India’s greatest literary strength lies in its multilingualism. With books published in dozens of languages, the country possesses an extraordinary wealth of stories, ideas and cultural traditions. For decades, however, these stories largely remained confined within linguistic boundaries. Today, that landscape is changing. Publishers, translators, literary agents and institutions are investing in translation not only to connect readers across India’s many languages but also to introduce Indian literature to the world.
Milestone Moments
The past few years have marked a watershed moment for Indian literature in translation. Geetanjali Shree’s Tomb of Sand, translated by Daisy Rockwell, became the first Hindi novel to win the International Booker Prize in 2022, opening new global conversations around Indian-language writing. Three years later, Banu Mushtaq’s Heart Lamp, translated by Deepa Bhasthi, made history as the first Kannada work and the first short story collection to win the International Booker Prize. Alongside these landmark achievements, internationally acclaimed authors such as Perumal Murugan (Tamil), Vivek Shanbhag (Kannada), Manoranjan Byapari (Bengali), Benyamin (Malayalam), Bama (Tamil), S. Hareesh (Malayalam) and M. Mukundan (Malayalam) have found growing readerships across the world through translation. Together, these writers and their translators are reshaping global perceptions of Indian literature, proving that stories rooted in regional languages can transcend borders and resonate with readers everywhere.
What is driving this transformation? Is it the growing global recognition of Indian-language literature, the commitment of publishers, the dedication of translators, or the emergence of new institutional support? The answer, perhaps, lies in all of these. Conversations with authors, translators, publishers and publishing professionals reveal an ecosystem that is evolving rapidly, creating new opportunities for literature to travel across languages, cultures and readers.
Translation Takes Centre Stage
For years, Indian publishing revolved largely around English-language books, while literature written in Hindi, Kannada, Malayalam, Bengali, Marathi, Tamil, Assamese and many other languages remained relatively inaccessible beyond their regional readerships. The recent demand for Indian stories has altered that perception, demonstrating that stories rooted in local realities can resonate with readers across the world.
During my conversation with Banu Mushtaq, she reflected on how literature gives voice to people who are often unheard. Her stories centre on ordinary Muslim women negotiating patriarchy, faith and everyday struggles. Their international success suggests that authenticity, rather than universality imposed from outside, is what truly travels across borders.
Translator Deepa Bhasthi has been equally influential in reshaping conversations around literary translation. Rather than smoothing out cultural references for English readers, she has advocated what she calls “translating with an accent”—an approach that preserves the rhythms, idioms and cultural texture of Kannada, allowing readers to experience the work on its own terms rather than through a domesticated English lens. This philosophy challenges long-held assumptions about what translation should achieve and has been widely praised by the International Booker judges.
The growing recognition of translated literature has also renewed discussions around the importance of translation within India itself. As Geetanjali Shree observes:
“Translation is about disseminating literature far and wide—not just globally, but across India’s own languages. One award may bring visibility, but lasting change requires serious investment in skilled translators, strong publishing support, and a commitment to translating directly from the original language whenever possible.”
Her observation underlines an important shift. Translation today is not simply about reaching international readers; it is equally about enabling Indian readers to discover one another’s literary traditions directly, without always depending on English as a bridge.
Publishers Building Bridges
The recent success of translated Indian literature did not emerge overnight. It is the result of years of sustained investment by publishers who believed that regional-language writing deserved wider readerships long before it became an international talking point.
During my interaction with Aditi Maheshwari-Goyal of Vani Prakashan, she spoke about translation as an investment in India’s literary future rather than merely another publishing programme. The recent global recognition of translated Indian literature validates the long-term commitment that many independent publishers have made despite commercial uncertainty.
Similarly, Sanchit Toor, Head of Projects, Ashoka Centre for Translation, emphasised that translation is not simply about language; it creates pathways through which knowledge, culture and ideas travel across regions and generations. Institutions dedicated to translation are increasingly working to strengthen networks of translators, editors and rights professionals who can support this expanding ecosystem.
His work at the Ashoka Centre for Translation reflects a growing movement towards encouraging direct translations between Indian languages, strengthening literary exchange while making scholarship and knowledge resources accessible to wider readerships.
