A new chapter in India’s literary journey has begun. Hyphen arrives with vision and conviction to carry the voices of India’s many languages across borders, in all their brilliance, and to connect them with readers everywhere.
India's literatures are vast, varied, and dazzling, yet so much of this wealth remains unseen beyond linguistic borders. Only a few voices have found their way into English, and the decline in translations between Indian languages has narrowed the exchange even within the country.
Hyphen, based in Bangalore and an initiative of Bahuvachana Trust, sets out to bridge these gaps with the support of writers and translators across Indian languages. At its heart, Hyphen is a constellation of three landmark ventures.
This ambitious project envisions an ecosystem that brings the brilliance of India’s literature to readers across the world.
A literary journal in English, in print and digital formats, presenting the finest translations that the depth, diversity, and genius of writing in Indian languages can offer.
A dedicated publishing house bringing landmark works from Indian languages into English, produced to international standards of editorial and design craft.
A vibrant hub for conversations on literary traditions, translation resources, a curated bookshop, fellowships, seminars, book clubs, publisher forums, and mentorship programmes.
A triumph for Indian literary diversity, connecting readers to voices that have long awaited translation.
Namita Gokhale
Author
India’s true essence, reflected in its varied landscapes and languages, finds its voice in the literature of its people. The time has come to share these voices with the world. Hyphen has taken up this task with vision, and I believe this pioneering work will bear lasting fruit.
Perumal Murugan
Author
A project that will not only broaden the reach of important writers but will invigorate world literature itself. This is exactly what readers need.
Christopher Merril
Translator
In a time when a lot of languages and texts are becoming available in English, there is always a danger of them getting flattened out into a universalised 'esperanto' English. So it would be a very important task for a journal like Hyphen to maintain a distinctiveness of the languages in which the texts are written.
Tejaswini Niranjana
Translator
