In this episode, we sit down with Jaideep Pandey—poet, translator, and one of the most sensitive contemporary voices working between Urdu and English—to explore what happens when the delicacy of Urdu meets the precision of English.
Jaideep talks about the music and metaphor of Urdu, the emotional registers that resist direct translation, and the quiet craft required to carry a language of nuance into another tongue. From the challenge of preserving cultural idioms to the joy of finding an English phrase that still holds an Urdu heartbeat, this conversation is a deep dive into the art of listening across languages.

A thoughtful, lyrical episode on echo, resonance, and the beauty of what translation makes possible.

Tune in now.

In this episode, we sit down with N. Kalyan Raman, one of the foremost translators of Tamil literature into English, whose work has brought contemporary and classic Tamil voices to readers across the world. Over decades of practice, he has not only translated award-winning novels, short stories, and poetry, but also reflected deeply on the craft, ethics, and evolving role of the translator.

Our conversation moves beyond the act of translation itself—into questions of how a work lives on in another language, how it is received, remembered, and reimagined by new generations of readers. Kalyan Raman shares insights on sustaining literary translation in a country where linguistic diversity is vast but structural support is scarce, and why he believes the translator’s role is both creative and critical. This is an exploration of translation as a bridge—not just between languages, but between lives, times, and afterlives of stories.

In this episode, titled "Opening Locked Gates: Pamuk in Translation," we are joined by the writer, translator, and activist Maureen Freely—best known for her translations of Nobel Laureate Orhan Pamuk’s work from Turkish into English.

With rare insight and generosity, Maureen speaks about what it means to bring across a writer’s world—not just their language, but their silences, their politics, and the textures of their imagination. We discuss the ethics of being a translator in politically charged contexts, the responsibility of being a bridge, and the complex intimacy of translating a singular literary voice over many years.

This is an episode about trust, risk, and the invisible labour that lets literature travel.

In this episode, titled "Performing Lore: Folktales Told and Retold," we sit down with Vishes Kothari, translator of Rajasthani folktales, and Danish Husain, storyteller, actor, and founder of the Qissebaazi project. Together, they explore the power and persistence of oral traditions—and what it means to carry folklore into the present day.

We talk about the rhythms of oral storytelling, the challenge of putting voice on the page, and how performance and translation are both acts of reimagining. From the desert landscapes of Rajasthan to the intimacy of a stage or a written text, this is an episode about how old stories find new listeners—and why they still matter.

In this episode, titled "Translation as Hospitality," we’re joined by the distinguished literary translator Ros Schwartz. Known for her elegant translations from French into English, Ros brings a deeply thoughtful, almost philosophical approach to the craft—one that sees translation not merely as transfer, but as welcome.

What does it mean to open the door of one language to another? How do translators create space—generous, respectful, and alive—for a voice that isn’t their own?

Ros speaks to us about the ethics of care in translation, the responsibilities of the translator as host, and the delicate balance of fidelity and freedom. We also talk about her own journey, her influences, and how collaboration and humility shape the translator’s path.

This is an episode about attentiveness, generosity, and the invisible architecture behind the words we read.

In this episode, titled "Translating a Universe: A Text in Context," we’re joined by the brilliant scholar, translator, and storyteller Arshia Sattar. Known for her luminous translations of the Ramayana, Arshia has spent decades reimagining classical texts for contemporary readers—bringing nuance, clarity, and compassion to stories that have shaped cultural consciousness for centuries.

In our conversation, she speaks about the intricacies of translating not just a text, but an entire cosmology—a universe of characters, values, and contradictions. What does it mean to carry an epic across time, language, and shifting political landscapes? How do you stay true to the text, while also making space for your own voice and questions?

This is a conversation about devotion and distance, language and silence, and the delicate art of making the old feel alive again.

In this episode, titled "A Journey Across Peripheries: European Minority Languages in Translation," we’re joined by Elin Haf Gruffydd Jones—scholar, cultural activist, and a fierce advocate for linguistic diversity across Europe and beyond.

From her home language of Welsh to other minoritised and marginalised languages across the continent, Elin has spent her career working at the intersection of culture, policy, and translation. In this conversation, she speaks about what it means to live and create on the periphery—and how translation can be an act of survival, solidarity, and radical visibility.

We talk about the politics of voice, the invisibility of minority languages in mainstream narratives, and the role of translators as cultural bridge-builders. This is an episode about movement—across borders, languages, and systems of power.

In this episode, titled "The Princess and the Political Agent: The Role of Literary Translation in Memory and History," we are joined by L. Somi Roy, acclaimed translator, cultural historian, and a tireless advocate for Manipuri literature.

Through his translations from Manipuri to English, Somi Roy brings to light the forgotten histories, intimate memories, and rich cultural textures of a region often left at the margins of mainstream narratives. In this conversation, he speaks about his work translating The Princess and the Political Agent, the challenges of translating from a language so deeply rooted in a specific historical and cultural context, and why literary translation is an act of preservation—as much for personal memory as for collective history.