Dinesh Sinha, talking about Ratna Sagar’s Translation Initiative, shared that publishers such as Ratna Books have also highlighted that successful translation is far more than converting text from one language into another. Their editorial philosophy is to create a seamless reading experience in which the translated work stands as a complete literary work in its own right. That approach reflects the growing professionalism of translation publishing in India.
As per him, “Translations have gained unprecedented momentum, but real progress will come only when we move beyond language silos. Authentic translation, thoughtful editorial support and stronger inter-language exchanges are essential to creating a truly connected literary culture.”
Akhil Mehta, Director, Mehta Publishing House advocates growth mindset and shares, “Cross-language publishing in India has enormous potential, but its future depends on building a larger pool of skilled literary translators, improving rights management, and embracing technology as a support system rather than a replacement for human creativity.”
These conversations collectively point towards a publishing ecosystem where translation is increasingly viewed as a long-term cultural investment rather than a niche publishing activity.
Translation as a Rights Business
Translation is no longer viewed only through a literary lens; it is increasingly becoming an important business opportunity. Rights trading has become a major feature of international book fairs such as London, Frankfurt and Bologna, where Indian publishers are increasingly presenting regional-language titles alongside English-language books. As international interest grows, translation rights are emerging as an important avenue for expanding the global reach of Indian publishing.
Government initiatives have added further momentum. The National Book Trust’s Financial Assistance Programme for translating Indian works into foreign languages aims to help Indian literature reach international readers while creating new opportunities for collaboration between Indian and overseas publishers.
At the same time, institutions continue to strengthen India’s translation ecosystem.
The Sahitya Akademi remains India’s largest translation publisher. For more than seven decades, it has published over 7,000 books across 24 Indian languages, making it one of the country’s most significant institutions for literary translation. Its Translation Prize and extensive inter-language publishing programme have played a major role in enabling literature to move between Indian languages.
Translation is also no longer confined to fiction. Increasingly, it extends into history, social sciences, scholarship, science and children’s publishing. Organisations such as the Ashoka Centre for Translation and the National Translation Mission are encouraging the translation of knowledge resources, making research and academic material accessible in Indian languages.
India’s National Translation Mission is also building one of the country’s largest bibliographic databases of translations, drawing on resources from the Sahitya Akademi, National Book Trust, CIIL and other institutions. The initiative aims to make translation activity more visible, accessible and better documented.
Challenges Remain
Despite the optimism, the translation ecosystem still faces several challenges. India needs more professionally trained literary translators, stronger rights awareness, better funding models and greater editorial collaboration. Translators often remain less visible than authors despite their central role in carrying literature across cultures.
Dr Chandana Dutta, Author, Editor, Translator and Publishing Mentor shares, “Translation is far more than transferring words. It demands sensitivity to the rhythm, cultural memory, emotional texture and lived realities embedded in a language while preserving the integrity of the original work.”
Artificial intelligence is also beginning to influence translation workflows. While machine translation can support preliminary drafts and improve efficiency, literary translation remains deeply dependent on human judgement, cultural sensitivity and creative interpretation. The nuances of voice, humour, dialect and emotion cannot be replicated through automation alone. As publishers increasingly adopt AI-powered tools, the consensus across the industry remains that technology can assist the process but cannot replace the translator’s craft.
Looking Ahead
Indian publishing is entering what may well become its translation decade. International recognition has encouraged publishers to invest more confidently in regional-language writing, while readers are becoming increasingly willing to explore literature beyond their own linguistic traditions.
From award-winning authors and translators to independent publishers, literary institutions and government initiatives, multiple forces are working together to strengthen India’s multilingual publishing ecosystem. Translation today is not merely expanding readerships; it is building cultural connections, encouraging knowledge exchange, preserving linguistic diversity and creating new opportunities for Indian literature to engage with readers across the world.
The journey is still unfolding, but one thing is increasingly clear: translation is no longer a supporting pillar of Indian publishing—it is becoming one of its defining strengths.
About the Author
Smita Dwivedi is an editor, journalist and publishing professional with over two decades of experience covering the book and publishing industry. Through her writing and interviews, she documents developments in publishing, literature, translation and reading culture, while actively promoting books and literary conversations through her Instagram page @myshelf_smita.