: “I’m addicted to spirituality. And the promise that the book showcased the spiritual experience of a scientist pulled me to it,” translator Sreedevi S. Kartha explains her raison d’etre for rendering in Malayalam ‘ Transcendence – My spiritual Experience with Pramukh Swamiji’ co-authored by scientist A.P.J. Abdul Kalam and Arun Tiwari.
She had kicked up a storm on the eve of the book’s release (as ‘ Kalatheetham’ ) alleging gender bias by the publisher, Thrissur-based Current Books, at the behest of a representative of the book’s protagonist, who was to be the chief guest of the event.
“K.J. Johny, the publishing manager and a friend, conveyed to me a few days ago of the ashram’s written instruction to steer clear of women at the function. I registered my protest and said I would not keep mum on this. It would have been self-demeaning if I had. The book, surprisingly, offered no clue about the ashram’s, or the sect’s, stark gender bias. Probably as a reconciliatory step, I was asked to take part in a ‘Meet the Author’ with Mr. Tiwari, which I refused to oblige,” says Ms. Kartha, whose paternal uncle is a “tantric guru at Hyderabad who worships Devi, the great goddess, and has women disciples”.
“Which was why the strange demand that women be kept at a distance at the event enraged me. As for the book, while Kalam appears blinded by his adoration for the guru, it touches levels of spirituality all the same, revealing the identity of God through science,” says Ms. Kartha, who has translated some 16 literary works — including those by Milan Kundera, Sylvia Plath, Rilke and Kaveri Nambeesan.
‘ Kalatheetham’ marked her first brush with non-fiction.
Peppin Thomas, managing director of Current Books, Thrissur, denies that the translator was asked to stay away from the book release event.
“I don’t know her. But the book was given to her after we realised while going through a sample chapter translated by her that she had a grip on the subject of spirituality. We don’t put translators under pressure. Once they are commissioned to translate a book, after a sample chapter is vetted by a review committee, they are given six months for the job,” he maintains.
