For foreign publishers
Translation grants for Tamil books
The Government of Tamil Nadu funds translations of Tamil books into other languages. Several Her Stories titles have already been translated with its support.
The Tamil Nadu translation grant
Alongside the Chennai International Book Fair (CIBF), the Government of Tamil Nadu runs a translation grant programme administered by the Tamil Nadu Textbook and Educational Services Corporation (TNTB&ESC). It supports foreign and Indian publishers who license Tamil books for translation into their own languages.
The grant is awarded per title and paid in instalments as the translation moves from contract to publication. A grants committee reviews each application. Caps apply to the number of titles per publisher and per author.
Amounts, caps and deadlines are set by the scheme each year. We share the current terms with every partner and point you to the official application.
This page is a guide, not official scheme documentation. Always confirm the current rules with TNTB&ESC or the CIBF secretariat before applying.
Other routes
National and regional bodies in many countries fund translation from Indian languages, and some foundations support feminist or children's literature specifically. Tell us your country and we will share what we know.
How it usually works
Choose a title
Pick from our rights list. We send a sample translation and the full Tamil text.
Sign an MoU
We sign rights MoUs at CIBF each January, or remotely during the year.
Apply for the grant
You apply as the licensing publisher. We provide the documents and author permissions you need.
Translate and publish
Translations typically take 12 to 18 months. Instalments are released at agreed stages.
Our track record
Books already on the move
Dupatta Podunga Thozhi received a Tamil Nadu Government grant for translation into Bengali. Uchcha Kattam is funded for Malayalam and Sinhala, and Peyaratravargalin Kural and Adhu Oru Piraikkaalam for Malayalam.
We have also worked the other way, bringing French and Norwegian books into Tamil with support from Institut Français India and NORLA.
All awards and grants