Archive · 19 Jul 2026
Translator Daisy Rockwell on Partition, Palestine, and Translation
Daisy Rockwell is a translator who brings Hindi and Urdu books into English.
She often picks stories about religious violence and the Partition of India.
She talks about how these themes are important because they show what happens when people are forced to leave their homes.
She also supports the people of Palestine and thinks it's important to talk about the problems they face.
Rockwell has written a book about translating called Mixed Metaphors.
She believes that every time a translator adds a footnote, it means they couldn't find a perfect word in English.
She also thinks that publishers and writers sometimes avoid talking about important issues because they are afraid.
She is critical of organizations like PEN America for not supporting writers who are in danger.
Rockwell hopes that more people will read and understand stories from different cultures.
Daisy Rockwell translates Hindi and Urdu literature, focusing on themes of religious extremism and sectarian violence.
Her notable translations include Tomb of Sand, Our City That Year, and The Women’s Courtyard, all dealing with Partition and its aftermath.
Rockwell is vocal about her solidarity with Palestine and supports the Boycott, Divestment, Sanctions (BDS) movement.
She critiques the US publishing industry for its lack of interest in South Asian literature in translation.
Rockwell's translation philosophy is influenced by her professor AK Ramanujan, who believed every footnote is a confession of failure.
- Who
- Daisy Rockwell, a translator of Hindi and Urdu literature into English
- What
- An interview discussing her work, political views, and the challenges of translation
- When
- The interview was conducted recently, with references to historical events and ongoing issues
- Where
- The interview was published by Scroll, with references to global events and institutions
- Why
- To discuss the themes in her translations, her political activism, and the state of the publishing industry
- Translator
- Daisy Rockwell
- Primary Focus
- Translations from Hindi and Urdu
- Recurring Themes
- Religious extremism, sectarian violence, Partition
- Notable Works
- Tomb of Sand, Our City That Year, The Women’s Courtyard
- Political Stance
- Solidarity with Palestine, BDS supporter
- Translation Philosophy
- Every footnote is a confession of failure
- Institutional Critique
- Critical of PEN America, US publishing industry