Dr. P. P Giridhar represents the Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysore. The paper presented by him at Prof. M.B. Emeneau Centenary International Conference on South Asian Linguistics is titled "India as a Translation Area: Some Cud-chewing", in which he analyses India as a platform for various translations and translation studies.

The paper begins with a quotation by Jean Marc Gouanvic, stating that translation is power in itself. He asserts that languages show an osmotic capacity to adopt and adapt elements from languages they are in contact with, with many examples and characterizes India blend of as a socio-cultural worlds which facilitates translations.

He emphasizes that irrespective of their source, the translated texts are considered as pure literary works of the target languages themselves, through examples from the Hindu Epics in different Indian languages. Quoting Hermans, he states that the practice of translation comprises the selection and importation of cultural goods.

Dr. Giridhar opines that translation is not quite 'rational reconstruction', but production of a world mediated by translation consciousness. According to him, translations are not transparent representations of the original, which point he illustrates with examples. He emphasizes Mukherjee's argument about the practice of ignoring the copyright of works of art being ingrained in our literary practice and that distinguishing between the original and the translation came to us from the West. The lack of fidelity to the originals or in other words, translations are prone to misrepresent the originals, is highlighted in this paper.

The unity underlying between Indian languages is a "genuine unity" that comes from centuries of co-existence, leading to cultural harmony. Speaking on the contemporary compulsions and limitations of translations, Dr. Giridhar cites many interesting examples from Chinese, Eskimo and other languages, to emphasize that the expressive askewness in translation is significant. Even the best translation comes nowhere near "delightful expressiveness" in any language. Rising many questions on the nature of translation behavior of Indians, he talks about the tendencies of transfer and the nature of the transit.

Introducing the phenomenon called cultural filtering, the compensation for cultural-specificity by the translator, he explains the behavior of Indian language pairs in different circumstances. He asserts the dialogical nature of cultural transaction called translation would be different languages.

In conclusion, Dr. Giridhar's paper sheds light on the process of translation as a chiaroscuro in terms of which a picture of the source text emerges. Also, the paper raises many questions about translation scenario and its significant role in India.

In the discussion that followed the session, chaired by Prof. Christian Matthiessen, Dr. Narayan opened the deliberations by commenting in the background of the commonalities of theme of separation in different versions of Ramayanas, what are the elements that determines that which has to be added and subtracted in a translated text, to which Dr. Giridhar replied that it was yet to be seen.