Scholars meet in Mysuru to discuss translating India’s Constitution
The National Translation Mission at the Central Institute of Indian Languages has begun a two-day programme on translating the Constitution of India into Indian languages. Twenty-one translators and language experts representing 11 languages are discussing the cultural, linguistic and practical challenges of making constitutional knowledge more accessible.
A two-day programme on translating the Constitution of India into Indian languages has begun at the Central Institute of Indian Languages in Mysuru. Organised by the National Translation Mission of the CIIL, the event is being held on September 29 and 30 to mark International Translation Day. It brings together 21 translators and language experts representing 11 Indian languages.
The participating languages are Sanskrit, Kashmiri, Gujarati, Konkani, Sindhi, Maithili, Odia, Santhali, Assamese, Nepali and Bodo. The experts are sharing their experiences of translating the Constitution and discussing the linguistic, cultural and contextual issues involved. CIIL said the translations were undertaken by the National Translation Mission for the Ministry of Law and Justice.
The programme also provides an opportunity for translators to interact with the resource team involved in the project. In his presidential remarks, CIIL deputy director P.R. Dharmesh Fernandez said translation involved more than transferring words between languages.
He said it required attention to cultural and civilisational contexts and called for linguistic and social sciences to be considered in examining its wider dimensions. Former Official Language director Sunderdas V. Gohrani highlighted the importance of translating knowledge texts into Indian languages.
Translation expert Narayan B. Desai described the work as an engagement with languages, cultures and communities. NTM officer-in-charge Tariq Khan said discussions with the Ministry of Law and Justice began in late 2022 and the project gained momentum in 2023.
The programme includes six academic sessions on the significance, challenges and insights emerging from the translations. The organisers said the sessions would examine how Indian-language versions can promote linguistic accessibility, inclusivity and wider multilingual engagement with constitutional knowledge.
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