The Department of English, School of Humanities, University of Hyderabad, hosted a special session titled “Perspectives on Translation Translating Volga: A Practitioner’s Perspective” on 28 August 2026, as part of the elective course Introduction to Translation Studies. Convened and chaired by Associate Professor Dr. B. Krishnaiah, the talk featured Vancouver-based writer and translator Yeddanapudi Radhika, who shared her experience translating Telugu author Volga’s short story “Prayogam” directly into Spanish.
Speaking as part of the pioneering first generation of direct Telugu-to-Spanish translators, Radhika discussed the creative, linguistic, and socio-cultural dimensions of cross-cultural literary translation. Highlights of the session included:
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Translating Tone and Emotion: Radhika detailed the challenge of capturing Volga’s assertive voice and extensive use of Telugu reduplication in Mexican Spanish, noting that Spanish often accommodates emotional intensity more fluidly than English.
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Strategies for Cultural Nuance: She outlined three key translation strategies explored by her team—localization, foreignization, and integrating expressions from indigenous Mexican languages—to preserve embedded socio-cultural meanings.
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Interactive Student Reading: Following a reading from Volga’s collection The Woman Unbound by two students, participants engaged in a dialogue on how translation choices shape character dynamics.
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The Role of AI and Human Subjectivity: Addressing the future of translation, Radhika argued that while AI tools may suit technical or journalistic fields, human translators remain indispensable for literary works. She emphasized that every translation is inherently interpretive and that multiple translations enrich a text’s legacy.
The insightful session provided students with practical, ethical, and practical perspectives on navigating literary translation in a rapidly evolving global landscape.