From Seoul to Naples: how translated books are winning Indian hearts

Translated literature has occupied a quiet corner for decades.

They were too niche, too academic, too alien. People even considered them lesser versions of the originals because some parts of the story are bound to get lost in translation.

Even if readers wanted them, they hardly knew where to look.

Times have certainly changed now. Translated books from across the world and the regional languages of India are being celebrated. It is mostly thanks to bookstagram - the corner of Instagram where readers are cool.

Translations are now mainstream. They sit on bestseller lists, trend on explore pages, and spark conversations at book clubs.

And they are changing how Indians read.

Why are Indian readers embracing books from East Asia and Europe?

English books have always done well in India, but they were mostly Anglo-American bestsellers. Over the past 15 years, the interest in translated works has steadily increased.

Why?

The answer lies in a mix of curiosity, relatability, and the hunger for fresh storytelling voices. For many, translations open a window into cultures they’ve only glimpsed through cinema, K-dramas, or news headlines.

A book like Convenience Store Woman by Sayaka Murata (translated by Ginny Tapley Takemori) introduces them to the rhythms of Japanese work culture, while Han Kang’s The Vegetarian (translated by Deborah Smith) digs into the unspoken tensions of Korean family life.

These settings may be foreign, but the emotions — alienation, conformity, rebellion — are deeply familiar.

Similarly, translated Indian works like Tomb of Sand by Geetanjali Shree (translated from Hindi by Daisy Rockwell) or Ghachar Ghochar by Vivek Shanbhag (translated from Kannada by Srinath Perur) strike a chord because they mirror everyday realities of caste, family, and economic change in ways that feel both local and universal.

Indian readers see themselves reflected in these stories, while also appreciating the novelty of unfamiliar narrative techniques — whether it’s the sparseness of Japanese minimalism or the layered magic of Latin American realism.

At its heart, the appeal is simple: readers are seeking authenticity. Translations are delivering exactly that — stories unfiltered by Western literary norms, carrying the raw flavors of the cultures they come from.

The role of book prizes and social media

If there’s one thing that can catapult a translated book into mainstream attention, it’s literary prizes. Bookstagrammers and YouTubers are waiting for the next trendy book.

The International Booker Prize has become a game-changer, with winners like The Vegetarian and Tomb of Sand instantly transforming from modestly read works into global sensations.

In India, these wins often act as a stamp of credibility. Social media has amplified this effect.

Younger readers treat these books as both cultural artifacts and conversation starters.

Elena Ferrante’s Neapolitan Novels (translated by Ann Goldstein from Italian) likewise became a talking point. They have gained a cult following because readers are drawn to their raw portrayal of female friendship. Many Indian women found their own lives mirrored in Ferrante’s characters.

In short, prizes open the door, but social media keeps the buzz alive.

The global shift in the publishing industry

This momentum isn’t unique to India. Publishers across the globe are investing more heavily in translation rights, recognising that readers are hungry for stories beyond the Anglo-American canon.

The numbers reflect this surge. Translations are no longer side attractions but headliners.

For Indian readers, this global push has meant greater access through affordable paperbacks, Kindle editions, and library collections.

Major houses like Penguin India, HarperCollins, Westland, and Juggernaut have significantly expanded their translation lists, commissioning works from regional languages and buying rights to global bestsellers.

This shift reflects a growing confidence that translations are no longer “risky” investments.

Breaking the language barrier

Reading in translation is no longer about what is lost but about what is gained. It is a bridge across cultures.

A north Indian widow’s journey of self-discovery in Tomb of Sand or a Tamil couple’s struggle in Perumal Murugan’s One Part Woman (translated by Aniruddhan Vasudevan) are evidence that emotions, struggles, and joys transcend the languages in which they are first written.

For today’s readers, the question isn’t “Why read in translation?” but rather “How else would I have discovered this story?”

Translations and young readers

One of the biggest drivers of the translation boom in India is the new generation of readers.

Younger Indians, growing up in a hyper-connected, globalised world, are far more open to perspectives beyond their own borders than previous generations. For them, reading in translation feels natural — just another way of exploring the cultures they already encounter through movies, TV shows, and social media.

Yoko Ogawa’s The Memory Police (translated by Stephen Snyder from Japanese) has found a cult readership among young Indians fascinated by dystopias. Its themes of memory and resistance resonate in a world of digital overload and uncertainty.

Bridging local and global

The most exciting part of the translation boom is how it flows both ways: while Indian readers are embracing stories from Seoul, Tokyo, and Naples, regional Indian voices are also finding global recognition through English translations.

One recent example is M. Mukundan’s Delhi: A Soliloquy (translated from Malayalam), which won the JCB Prize for Literature in 2021, rooted in the migrant Malayali experience in the capital. Similarly, Perumal Murugan’s One Part Woman also found acclaim abroad when it sparked fierce debates in India.

The success of these books shows how regionally specific stories can carry universal resonance.

The road ahead for translations in India

Translated books are not just a passing trend. They are reshaping the country’s reading culture.

If the current momentum is any sign, translations will only deepen their place in the Indian literary landscape. In the years ahead, readers can expect a growing recognition of translators as cultural ambassadors.