After growing demand from Kashmiris to print Gandhi's autobiography in their regional language, the book is being translated by three scholars. The best translation, which retains the heart of Gandhi's teachings, will be selected and printed.
Managing trustee of Navjivan Trust Vivek Desai says that the Kashmiri translation of Mahatma Gandhi's autobiography aims to take the message of peace and non-violence to a state which has reeled under active terrorism for the past many years now.
"Gandhi's life would offer a solution to the problem of terrorism to the locals. We hope it helps trigger a mental thirst for peace through non-violence," says Desai.
'My Experiments with Truth' is published in 15 regional languages. The Kashmiri translation is prompted by persistent demand by the locals. "Every year, a big number of Kashmiris would throng our stall at National Book Fair in New Delhi and ask for a copy in Kashmiri. They insisted that Navjivan Trust print the book in Kashmiri."
The book has also been translated in Punjabi and will hit the book stalls soon in the northern state.
Meanwhile, Gandhi's autobiography has sold over 48.60 lakh copies in the country so far. Regional translations were made available as recently as 1990 and have been top-grossers.
The autobiography sells the highest in Malayalam with 18.50 lakh copies sold, followed by Gujarati (6.50 lakh), Hindi (5.76 lakh) and Tamil (4.95 lakh). At least 3,000 copies of the autobiography were sold in Sanskrit language.
"The regional reader base of Mahatma Gandhi is maximum in Kerala and Tamil Nadu where people have also started gifting copy of his autobiography along with wedding invitation cards," said Desai.