{{Short description|Indian translator and former journalist}}{{Infobox person | native_name = অরুনাভ সিনহা | native_name_lang = Bangla | birth_date = 1962 | birth_place = Calcutta, West Bengal, India | citizenship = Indian | alma_mater = Jadavpur University | occupation = translator, professor | website = https://arunavasinha.in/ }} '''Arunava Sinha''' is an Indian translator, former journalist, and professor of creative writing at Ashoka University, Haryana.<ref>{{Cite web |last=Jha |first=Aditya Mani |date=2025-07-18 |title=Arunava Sinha's 'The Laboratory' {{!}} Found in translation |url=https://www.indiatoday.in/magazine/leisure/story/20250728-arunava-sinhas-the-laboratory-found-in-translation-2757890-2025-07-18 |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=India Today |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite news |last=Ramani |first=Priya |date=2022-10-14 |title=Meet Arunava Sinha, likely India's most prolific translator |url=https://www.thehindu.com/society/meet-arunava-sinha-likely-indias-most-prolific-translator/article65974733.ece |access-date=2025-09-21 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |last=Mukherjee |first=Rush |date=2023-03-26 |title=For Arunava Sinha, time is the best workspace |url=https://www.livemint.com/mint-lounge/ideas/for-arunava-sinha-time-is-the-best-workspace-111679728597518.html |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=mint |language=en}}</ref> He is also the co-director of the Ashoka Centre for Translation. His work mainly involves translating Bengali fiction and nonfiction, both classical and contemporary, into English, as well as translating from English into Bengali.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Meet Arunava Sinha, One of the Most Ingenious Indian Translators Who Spreads Magic One Book at a Time |url=https://www.india.com/lifestyle/meet-arunava-sinha-one-of-the-most-ingenious-indian-translators-who-spreads-magic-one-book-at-a-time-6840123/ |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=www.india.com |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arunava Sinha lets young translators experience Manto's stories in a new anthology |url=https://t2online.in/goodlife/books/arunava-sinha-lets-young-translators-experience-manto-s-stories-in-a-new-anthology/2000389 |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=t2online.in |language=en}}</ref> As of 2025, over ninety of his translations have been published.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Das |first=Soumitra |date=2024-09-20 |title=Flavour lost {{!}} Review of 'The Penguin Book of Bengali Short Stories', edited by Arunava Sinha |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/book-review-the-penguin-book-of-bengali-short-stories-editor-arunava-sinha-flavour-lost-in-english-translation/article68584800.ece |access-date=2025-09-21 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2023-06-15 |title=In conversation with Arunava Sinha - |url=https://www.himalayanwritingretreat.com/in-conversation-with-arunava-sinha/ |access-date=2025-09-23 |language=en-US}}</ref> He has received translation awards and has been shortlisted for others, both in India and abroad.<ref>{{Cite news |date=2010-04-20 |title=Bengali novel shortlisted for Independent Foreign Fiction prize |url=https://www.thehindu.com/books/Bengali-novel-shortlisted-for-Independent-Foreign-Fiction-prize/article16371394.ece |access-date=2025-09-21 |work=The Hindu |language=en-IN |issn=0971-751X}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=Arunava Sinha wins Vani Foundation distinguished translator award |url=https://www.printweek.in/news/arunava-sinha-wins-vani-foundation-distinguished-translator-award-55848 |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=PrintWeek |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |date=2017-11-09 |title=Indian translator Arunava Sinha is among PEN Translates 2017 grant winners |url=https://scroll.in/latest/857247/indian-translator-arunava-sinha-among-pen-translates-2017-grant-winners |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=Scroll.in |language=en}}</ref> He has conducted translation workshops at institutions including the British Centre for Literary Translation (UEA), the University of Chicago, the Dhaka Translation Centre, and Jadavpur University, and has worked with translators internationally.<ref>{{Cite web |title=SummerSALT: A Unique Training for Emerging Translators {{!}} South Asian Literature in Translation |url=https://salt.humanities.uchicago.edu/2024/05/22/summersalt-a-unique-training-for-emerging-translators/ |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=salt.humanities.uchicago.edu}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=The unique experience of summer school at BCLT |url=https://www.dhakatribune.com/magazine/arts-and-letters/125620/the-unique-experience-of-summer-school-at-bclt |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=Dhaka Tribune |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web |title=www.southasiaspeaks.org — mentors |url=https://southasiaspeaks.org/p24569152/ |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=www.southasiaspeaks.org}}</ref>
== Early life and career == Sinha was born in Kolkata, India, and spent his early childhood in Mahim, Mumbai. In an interview with the writer Nilanjana S Roy, he recalled his first memories of language as being in Marathi, spoken by older children in the household. However, his earliest meaningful exposure to language came through songs played by his mother, particularly Rabindrasangeet sung by Debabrata Biswas, which left a lasting impression on him.<ref name="nilanjanaroy.com">{{Cite web |date=2014-09-09 |title=The Creative Life: Arunava Sinha, Translator |url=https://nilanjanaroy.com/2014/09/09/the-creative-life-arunava-sinha-translator/ |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=nilanjana s roy |language=en}}</ref>
From the age of four, Sinha began reading in Bengali, his mother tongue. At eight, he transitioned to reading exclusively in English, although Bengali remained the language of communication with family and neighbourhood friends. He describes himself as being bilingual from childhood, though he did not enjoy studying Bengali as a subject in school.<ref name="nilanjanaroy.com"/>
Sinha pursued his undergraduate studies in electrical engineering but soon realised it was not his calling. He switched to studying English literature at Jadavpur University, where he developed a deeper appreciation for language and literature.<ref name=":0">{{Cite web |date=2022-05-27 |title=Interview: Arunava Sinha, Translator, winner of the 6th Vani Foundation Distinguished Translator Award 2022 – “I'm very hopeful for the future of translations” |url=https://www.hindustantimes.com/books/interview-arunava-sinha-translator-winner-of-the-6th-vani-foundation-distinguished-translator-award-2022-i-m-very-hopeful-for-the-future-of-translations-101653672349327.html |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=Hindustan Times |language=en}}</ref>
His journey into translation began during his college years, when he gave a talk on translation. This early exposure sparked his interest in the field, leading him to translate short stories for a city magazine in Kolkata.<ref>{{Cite web |title=Arunava Sinha |url=https://www.platform-mag.com/literature/arunava-sinha.html |access-date=2025-09-21 |website=www.platform-mag.com}}</ref>
In 1992, Sinha undertook his first book-length translation, translating Sankar's novel ''Chowringhee'' from Bengali to English. This project came about when Sankar requested that he translate the novel for a French publisher. Years later, in 2007, the translation was published by Penguin India, marking the beginning of Sinha's professional career as a translator.<ref name=":0" /><ref>{{Cite web |title=Cultural bridges built of words |url=https://www.deccanherald.com/features/books/cultural-bridges-built-of-words-3724616 |access-date=2025-09-23 |website=Deccan Herald |language=en}}</ref>
== See also ==
* Sukanta Chaudhuri * Sankar * Rabisankar Bal
== References == {{Reflist}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Sinha, Arunava}} Category:Indian translators Category:Journalists from Kolkata Category:Living people Category:1962 births