Question

Which is true about Indian English scholar and poet AK Ramanujan?

• A. Translated O V Vijayan's novels to Kannada
• B. Translated O V Vijayan's novels to English
• C. Translated U R Ananda Murthy's Samskara into English
• D. Translated Anand' Marana Certificate into Kannada

Answer 1

Answer:

C. Translated U R Ananda Murthy's Samskara into English

About AK Ramanujan

• Avadhanam Kuppuswamy Ramanujan (1929–1993), widely known as A. K. Ramanujan, was an acclaimed Indian poet, scholar, and translator.
• He played a pivotal role in bringing Indian literature, particularly South Indian literature, to a global audience through his translations and scholarly work.
• His academic career was primarily based in the United States, where he taught at the University of Chicago.

Key Contributions and Works

• Poetry: Ramanujan was a significant poet in both Kannada and English. His poetry often explored themes of cultural identity, alienation, and the complexities of modern Indian life.
• Scholarship: He was a leading authority on Dravidian linguistics and folklore. His critical works, such as The Interior Landscape: Love Poems from Classical Tamil (1967) and Speaking of Śiva (1973), are foundational texts in the study of Indian literature.
• Translation: Ramanujan's translations were instrumental in popularizing Indian vernacular literature.
• He translated classical Tamil and Kannada poetry into English, making these works accessible to a wider readership.
• Notable Translation: He translated U. R. Ananthamurthy's seminal Kannada novel Samskara into English in 1976. This translation was crucial in bringing the novel, which deals with caste, orthodoxy, and modernity, to international attention.

Significance in Competitive Exams

• Questions related to A. K. Ramanujan often appear in competitive exams testing knowledge of Indian English literature, translation studies, and comparative literature.
• Candidates should be familiar with his major poetic works (e.g., The Striders, Selected Poems), his influential scholarly contributions to South Indian literary traditions, and his significant translational achievements, especially Samskara.
• Understanding his role in bridging cultural and linguistic divides in literature is key.