The Alchemy of Words: Wali Ram Walab’s Excellence in Literary Translation

Literature knows no geographical boundaries, and great ideas refuse to remain imprisoned within the borders of a single language. The intellectual wealth of humanity travels across continents, cultures and civilisations through the delicate yet powerful art of translation. Indeed, translation is one of the most magnificent bridges ever constructed between human minds. It allows one civilisation to enter the imaginative universe of another, enabling readers to experience distant histories, unfamiliar philosophies, foreign landscapes and the emotional realities of people whose languages they may never understand. Without translation, much of the world’s literary heritage would have remained locked behind linguistic doors, inaccessible to millions of curious minds.

Imagine, for a moment, a world in which Fyodor Dostoevsky’s Crime and Punishment had never appeared in English, Urdu or Sindhi. How would readers in distant lands have encountered the psychological depths of Raskolnikov, his moral conflicts, his tormented conscience and his struggle between crime, punishment and redemption? How would we have discovered the philosophical brilliance of a writer who penetrated the darkest chambers of the human soul? Similarly, Milan Kundera might have remained an unfamiliar literary presence to readers beyond his linguistic world had his works not travelled through translation. José Saramago could have remained a distant voice, while Pablo Neruda’s poetic universe might never have touched countless hearts across the globe.

Likewise, the literary treasures of Émile Zola, Gabriel García Márquez, Federico García Lorca and numerous other extraordinary writers would have remained beyond the reach of readers unfamiliar with their original languages. The magical realism of Márquez, the social consciousness of Zola, the lyrical intensity of Neruda and the poetic imagination of Lorca have crossed linguistic frontiers because translators dared to carry their words into new cultural territories. They did not merely transfer sentences; they transported entire worlds of imagination.

This is the extraordinary beauty of translation. It is not a mechanical exercise in replacing one word with another. Rather, it is an intellectual adventure, a creative negotiation and an artistic act of reconstruction. A successful translator must understand not only the vocabulary and grammar of the source language but also its cultural references, emotional undertones, historical circumstances, philosophical dimensions and literary temperament. The translator must preserve the soul of the original while giving it a new linguistic body. In this sense, translation resembles alchemy: ordinary words are transformed into literary gold without destroying the substance from which they originate.

Moreover, translation gives literature a second life. A book written in one language may acquire millions of readers when it enters another. It becomes part of a new intellectual community, participates in unfamiliar cultural conversations and enriches the imagination of readers who might otherwise never have encountered it. Consequently, translators are not merely servants of authors; they are cultural ambassadors, intellectual architects and silent custodians of humanity’s shared literary heritage.

It is against this larger literary background that we remember one of Sindh’s dedicated literary translators, Wali Ram Walab, whose contribution to the enrichment of the Sindhi language deserves profound recognition. As we commemorate his death anniversary, we must acknowledge that his work represents much more than the translation of books. It reflects an extraordinary commitment to linguistic preservation, literary enrichment and the intellectual empowerment of his own language community.

Wali Ram Walab, also known as Vali Ram Vallabh, was born on 18 August 1941 in Mithi, Tharparkar. His life was a remarkable journey through books, languages, ideas and literary exploration. He belonged to that rare category of intellectuals who do not measure their literary achievements through fame, institutional positions or commercial success. Instead, their satisfaction comes from introducing readers to new worlds of knowledge. His literary personality was shaped by an insatiable appetite for reading, an enduring curiosity about different cultures and an extraordinary devotion to Sindhi literature.

His educational journey reflects his intellectual versatility. He studied Urdu, sociology and mass communication, in addition to obtaining an LLB degree. His association with the Institute of Sindhology, Jamshoro, where he served until his retirement as Deputy Director in 2001, further connected him with the scholarly and cultural world of Sindh. However, his real identity was not confined to any official designation. He was, above all, a literary explorer who believed that a language could become intellectually richer by welcoming the finest expressions of other languages.

