Five-Day National Translation Workshop on “Children’s Tales from Sikkim”
School of Languages and Literature, Sikkim University Hosts Five-Day National Translation Workshop on “Children’s Tales from Sikkim” from 03.12.24 to 07.12.24
The School of Languages and Literature at Sikkim University has organized a five-day National Translation Workshop focused on "Translating Children’s Tales from Sikkim: Co-Creation, Critique, and Collaboration," in partnership with the ICSSR North Eastern Regional Centre on 3rd to 7th December 2024. The opening session took place at Tourism Hall, Tadong on 3rd December, 2024. The goal of the workshop is to safeguard and promote Sikkim's rich oral traditions through the translation of children's stories from various languages. The workshop was chaired by Professor Dr. Jyoti Prakash Tamang, the officiating Vice-Chancellor of Sikkim University, and the Chief Guest for the event was Shri Raju Basnet, the Honorable Minister of Education, Government of Sikkim, who spoke about the significance of translation in preserving and sharing culture. Prof. Tamang emphasized the significance of preserving Sikkim's local languages and cultures as a vital part of India's rich heritage. He also proposed creating animated comics based on local oral stories that have not been recorded, so children can better connect with their cultural fairy tales. Dr. Abrona Lee Pandi Aden, the Workshop Coordinator, extended a warm welcome, followed by speeches from Prof. Rosy Chamling, the Dean of the School of Languages and Literature, and the Vice-Chancellor of Sikkim University.
A key moment of the event was the launch of "Folktales from Sikkim (Series I)," which features stories translated during a previous workshop titled "Translating Oral Narratives from Sikkim: Co-Creation, Critique, and Collaboration," held from September 12 to 16, 2022, by the Department of English at Sikkim University. Following this, Prof. Sayantan Dasgupta from Jadavpur University delivered a keynote speech discussing the challenges and importance of translating regional folktales and their broader significance.
The workshop will feature sessions with respected resource persons and translators, including dedicated presentations, collaborative translation activities, and reading sessions. Translators and scholars from around the country will work on translating Sikkim’s valuable collection of children's tales, discussing the techniques and difficulties involved in translating for a younger audience. The Vice-Chancellor expressed gratitude to the ICCSR for providing funding for the workshop and thanked Prof. Rosy Chamling and her team for their successful execution of it.
