with the association's president Nirav Kumar Varma in the chair.
Presenting the welcome address, Kumar first gave the details of the stories and their authors, late Balivada Kantha Rao, Gandikota Brahmaji Rao, L.R. Sawamy, Velcheti Subrahmanyam, Rachakonda Subhadra Devi (mother of Rachakonda sisters ; Paranandi Nirmala followed by Swarajyalakshmi, Padma Rao and Rajini Prabha) who accomplished the work of translating the stories from Telugu to Hindi.
Secretary of Srijan, A. Mahadeva Rao who reviewed the books later, first was all praise for the mother Subhadra Devi who inspired all her four daughters to make their latent urge for creative writing come to the surface after the study of the existing literature in Telugu and Hindi. No wonder, they took it as a divine ordain and all of them, Nirmala in particular after obtaining P.O.L. (AU), M.A. in Hindi (AU) and Kanpur universities, studied B.Ed. (Darbhanga) and Sahitya Ratna and Diploma course in translation (AU). Today, she stands credited with about 70 works of her own (stories, poems and lyrics) including translations from Telugu into Hindi and vice-versa. While all the 26 stories in part-I of the Teluguki pratinidhi kahania happen to be translations entirely accomplished by Nirmala alone, the rest which got published under part-II happen to be the result of an almost equally well shared effort of all the sisters.