Join us as we discuss how translation can serve as a bridge across centuries, across political realities, and across silenced stories.

In this episode, titled "Women of Prey: Manto, Humour and Translation," we’re joined by the sharp and insightful Dr. Saba Bashir—poet, translator, and scholar. Known for her evocative translations and deep engagement with Urdu literature, Saba takes us into the layered, provocative world of Saadat Hasan Manto, among others, offering both commentary and powerful readings of her work.

Together, we explore the role of humour in Manto’s writing, the challenges of translating voices soaked in irony, pain, and resistance, and the delicate, at times dangerous, act of rendering women’s experiences from one language into another.

In this episode, titled "Turmeric Caught in the Cracks,” we're joined by poet, translator, and cultural archivist Shalim M. Hussain. Known for his work with Miya poetry-a powerful and politically resonant form of expression by Bengal-origin Muslims in Assam-- Shalim brings to the forefront voices that have often been sidelined in dominant narratives.

Through this conversation, we journey into the landscape of resistance, identity, and beauty that Miya poetry inhabits. Shalim speaks about what it means to translate these poems into English, the choices and responsibilities that come with that act, and the role of translation in preserving and amplifying communities on the margins.

Working across multiple languages and genres, Lawrence has a deep understanding of how stories shape us at different stages of life-whether through picture books for children or thought-provoking literature for adults.

In this conversation, we discuss the joys and challenges of translating for readers of all ages, the nuances of carrying meaning and emotion across languages, and the importance of inclusive storytelling in today's world. From playful rhymes to profound narratives, Schimel shares his insights on why translation is not just about words but about creating spaces of belonging.

In this episode we are joined by the poet, novelist. translator, and literary explorer Sampurna Chattarji. A writer who moves fluidly between forms and languages, Sampurna sees translation not as a mere act of linguistic transfer, but as a dynamic space of creativity, obsession, and deep collaboration.

Through this conversation, she takes us into the heart of her translation journey-what it means to inhabit another writer's voice, the thrills and challenges of rendering poetry and prose across languages, and why translation is an adventure that transforms both the text and the translator.

Join us as we dive into the joys, struggles, and unexpected discoveries that make translation an essential part of literature's ever-evolving landscape.

In this episode, we are joined by the prolific translator and literary powerhouse, Arunava Sinha. A champion of Indian literature in translation, Arunava has brought the richness of Bengali storytelling to a global audience, translating works by some of the most celebrated authors, from classic to contemporary.

In our conversation, he takes us through his journey as a translator--the craft, the challenges, and the deep responsibility of carrying stories across languages. He shares anecdotes from his experiences, reflects on the evolving space of translations in literature, and discusses why translation is not just about words but about bridging worlds.

In this episode, we are joined by the distinguished scholar, translator, and cultural theorist, Rita Kothari. A leading voice in translation studies and multilingualism in India, Rita's work unpacks the intersections of language identity, and power. From exploring the linguistic diversity of the subcontinent to tracing the histories of migration and Partition, she challenges us to think about language not just as a tool of communication, but as a carrier of memory, politics, and belonging.

Jerry Pinto is an acclaimed novelist and translator, best known for Murder in Mahim (2017) and the multiple award-winning Em and the Big Hoom. Some of his most well-known translations from Marathi include Sachin Kandulkar's Cobalt Blue, Daya Pawar's classic autobiography Baluta, and the memoirs I Want to Destroy Myself (Mala Udhvasta Vhachay) by Malika Amar Shaikh and I, the Salt Doll (Mee Mithaachi Baahuli) by Vandana Mishra.

Pinto teaches journalism at the Sophia Institute of Social Communications Media in Mumbai and serves on the Board of Directors of Meljol, a child rights organization. In 2016, he received the Windham-Campbell Prize and the Sahitya Akademi Award.

Dr Saif Mahmood, the author of 'Beloved Delhi’, is a distinguished translator, critic and a Supreme Court advocate. Founder of the South Asian Alliance for Literature, Art & Culture (SAALARC), Saif has won particular acclaim for his passionate recitations of Urdu poetry, especially of progressive and contemporary poets like Faiz, Majaz, Sahir and Jaun Elia. He manages to live different lives, but in this session, he speaks about his special relationship with ‘Tarjuma’ or Translation - from Urdu into English - and transcreating across cultures.

Dr Mahmood also reads out his English-to-Urdu poetry translations for us at the end--don't miss them!

Mamta Sagar is a Kannada poet, playwright and translator based in Bengaluru. She is a recipient of the Charles Wallace India Trust Fellowship (2015) and AUROPOLIS Poet in Residence at Belgrade (2012). In this session, she speaks to Mohini Gupta about 'Translation as Activism' and talks about her views on using translation as a tool to express dissent. Don't miss the song at the end!