His teachers played a significant role in cultivating his literary interests. During his childhood in Mithi, he developed a fascination with books, and the encouragement of his teachers opened new intellectual horizons before him. His early exposure to Urdu, Persian, English and Hindi literature helped him develop a broad literary sensibility. He read writers such as Saadat Hasan Manto, Krishan Chander, Ismat Chughtai, Rabindranath Tagore and Sarat Chandra. Gradually, this reading habit transformed into a lifelong commitment to introducing literary masterpieces to Sindhi readers.

Interestingly, his first translated story, Habsat and Dozakh (Prison and Hell), appeared in the literary magazine Mehran in 1969. That beginning eventually developed into an extraordinary body of literary work. His contribution encompassed approximately ten novels, more than 300 short stories and several works of non-fiction. These figures are not merely statistics; they represent thousands of hours spent reading, interpreting, comparing, revising and reconstructing literary expressions in another language.

One of his remarkable achievements was his translation of Krishan Chander’s celebrated novel Ghaddaar (The Traitor). Reading this novel in Sindhi is an experience that demonstrates the possibilities of literary translation. Krishan Chander was a master storyteller whose writings explored social injustice, human vulnerability, poverty, exploitation and the contradictions of society. To bring such a literary personality into Sindhi required much more than linguistic competence. It demanded sensitivity to human suffering, an understanding of social realities and an ability to reproduce the emotional atmosphere of the original narrative. Walab demonstrated that a translator could preserve the literary intensity of a work while allowing it to breathe naturally in another language.

Furthermore, his engagement with Qurratulain Hyder’s literary works deserves particular appreciation. Her novels and stories are celebrated for their historical consciousness, sophisticated narrative structures and complex cultural landscapes. Translating such literature into Sindhi required an exceptional command of language and an ability to navigate between different historical and cultural experiences. His engagement with Sita Haran and Aakhir-e-Shab Ke Humsafar reflects the breadth of his literary interests.

He also introduced Sindhi readers to the literary universe of Amrita Pritam, whose writings explore love, separation, human relationships, women’s experiences and the wounds of Partition. Similarly, his engagement with the works of Tolstoy, Alberto Moravia, Dayal Saxena, Ahmed Nadeem Qasmi, Rabindranath Tagore and Abid Surti demonstrates that his literary imagination was never confined to one particular linguistic or cultural tradition.

His translation of international short fiction was equally remarkable. The collection Pardesi Kahaniyun (Foreign Stories), published in 2011, contains 58 translated stories from international literary traditions. It brings together writers such as Pearl S. Buck, O. Henry, John Galsworthy, Graham Greene, James Joyce, Guy de Maupassant, Albert Camus, Franz Kafka and Anton Chekhov. Imagine the intellectual opportunity this collection provided to Sindhi readers. Through one translator’s dedicated efforts, readers could travel from the psychological landscapes of Kafka to the human complexities of Chekhov, from the narrative brilliance of O. Henry to the existential questions explored by Camus.

Similarly, Mithra Bhaau (Sweet Brother), published in 2007, represents another valuable contribution. It brings together short stories from different literary traditions of the Far East, the Middle East and the Indian subcontinent. Its literary geography stretches across countries and cultures, including Armenia, Assam, Bengal, Indonesia and Iran. Such collections demonstrate that literature is not the exclusive property of powerful nations or dominant languages. Every culture possesses stories, memories, struggles and imaginative traditions worthy of international recognition.

Perhaps one of the most fascinating aspects of Walab’s literary contribution was his interest in Japanese and Arabic literature. Japanese writers such as Ryūnosuke Akutagawa and Yasunari Kawabata found a place in his translational world. These writers represent distinctive literary sensibilities, philosophical depths and narrative techniques. Kawabata’s delicate treatment of human emotions and Akutagawa’s psychological exploration of human nature require extraordinary linguistic sensitivity. By introducing their works to Sindhi readers, Walab expanded the imaginative boundaries of Sindhi literature beyond its familiar literary geography.

