4th National Conference of Translators

organised by

Sri Sri Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies,

Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha

and

Bharatiya Anuvaad Sahitya

2nd and 3rd February 2026

Where does the translator figure within the discourse of translation studies? How might the translator be reconceptualised not simply as an intermediary but rather as a co-creator and cultural agent who actively shapes literature and cultural discourse? In what ways does the translator operate within the literary ecosystem, mediating between authorial intent, publishing structures, and reader reception, and what tensions or negotiations arise in this process? Within the Indian literary and academic landscape, what is the position of the translator within the nexus of author, publisher, and reader, and what might this position reveal about power, agency, and control over meaning? What forms and manifestations of invisibility, marginalisation, and empowerment do translators experience within the translation environment of Indian subcontinent, and what impact do these dynamics have on the translators’ identity and working conditions? What mechanisms support / inhibit translators’ visibility across literatures of Indian subcontinent, the publishing sector, and the field of Translation Studies? In what ways does the translators’ embodied position operate as bodies at the border between source and target cultures? Exactly how do translators negotiate ethics, authorship, and cultural specificity in practice, especially within contexts of asymmetric power relations between languages and cultures?...

                                                                       … Inquiries like these may and should continue…

With these objectives, the Sri Sri Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies, Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha, and Bharatiya Anuvaad Sahitya, propose to raise these and other questions and to carry the discussion further with translators, publishers, translation agencies, translation studies scholars, and academicians at the ensuing 4th National Conference of Translators, intended to be held at Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha, on 2nd and 3rd  February 2026.

The aim of this two-day conference is to interrogate and critically engage with the translators’ position within the broader field of Translation Studies, underlining the translators often marginalized yet integral position as a cultural mediator and intellectual agent. By foregrounding the translator’s experiential knowledge and agency, the national conference hopes to bring about a nuanced understanding of translation as a dynamic cultural practice that shapes literary production, reception, and intercultural exchange in the present context of Indian subcontinent and beyond. Translators, especially those working in Indian languages, scholars, researchers, and translation enthusiasts are invited by the organizers to take part in rigorous engagement with the translators lived experience and intellectual labour. Topics include but not limited to:

• Translators’ experiential insights and challenges during translation
• Translator as mediator in intercultural exchanges
• Negotiating authorship, authority, and agency in translation
• Translators’ visibility and recognition in India and globally
• The interplay of translators, author, publishers, translation agency and readers
• The present situation of Translation as Profession in India
• Professional Translation scenario in Odisha
• Translators’ bodies, gender, and caste
• Translators’ Training, accreditation, and pedagogy
• Translator–agency–publisher negotiations, contracts, credits, and the politics of remuneration
• Position of Translator in Literary and Academic Landscape

We look forward to contributions that push the boundaries of Translation Studies and amplify the essential voices of those who translate at the frontline of cultural production. Please submit your Abstract (250-350 words) with a Subject Line “Abstract_4th National Conference of Translators” to ssctis@srisriuniversity.edu.in with cc to bharatiyaanubadsahitya@gmail.com

Registration Fees:

Independent Translators: Rs. 600/-; Research Scholas: Rs. 1,500/- |  Faculties: Rs. 2,000/-       [all incl. of 18% GST]

Important Dates:

Last Date of Abstract Submission: 12.01.2026

Intimation of Acceptance of Abstract Submission: 15.01.2026

Last Date of Registration: 25.01.2026

National Seminar: 02.02.2026 & 03.02.2026

* Accommodation (twin-share basis) will be provided at the University campus, along with breakfast, lunch, and dinner for two Days of the Seminar.

** Railway Tickets (3EC /3AC) for the shortest possible route will be reimbursed subject to the availability of funds.

Co-Convenor of the Seminar:

Ms. Nirlipta Pattanaik,

National Translation Mission Doctoral Fellow,

Sri Sri Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies,

Sri Sri University, Cuttack Odisha.

Convenors of the Seminar:

Mr. Sarat Chandra Acharya,

Secretary,

Bharatiya Anuvaad Sahitya.

&

Dr Rindon Kundu,

Assistant Professor and Director,

Sri Sri Centre for Translation and Interpreting Studies,

Sri Sri University, Cuttack, Odisha.

For any further clarification please write mail to ssctis@srisriuniversity.edu.in or WhatsApp to +918249297085