Saro Hansdah
Saro Hansdah | |
|---|---|
Santali Writer Saro Hansdah 2021 | |
| Native name | ᱥᱟᱨᱳ ᱦᱟᱸᱥᱫᱟᱜ |
| Born | Bokaro district, Jharkhand, India |
| Occupation | Translator, Educator |
| Language | Santali |
| Notable works | Devdas (Santali translation) |
| Notable awards | Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize (2014) |
Saro Hansdah (also spelled Saro Hansda) is an Indian Santali translator and educator from Jharkhand. She is best known for her Santali translation of Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s novel Devdas, for which she received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize in 2014.[1][2]
Early life and education
Saro Hansda was born in Bahagal-bansgoda village of Bokaro district in the Indian state of Jharkhand[3] . She is the youngest among four siblings. Her father, the late Pitho Hansda, worked at Bokaro Steel Plant and later settled in Jamshedpur after retirement.[1]
She completed her schooling in Bokaro and pursued higher education in Jamshedpur. Hansda obtained a postgraduate degree in science from the Graduate College for Women, Jamshedpur, and later completed her Bachelor of Education (B.Ed.) from Jamshedpur Women’s College.[1]
Career
Hansda worked as a teacher at Pt. Raghunath Murmu Middle and High School in Karandih, Jamshedpur.[1] She developed an interest in Santali literature and translation, particularly in bringing notable works from other Indian languages into Santali.
Inspired by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay’s Bengali novel Devdas and its cinematic adaptations, she undertook the translation of the novel into Santali. The project reportedly took nearly two years to complete, as she carefully worked to retain the emotional and cultural depth of the original text while adapting it to Santali linguistic expressions.[1]
Her translation efforts received encouragement from literary figures including Dr. Ravindra Murmu, convener of the Jamshedpur Writers’ Association, and Prof. Digamber Hansda.[1]
Notable works
- Devdas – Santali translation of the Bengali novel by Sarat Chandra Chattopadhyay (221 pages).[1]
Awards and recognition
In 2014, Hansda received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for her Santali translation of Devdas.[2] The Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize is awarded annually by the Sahitya Akademi, India’s National Academy of Letters, to recognize outstanding translations in various Indian languages.[4]
References
- ^ a b c d e f g "Sahitya Akademi for Santhali 'Devdas'". The Times of India. Ranchi. 19 August 2015. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ a b "Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize Winners". Sahitya Akademi. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ Hansdah, Saro Khushi. "ᱥᱟᱨᱳ ᱦᱟᱸᱥᱫᱟᱜ – ᱵᱤᱨᱢᱟᱹᱞᱤ". Birmali. Retrieved 12 February 2026.
- ^ "Translation Prize". Sahitya Akademi. Retrieved 12 February 2026.