Chief Minister MK Stalin announced that publishers from various countries have entered into Memorandums of Understanding (MoUs) to translate 365 books. The agreements comprise 90 translations from Tamil to foreign languages, 60 from Tamil to other Indian languages, 170 from other languages to Tamil, and 45 translations between non-Tamil languages. Speaking at the conclusion of the Chennai International Book Fair, Stalin mentioned the allocation of Rs 3 crore for translation grants and Rs 6 crore for organizing the book fair by the state government. He highlighted Tamil Nadu's global recognition for industrial development, hosting the Chess Olympiad, and organizing the ATP Tennis Tournament. Currently, the state is gaining attention through book publications.
Chief Minister MK Stalin highlighted that Periyar translated numerous books, including Communist statements and works by Lenin, at a time when the publishing industry was in its early stages. He expressed the state government's commitment to realizing the vision of bringing the world to Tamil and promoting Tamil globally through initiatives such as the international book fair. The Chief Minister noted the publication of 173 books by the state government in the past 18 months, with translations, including medical books by the Tamil Nadu Text Book Corporation and Educational Services Corporation. Additionally, efforts are underway to translate Periyar Thoughts into 21 languages, and Tamil books have been published in English, Malayalam, Telugu, and Kannada. Future plans include translating more books into Tamil.
The Chief Minister also advocated for the school education department to organize the international book fair annually, emphasizing that regular events of this nature contribute to the development of language through the translation of quality books. He referred to writer S. Ramakrishnan's assertion in a Tamil newspaper that accurate translations of Tamil books into Indian and foreign languages are essential for them to be considered world literature. The Chief Minister mentioned the fair's arrangements for global publishers to exchange book rights. The vote of thanks was delivered by Kakarla Usha, the Principal Secretary of the School Education Department, following the welcome address by Chief Secretary V Irai Anbu. Minister Udhayanidhi Stalin, Ma Subramanian, Anbil Poyyamozhi, P Sekarbabu, and various officials were also in attendance.
