Sino-Indian Literature forum to boost literary ties

New Delhi, Aug 22 (PTI) The third Sino-Indian LiteratureForum was held today at Sahitya Akademi here to fosterliterary exchanges between the two neighbouring countries. In its third year, the forum seeks to connect publishinghouses and writers from both the countries to facilitatecultural exchanges and get more and more literary materialtranslated into each other’s languages. "The Sino-Indian Literature Forum is an attempt to takethe literary relationships between the two countries forwardfor better results," K Sreenivasarao, Secretary, SahityaAkademi said. Every year a delegation from either country visits theother alternatively, to enhance the ties, he said. The forumtoday saw litterateurs from both India and China presentpapers on different aspects of literature. While Indian writers talked about, "Non-Fiction: RecordingHistory and Reality," their Chinese counterparts deliberatedon "The City and Countryside in Literature." "Between the first and the third meeting, I am proud tosay that our coordination and friendship has attempted tocarry the diverse culture and literary traditions of our greatcountries to the other land, reaching crescendo in our mutualvisits," Rao said. Pointing out the progress made on the literary frontbetween India and China, he said, "The Chinese side havealready translated Indian classics such as works of poetSurdas and Indians are also catching up fast." The Akademi is also looking forward to Chinese publisherstaking up translating of newer Indian classics into Chinese,while their Indian counterparts translate modern Chineseclassics into several Indian languages beginning with Hindi. "All through history we have been sharing knowledge witheach other and have been in an uninterrupted cultural andliterary exchange with the Chinese since the past threedecades," he said. Speaking on similar lines, He Jianming of Chinese Writers’Association also noted the importance of such a forum in thebetterment of both Indian and Chinese literature. "This forum is significant not only for both Chinese andIndian writers but will also be better and significant forliterary exchanges and friendships between the two nations,"Jianming said. PTI TRSANS