His contribution to poetry translation was equally significant. Kavita Phulwari (The Garden of Poetry), published in 2006, is a remarkable collection featuring selected poetry by 112 poets from 26 languages belonging to 19 countries. This collection is itself a literary garden in which different poetic traditions blossom together. It brings together voices from different geographical and cultural backgrounds, demonstrating that poetry is a universal language of human emotions.

His other collection, Morchhal, published in 2016, explores the poetic richness of the Indian subcontinent. It brings together poetry from numerous regional languages, including Assamese, Dogri, Gujarati, Hindi, Konkani, Malayalam, Marathi, Rajasthani, Tamil and Odia. Through this collection, readers encounter a remarkable diversity of poetic voices that are often neglected by mainstream literary conversations.

His admiration for progressive and humanistic poetry is particularly evident in his selection of writers such as Pablo Neruda, Federico García Lorca, Mahmoud Darwish and Nazim Hikmet. He also introduced Sindhi readers to Russian poets including Anna Akhmatova, Boris Pasternak and Vladimir Mayakovsky, alongside the Persian poet Forough Farrokhzad. These were not random literary choices. They reflected his belief that poetry should cross borders, challenge intellectual limitations and establish emotional connections between people living in different historical circumstances.

In Sada Sawa Pan, published in 1984, he brought together literary material associated with Mahmoud Darwish, Yashpal, Pablo Neruda and Lorca. His Kheer Dhara (2015), dealing with foreign literatures and their works, further demonstrates his sustained interest in international literary traditions. His collection Sindh Kahany, associated with Kewal Ram Malkani, also reflects his commitment to preserving and presenting Sindhi literary heritage.

Moreover, his work extended beyond fiction and poetry. He translated Gita jo Ibhiyas (1992), a study of the Gita in Marxism by Sardesai and Dileep Bose, and Janwarn jee Ajeeb Duniya (2013), based on The Amazing World of Animals. His interest in philosophy, religion, society, education and cultural history reveals that he was not simply a literary translator but an intellectual who wanted Sindhi readers to participate in broader conversations about humanity and knowledge.

Another dimension of his personality was his own creative writing. He wrote short stories and poetry, although readers and literary critics generally remember him more prominently as a translator. His original collection Zindagi jo Hik Kapyal Tukrao (A Fragment of Life), published in 2001, demonstrates his creative engagement with the human condition. His story Leeka n Oraghan Jehra, translated into English as Barriers that Remained, also found a place in an anthology published by Penguin. His Urdu collection, Zindagi Se Kata Hua Tukra, published in 2001, further demonstrates the literary reach of his original writing.

It is important to recognise that his literary services were not limited to translation. He also worked as an editor, compiler, researcher and literary organiser. His involvement with literary periodicals, including Mehran, Aarsi and Sindhi Adab, reflects his commitment to creating spaces for literary expression. His work on books, educational materials and linguistic scholarship also demonstrates his concern for the development of Sindhi as a language of knowledge and learning.

His contributions to language-related scholarship included work on Sindhi grammar and the revision and translation of Ernst Trumpp’s linguistic work in collaboration with Dr Fahmida Hussain. He also contributed to educational material prepared for the Sindh Textbook Board. Such efforts remind us that language development requires more than creative literature. It requires dictionaries, grammars, textbooks, translations, research and intellectual debate.

What makes Wali Ram Walab’s contribution even more impressive is the historical and material context in which he worked. We are living in an age of artificial intelligence, digital libraries, online dictionaries, translation software, electronic books and instant access to information. A contemporary translator can consult multiple resources within seconds. However, Walab belonged to a period when such facilities were either unavailable or extremely limited. Much of his work demanded individual effort, extensive reading, personal collections of books, handwritten notes and repeated consultation of dictionaries. There were no sophisticated digital tools to simplify the process. Every sentence required attention, every unfamiliar expression demanded investigation, and every cultural reference needed interpretation.

