Aruni Kashyap’s translation of Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi’s work shortlisted for Armory Square Prize

Guwahati, Apr 4: A collection of stories translated by Aruni Kashyap from the Assamese language, titled ‘Baah Phulor Gondho’ (The Smell of Bamboo Blossoms), written by the renowned author Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, has been shortlisted by the Armory Square Prize for South Asian Literature in Translation.

“I am thrilled to share the news. I hope this will start a global conversation about Thongchi's work and encourage other translators and scholars to familiarise themselves with the powerful tradition of short fiction in the Assamese language,” said Aruni Kahsyap.

The shortlisting is a testament to the power of Thongchi's work, which spans at least nine novels, four story collections, two travelogues, two memoirs, and six works translated to and from Assamese and English.

Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi, a writer from Arunachal Pradesh's Serdukpen tribe, has won numerous literary awards in South Asia, including the prestigious Sahitya Akademi Award. He was also offered India's fourth-highest civilian honour, the Padmashri.

Aruni Kashyap, an associate professor of English at the University of Georgia, describes Yeshe Dorjee Thongchi's work as ‘astonishing’ and ‘brilliant’, praising his fictional universe and the tradition of short fiction in the Assamese language.

The Armory Square Prize for South Asian Literature in translation, which recognizes outstanding translations of South Asian literature, has shortlisted Kashyap's translation alongside works by a talented group of translators, including Musharraf Ali Farooqi, Vaibhav Sharma, Thila Varghese, Nandini Krishnan, Akshaj Awasthi, Nandini Krishnan, and Jaweeda Habeeb.

Aruni who also holds the position of director of the creative writing programme at the University of Georgia hopes that the recognition of Thongchi's work would encourage more scholars and translators to familiarize themselves with the rich literary tradition of the Assamese language. The jury of the Armory Square Prize, which includes Jason Grunebaum, Daisy Rockwell, Arunava Sinha, Anton Hur, Pia Sawhney, and Jeffrey Zuckerman, has shown the importance of Thongchi's work and the need for greater recognition and understanding of South Asian literature in translation.

The winner of the Armory Square Prize for South Asian Literature in Translation will be announced next week, and the shortlisted works are sure to spark important conversations about the power of literature to bridge cultural divides and promote greater understanding and empathy.