India’s literatures are vast, varied, and dazzling. Yet, so little of it has been read and admired beyond linguistic borders. Only a few writers have been translated into English, and the decline in translations between Indian languages is being acutely felt.

Hyphen, based in Bengaluru and an initiative of the Bahuvachana Trust, has been established to bridge these gaps with the support of writers and translators across Indian languages. It aims to carry the voices of India’s many languages across borders, to reveal their brilliance, and to connect them with readers everywhere.

Hyphen is a three-pronged venture. Hyphen: Connecting Literatures, a literary journal in English, in print and digital formats, is scheduled for launch in 2026. Its objective is to present the finest translations, revealing the depth and diversity of writing in Indian languages. Hyphen Publications, a dedicated publishing house, will bring landmark works from Indian languages into English. And the Hyphen Digital Platform will serve as a hub for conversations on literary traditions, translation resources, a curated bookshop, fellowships, seminars, book clubs, publisher forums, and mentorship programmes.

The advisory board of Hyphen comprises some of India’s best-known literary voices, including Geetanjali Shree, Perumal Murugan, Namita Gokhale, KR Meera, and Hansda Sowvendra Shekhar. Christopher Merrill and Sudhir Sitapati are also a part of the team.

In a conversation with Scroll, Vivek Shanbhag, author and a founding trustee of Bahuvachana Trust, spoke about the venture and its plans to make Indian literature even more diverse.

Why does now feel like the right time to start a venture dedicated exclusively to translation?
I feel the right moment slipped away some time ago. The once-vibrant practice of translating directly between Indian languages has steadily faded, leaving behind a gap that has never been meaningfully filled. In its place, English has become the primary bridge.

Today, however, there is a growing curiosity about writings in Indian languages, an eagerness to engage with their richness of thought, style, and imagination. Hyphen seeks to respond to this need, offering readers a way to journey across the many literatures of India. In other words, the reader’s perspective is at the heart of it all.

At Hyphen, we wish to bring together a team that shares this deep love for literature. For us, the pleasure of reading is not incidental but essential; it is the spark that must be felt in the workplace itself. This spirit of reading, of discovery and delight, is at the centre of all that we hope to do through Hyphen.

Could you tell us about the gaps you noticed in the traditional modes of publishing translation that made you decide to address them?
Publishing translations requires significant attention and resources at every stage of a book’s production, particularly in the editing process. Traditional publishing models rarely allow for this, since translations are only one among many activities and make up a small fraction of their output.

At Hyphen, translation is central to everything we do. By directing all resources and focus toward translation, the work gains greater depth, quality, and rigour.

While many traditional publishers have produced translated works, there has been little effort to preserve the learning from these endeavours. When translation forms the very core of an organisation’s work, as it does at Hyphen, the insights and experiences gathered are systematically retained, refined, and carried forward.

Tell us the story behind the name Hyphen.
Hyphen takes its inspiration from the poet, scholar, and translator AK Ramanujan, who once described himself as the “hyphen” in Indo-American. This striking metaphor aptly conveys the idea of connection and serves as a guiding principle for bringing diverse literatures and cultures into dialogue.

You will begin with Hyphen: Connecting Literatures. It is interesting that there will be a print version along with a digital one. At a time when print magazines are quietly falling off, tell us about reviving the medium and why you think it is necessary for translations. Can readers buy subscriptions?
I believe the reading experience differs greatly between print and digital formats. To treat literature as mere content is to miss its essence. Literature also carries a sensuous quality. Great writing can be felt as much as it is read, and print is uniquely suited to convey that palpable, tangible experience.

I am reminded of the beautiful opening chapter of Italo Calvino’s If on a Winter’s Night a Traveller, where he urges readers to prepare carefully for the act of reading: choosing a comfortable chair, adjusting the light, attending to the smallest details. In doing so, he underscores the idea that reading is not just an intellectual exercise.

It is also heartening to see print magazines experiencing a revival. Many of the finest literary journals I know continue to publish in print.

That said, we will also offer a digital version for those who prefer the convenience of accessing the journal from anywhere. Subscription details will be announced closer to the launch in 2026.

At present, India has no translation-only publishing houses. Hyphen Publications will be the first. What are you planning to do differently? What kinds of books / genres / authors can we expect to see on the list?
I have observed that the publishing industry has always been risk-averse when it comes to translations. Anthologies, for instance, tend to feature only the well-known names. Hyphen seeks to change this.

Publishers often choose works for translation that can succeed without requiring readers to understand the literary context in which they were created. Hyphen’s literary journal aims to play a complementary role by fostering conversations between the diverse literary traditions of our languages. This will take a few years but in doing so, we hope to create a space where works can be chosen for translation without hesitation.

Hyphen welcomes all kinds of literary works that deserve to reach readers. There are significant works in Indian languages that remain largely unknown beyond their linguistic borders, and bringing them into wider circulation is one of our goals.

Hyphen Publications aims to publish books of “international standards.” Indian books often lose out on international readership and prizes by virtue of not having been published in the US or UK or elsewhere in the West. Will Hyphen also be publishing in other countries, thus reaching global audiences on its own, and making the books eligible for international awards?
This is certainly part of Hyphen’s long-term vision. However, such goals cannot be achieved overnight; they must unfold at their own pace.

The Hyphen Digital Platform sounds very much like a resource pool for readers, writers, and publishing professionals. What are some of the immediate needs it will meet?
The digital platform we are building will include an online bookshop dedicated exclusively to translated works, a space I do not see existing anywhere today. It will serve as an important destination for readers seeking translations.

Beyond this, the platform will also function as a space for sharing experiences and connecting resources across the literary ecosystem.

Hyphen will further extend its support by hosting select fellowships and mentoring programs, nurturing translators and writers as part of its larger vision.

In what ways can young and new translators expect Hyphen to support them? Would you say Hyphen will also be proactive in discovering new writers and translators, regardless of whether they are represented by literary agents?
Hyphen believes that translation is, at its core, a creative act. Yet the effort it demands is often underestimated. Producing a fine translation typically requires many rounds of revision with editors before a final version emerges. Such support is vital for new translators.

We are committed to supporting emerging translators, those with literary imagination and the stamina to engage deeply with the craft of translation, regardless of whether they are represented by literary agents.

There is also the concern of fewer and fewer translations between Indian languages. Is this something that Hyphen will address as it expands? Here, how will you address the problem of the great paucity of translators between India’s non-English languages?
It is beyond Hyphen’s scope to directly address translations between Indian languages. However, a positive reception of a work in English translation may well inspire translators to take up direct translations across Indian languages.

Starting three simultaneous ventures is not just ambitious but also expensive. How is the venture being financed? What is the business model that we are looking at?
Hyphen is a non-profit organisation supported by a consortium of philanthropists. While our core activities are expected to become self-sustaining over time, we will seek support for new initiatives.

Can you tell us a little bit about how you hope to use your own corporate experience to develop Hyphen?
I have worked in the corporate world for over 25 years, both in India and abroad. This experience will help in establishing effective processes at Hyphen and in bringing a professional approach to the organisation.

Hyphen is looking for editors and designers. Applications are open.

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