Chandra Mohan Kisku

Chandra Mohan Kisku (born 22 February 1982) is an Indian writer, poet and translator who writes primarily in Santali and Hindi. He is known for collections of Santali poetry and for translating major Bengali works into Santali. He received the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for Santali in 2020 for his translation of Mahasweta Devi's novel into Santali.

Early life and education

Chandra Mohan Kisku was born on 22 February 1982 in Behrda village of Dhalbhumgarh block in East Singhbhum district, Jharkhand, to Borendra Nath Kisku and Vimla Kisku. As a young child, he moved with his mother to his maternal uncle's home in Baddi Kanpur village in Chakulia block, where he received his early education. His maternal grandfather, the late Doman Chandra Hansda, was a respected Santhali language writer and had his own village library, which included books in Hindi, Bengali and Santhali; this environment fostered Kisku's early interest in reading and writing. After completing his matriculation from Narsinghgarh High School, he enrolled in college at Ghatshila, passing his ISC (intermediate) examination in 2002, but his formal studies were interrupted when he took up work as an apprentice at Tata Motors and later as a telecommunications supervisor with Indian Railways. Despite leaving regular studies, he resumed his education later and completed his graduation in Hindi literature through IGNOU in 2018, followed by a master's degree, and was pursuing further studies in history; he has expressed a desire to become a professor.

Literary career

Kisku has published poetry collections and short-story collections in Santali and has also translated works between Santali, Hindi, Bengali and English. His Santali poetry collection Muluj Landa was published under the Sahitya Akademi Navodaya scheme.

He has translated several notable Bengali and Hindi works into Santali, including the Bengali novel by Mahasweta Devi (the Santali title appears in award lists as Sidu - Kanhur Dake / Sido-Kanhu Tikinak Hohote), for which he won the Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize for Santali in 2020 (announced in 2021 lists).

Selected works

Poetry (Santali)

• Muluj Landa (Poetry collection). Sahitya Akademi (Navodaya series), 2016. .

Translations (into Santali)

• Sidu - Kanhur Dake (Santali translation of Mahasweta Devi's Bengali novel Sidu) — Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize (2020).

Awards and honours

• Sahitya Akademi Translation Prize (Prize for Translation in Santali), 2020 (award announced in 2021) for translation of a work by Mahasweta Devi into Santali.
• Other regional recognitions and publications noted in press coverage and publisher catalogues.

External links

• Sahitya Akademi official website — see translation prize lists and publications.