Yet he continued working with remarkable patience. Translation is an exhausting intellectual undertaking. A translator may spend hours struggling with a single sentence because its literal meaning does not necessarily convey its emotional significance. Idioms, metaphors, humour, cultural references and philosophical expressions frequently resist direct translation. Sometimes, the translator must abandon the comfort of literal equivalence and search for an expression that communicates the original meaning more naturally in the target language. This is precisely where artistic intelligence enters the process.

Walab understood that Sindhi should not merely receive foreign literature as an outsider. It should absorb, accommodate and creatively transform it. His translations allowed foreign literary personalities to enter Sindhi homes, libraries, classrooms and intellectual conversations. He made distant writers familiar and unfamiliar cultures accessible. In doing so, he strengthened the relationship between Sindhi and the wider literary world.

His work also reminds us that linguistic development cannot take place in isolation. A language that continuously interacts with other languages becomes intellectually vibrant. Translation introduces new vocabulary, narrative structures, literary techniques, philosophical expressions and alternative ways of understanding reality. It expands the expressive possibilities of the target language and enables writers to experiment with new forms of storytelling.

Sindhi has a rich tradition of translation and literary exchange. From the pioneering efforts of Mirza Qaleech Beg to the contributions of Muhammad Ibrahim Joyo, Sheikh Ayaz and many other literary figures, translators have played a significant role in introducing new intellectual traditions to Sindhi readers. In contemporary times, translators such as Nangar Channa, Qurban Channa and numerous other literary workers continue this valuable tradition. Their work represents an enduring commitment to their mother tongue and to the belief that Sindhi deserves access to the finest literature produced across the world.

Nevertheless, we must also acknowledge the challenges facing translation in our contemporary literary environment. Many important works remain untranslated, while several valuable translations struggle to find publishers and readers. Our universities, literary institutions, cultural departments and publishing houses need to establish systematic programmes for translating international literature into Sindhi and Sindhi literature into other major languages. We need translation fellowships, research projects, literary awards and institutional support for emerging translators. More importantly, we must encourage young scholars to consider translation a serious intellectual and creative profession rather than a secondary literary activity.

There is also an urgent need to digitise the works of our distinguished translators. The writings and translations of Wali Ram Walab should be preserved, catalogued and made accessible to future generations. Universities and research institutions should undertake scholarly studies of his translation techniques, literary choices and contribution to the development of Sindhi prose. His unpublished manuscripts and lesser-known works deserve systematic documentation. A literary personality of such significance should not remain confined to the memories of a few readers or the shelves of scattered libraries.

Ultimately, the greatest tribute to a translator is not merely to remember his name on an anniversary. It is to read the books he translated, understand the intellectual labour behind them and continue the work he devoted his life to accomplishing. We should introduce his translations to university students, encourage literary discussions around his collections and ensure that his intellectual legacy becomes part of our academic and cultural consciousness.

Wali Ram Walab is no longer physically among us, but his words continue to travel. Every time a reader opens one of his translated books, another conversation begins between cultures. Every time a Sindhi reader encounters Kafka, Chekhov, Neruda, Lorca or Krishan Chander through his translations, the boundaries of language become a little less restrictive. His books are bridges, and bridges do not lose their significance when their architects depart this world.

Indeed, some people build houses, some construct roads, and some establish institutions. There are also individuals who construct invisible bridges between human minds. Wali Ram Walab belonged to the latter category. He transformed the foreign into the familiar, the distant into the intimate and the unfamiliar into a part of our own literary inheritance.

His life teaches us that love for a language is not demonstrated merely by praising it in speeches or celebrating it on special occasions. It is demonstrated through labour, scholarship, creativity and an unwavering commitment to enriching its intellectual resources. Walab did precisely that. He spent decades bringing the literary treasures of the world into Sindhi, often without the resources, recognition or technological assistance available to contemporary generations.