The New India Foundation (NIF) has opened applications for the third round of its prestigious Translation Fellowship, aimed at bringing regional non-fiction literature to a wider English-speaking audience. The fellowship offers a grant of ₹6 lakh for six months to each selected translator working with texts in any of ten Indian languages—Assamese, Bangla, Gujarati, Hindi, Kannada, Marathi, Malayalam, Odia, Tamil, and Urdu. Applications opened on August 1 and will remain open until December 31, 2025. The initiative seeks to democratize access to India’s intellectual legacy by translating significant non-fiction works published after 1850 that offer deep insights into India’s cultural, social, or economic life.
“This fellowship is our way of giving important texts a new life,” said NIF Trustee Srinath Raghavan, emphasizing the untapped potential of India’s multilingual literary landscape. The jury, comprising NIF trustees and language experts, will assess applicants based on the choice of text, translation quality, and overall proposal.
In Kolkata, known for its rich literary tradition and thriving translation ecosystem, the fellowship is expected to spark renewed interest among Bengali translators and scholars. The move is likely to encourage deeper engagement with Bangla non-fiction, expanding its reach beyond regional boundaries.
For more details and to apply, visit: www.newindiafoundation.org
