New Delhi, Oct 10 (IANS): Indian Literature Abroad, a government-aided project to promote literature in Indian languages abroad, and the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature will partner with the German Book Office for a panel on South Asian writing at the Frankurt Book Fair Oct 11.
The session, "South Asian Writing: Fresh Voices, New Synergies", to be hosted by the "Weltempfang - The Centre for Politics, Literature and Translation" Thursday will bring together Ravi Deecee, CEO, DC Books, Ameena Saiyid, managing director of Oxford University Press in Pakistan, Namita Gokhale, member secretary of Indian Literature Abroad, and Surina Narula, advisory committee member of the DSC Prize for South Asian Literature, the German Book Office (GBO) said Wednesday.
The panel will explore the literary landscape in South Asia and the challenges faced by talented new writers as they reflect on their realities and cultural legacies.
Panelist Surina Narula said the discussion would dwell on the writing environment of South Asia, which draws on disparate regional sensibilities and uses different formats of story-telling.
She said South Asia is a site of vibrant literary activity, and authors are "involved in the dialogue arising out of their specific contexts" as also negotiating the larger world.
"The DSC Prize for South Asian Literature aims to bring South Asian writing to the world. Partnering with ILA and GBO on the Frankfurt Book Fair is an excellent opportunity to engage people in such a conversation," Narula said.
Indian Literature Abroad was launched by the ministry of culture in 2011 to project India at international book fairs and literary forums to enable translations and sale of Indian books in foreign languages. It partnered with the German Book Office at the Frankfurt Book Fair last year.
"With 22 scheduled languages (called so since they are listed in the eighth schedule of the constitution), 122 regional languages, four languages officially accorded classical status and countless dialects, India has always been in need of translation.
Indian Literature Abroad seeks to open th world's windows to the polyphonic voices from the country so that vibrant writing in the Indian languages can be accessible to the rest of the world," Namita Gokhale, who is also the force behind the annual literature festival in Jaipur, said.