Sahitya Akademi has taken up a special project to translate the works of the National poet Subramania Bharathiar, with a view to popularising his literary contribution throughout the world.
The Akademi has already embarked on the work of translating the poetry of Subramania Bharathiar under a UNESCO-sponsored project, titled ‘Encyclopaedia of Indian Poetics’, Sirpi Balasubramaniam, Convener, Tamil Advisory Board of Sahitya Akademi, said.
The great poet’s works comprised three major components – poetry, essays and stories. The translated versions would be brought out in two or three volumes, Mr. Sirpi Balasubramaniam said in an interview to The Hindu on Friday. The translated version has been sent for a review by a team of literary experts.
Mr. Balasubramaniam, who was here to participate in a symposium organised by the Sahitya Akademi, said that efforts were being taken to promote child literature. The Akademi would institute exclusive award to writers and poets in child literature from this year.
The Akademi would focus its attention more on the literature in the north-eastern region languages. Many of the north-eastern languages, though rich in folk art, did not even have scripts. The Akademi has planned to start an exclusive office in the north-eastern region, he added.
The Akademi was taking special efforts for translation of literature among the Indian languages. Workshops are being organised from time to time with a view to popularising Indian literature among other regions of the country.
Mr. Balasubramaniam said that efforts were being taken to record the history of Tamil literature under various topics such as ‘Sangam’ period literature; ‘essay literature’ and ‘modern literature’.
