VC’s translation travails

MUMBAI, August 14: Barely a week after it hit the stands, Lokshahi; Janeev Aani Jokhim by the vice chancellor of the University of Mumbai, ...

MUMBAI, August 14: Barely a week after it hit the stands, Lokshahi; Janeev Aani Jokhim by the vice chancellor of the University of Mumbai, Snehalata Deshmukh and paediatric surgeon Sanjay Oak, is set to run into a second edition to correct the damage they have done by ignoring crucial chapters of the original work. The book is a translation of Maharashtra governor PC Alexander’s work The Perils of Democracy.

Members of the senate at the university and other prominent people have been concerned over the inadequate translation of Alexander’s book soon after it was released at the Convocation Hall.

The Perils of Democracy is a distillation of Alexander’s views on domestic and international politics. The author has devoted five chapters to Mahatma Gandhi, of which only one features in the Marathi translation. The governor expressed his concern over this at the function itself. He spoke at length on Gandhi and the use and misuse of Article 356, some of the chapters which have not been included in the translated version.

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When queried on this, Deshmukh stated that "The selection of chapters was not on the basis of any particular criterion. Whatever we could translate, we did. This is afterall a free translation".

The National Student’s Union of India (NSUI), Mumbai, today held a meeting with the translators on the issue.

NSUI vice president Sameer Desai told Express Newsline, "We are very disturbed by the fact that the book was done in a hurry and has hurt the sensibilities of those who respect the father of the nation."

"At this meeting, Deshmukh agreed to a second edition where all the deleted chapters will be incorporated," said senate member Amarjit Singh Manhas.

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In Lokshahi…, the translators have dealt with a chapter titled Gandhi: a man of prayer’, and let go of four others like Gandhi’s place in history,’ Gandhi and Nehru,’ Gandhi and secularism’ and Gandhi’s letters to Kallenbach.’

Alexander’s secretary Satish Tripathi said, "The governor was not consulted on the deletions. In fact, he came to know about it only when he saw the Marathi text at the time of release.

"Probably, the publishers must have thought of reducing the price of the book by deleting a few essays."

The chairperson of Somaiya Publications, publisher of the Marathi version, SK Somaiya, said the selection of the contents depend on the translator and the author. However, he added that inclusion of all chapters would certainly have hiked the price.