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New Delhi: The French Institute in India, in collaboration with Apeejay Trust, is delighted to announce that “Une femme” by Annie Ernaux, translated into Tamil by S.R. Kichenamourty, published by Kalachuvadu Publications Pvt Ltd, has won the 8th edition of the Romain Rolland Book Prize for Translation. This recognition highlights the growing strength of Tamil translations of world literature and Ernaux’s enduring impact as the 2022 Nobel Prize in Literature laureate.Established in 2017, the Romain Rolland Book Prize rewards the finest translation of a French title into any Indian language, including English. Past laureates include works by Patrick Modiano, Andreï Makine, Albert Uderzo & René Goscinny (Astérix), Tahar Ben Jelloun, Kamel Daoud, and Jean-Daniel Baltassat. The initiative has been supported by the Apeejay Trust since its inception.Ms. Priti Paul, Director of Apeejay Surrendra Group, said: “The Romain Rolland Prize is a prestigious prize and Oxford Bookstores, together with the French Institute in India / Embassy of France in India, is proud to be supporting the prize since its inception in 2017. Oxford Bookstores has forever celebrated the power of translations in connecting people across languages and cultures. Translations make the impossible possible and unlock doors to uncharted worlds. It is through translations that we can immerse ourselves in the richness of French literature right here in India, inviting readers to experience French history, culture, people, and lives through their writings. We truly hope this recognition encourages more translators and publishers to continue the wonderful work of bringing French literature closer to Indian readers. While these bridges are built, Oxford Bookstores is proud to play a part in the journey as it sponsors the project through the Apeejay Trust.”Mr. Grégor Trumel, Counsellor for Education, Science and Culture, Embassy of France, and Director of the French Institute in India, said: “The Romain Rolland Book Prize is a true symbol of Indo-French friendship, celebrating the translators and publishers who act as bridges between our cultures. Annie Ernaux’s Une femme, with its themes of memory, love, and resilience, resonates far beyond France. Through this Tamil translation, her singular voice reaches new readers in India, reminding us that literature has no borders and continues to connect our societies through shared human experiences.”The winning publisher will be invited by the French Institute in India to the Paris Book Market in 2026, which brings together industry professionals through B2B and an immersive experience to explore the richness of the French publishing scene.The winning translator will be invited to the Festival du Livre de Paris 2026, Paris’ landmark book fair showcasing the latest voices of contemporary French literature. There, he will have the chance to attend discussions with authors and publishers, and gain firsthand insights into today’s literary trends, strengthening their role as a vital bridge between cultures.Translator S.R. Kichenamourty expressed his joy: “I am indeed overwhelmed by this great gesture of the French Institute, which promotes translation as an effective means of literary exchange between France and India, through the prestigious Kalachuvadu Publishers, winners of several awards in the field, under the able and efficient leadership of Mr. Kannan. Annie Ernaux’s work, Une femme, translated by me as Oru Penmaniyin Kadhai, will be of great interest to Tamil readers as it deals with themes like working-class mobility, the relationship between mother and daughter, and the case of the daughter eventually becoming the mother. Translating this apparently simple book was indeed a big challenge for the translator in Tamil because of the author’s fragmentary, non-linear narration.”This is the second time that Kalachuvadu Publications Pvt Ltd, with S.R. Kichenamourty, has received the prestigious award. They received the prize earlier in 2019 for their Tamil translation of Andreï Makine’s La vie d’un homme inconnu.The publisher Kannan Sundaram from Kalachuvadu Publications added: “Kalachuvadu has translated more books from French to Tamil than from any other world language. We are very proud of this special relationship with French literature. We are also delighted to have sold rights for Tamil works to major French publishers. Among the French works we have translated, the works of Annie Ernaux have a special place. Therefore, we are delighted to receive this award for the translation of Une femme by S. R. Kichenamourty. I am confident that this award will lead to closer interactions between French and Indian, particularly Tamil, literature.”In this iconic work, Annie Ernaux portrays the life of her mother, a working-class woman whose resilience, silences, and daily struggles profoundly shaped her daughter’s identity. Blending personal memory and collective history, Ernaux weaves a narrative that is at once...
