>Lakshmi Holmstrom , who translated works of many modern Tamil writers, including Pudumaipithan, Mouni, Ashokamitran, Sundara Ramasamy, Ambai, Imayam and Salma, into English, died on Saturday night in England.
“When she decided to translate my works, she wrote to me saying it was her dream. She always took some extra effort when it came to my works and I have no problem with her translations,” recalled Mr. Ashokamitran
She translated Mr. Ashokamitran’s Appavin Snehithar and Thanneer. Though her translation of other writers is well appreciated, there is an opinion that she could not succeed in rendering Pudumaipithan’s works in English.
There was also a criticism that her Tamil was not great, but Mr. Ashokamitran said what was expected of translators was their mastery over the target and not the source language. “Her death is a great loss,” said Mr Ashokamitran.
Historian and author A.R. Venkatachalpathy said Lakshmi was single-handedly responsible for getting recognition for modern Tamil writers in the international literary arena. Lakshmi, a Tamil, was brought up in Bengaluru. She did her M.Litt from Oxford University on R.K. Narayan. She was married to noted anthropologist Mark Holmstrom, who specialised on industrial cities in India. They have two daughters. She was appointed.
Member of the Order of the British Empire (MBE) in the 2011 New Year’s Honours list for Service to Literature.
>Read the interview of Lakshmi Holmstrom: ‘Meanings aren’t in dictionaries alone’
