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| Achamma Chandrasekharan, Koyipparambil, Arthunkal, Chertallai, Alappuzha |
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Translation, to Achamma Chandrasekharan, is not converting a literary work from one language to another. Rather it is an attempt to introduce one culture to another.
Achamma announced her presence in the literary field with the translation of a few works of Vaikkam Muhammed Basheer, which she did in partnership with Dr. Ronald Asher. She took up this UNESCO project while studying at the South India Department of Illinois Universtity. It was a challenge to introduce the western reader to the language and social background in Basheer’s works, but she was successful in that attempt.
According to her, if a translation is to convey the flavour of the original, then it should try to recreate successfully in another language the linguistic nuances and symbols of the Malayalam original. For example, in order to translate the word ‘Aduppu Kallu’, one would have to give a small description of the hearth made of 3 stones in Kerala houses.
Achamma, who belongs to the Koyipparambil family of Arthunkal, Chertallai, Alappuzha, went to US after 10th standard. After obtaining B.A in English, M.A in teaching English and M.B.A, she joined the Commerce Department of US and worked in various capacities. As an expert on education, she was responsible for the selection of foreign students to American campuses.
A founder member of Indo-American Forum, she was the only woman president of the organization. Her husband is C.S.Chandrasekharan.
Whether it is study or work or translation, Achamma would prefer to do a thorough job of the matter.
Courtesy: E.Somanath, Malayala Manorama, January 25, 2003
Contributed by: Administrator
