O P Sharma
JAMMU, Nov 19: The Dogri novel titled ‘Hashiye Par’ authored by Shailender Singh is being adopted by Oxford University Press by getting it translated into English. This was stated by Dogri novelist Shailender Singh in an interview at Jammu here today.
This will be the first ever novel in Dogri to be translated in English by the Oxford University Press thus making this book open to much wider readership. Mini Krishnan, chief of the Oxford University Press in India at Chennai in a recent communication to Mr Shailender has conveyed the decision of the reputed publishing house to undertake releasing this novel in English version due to its literary merit of the selected theme and treatment of the socio-economic issues.
The original 161-page Dogri novel ‘Hashiye Par’ (On the Margin) was published in 2010 on the social and economic condition of the rural people worsened by the system wherein despite rich land resources in terms of agricultural and mineral wealth in Jammu and Kashmir perspective. The author claimed that the subject matter and the main story-line of the novel is in tune with the ideas propagated by Nobel laureate Amitya Sein, an Economist.
According to Shailender Singh, an expert team examined the extracts in English of his Dogri novel and approved it for releasing its English version. He said that this is “my mid-night work” as he is actively engaged and busy in official duties as a senior police officer and is presently posted as SP, Jammu. The subject matter of the book is based on his personal observations.
Speaking about his literary venture, Mr Shailender said that coming from a rural background he was a keen observer of socio-economic issues which he highlighted in his writings. He claimed that his themes were always closely related to the masses and invariably touched the hard and real problems facing the common people.
Elaborating further he said, “I write in the common man’s language, simple style and easy to understand idiom.” The Dogri novel ‘Hashiye Par’ has foreword by Padma Sachdev, a renowned Dogri writer. The book includes a message of Dr. Kiran Bedi, former DGP Prisons, Delhi Police and introductory note by the author. Dr. Karan Singh (MP) released the ‘Hashiye Par’ at a function in Jammu during 2010 and the book subsequently got good reviews by Dinesh Sharma, IIT Bombay; Prof Veena Gupta, former HoD Dogri, Jammu University; Harish Kaila, Lalit Gupta and others.
Answering a question, the Dogri writer said that he has also penned another book in Dogri ‘Sewadhani’ which is now in advanced stage of production. The story-line of this second novel revolves around a child born in a poor family in a hilly and remote village who faces hardships of poverty from early childhood, struggles on and faces squarely the life.
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