Photo: From Nunavik to India — Markoosie Patsauq novel released in Mumbai

From Nunavik to India: translators and academics pose at a book launch at the University of Mumbai Jan. 16 showing copies of Nunavik author Markoosie Patsauq’s 1969 novel, The Harpoon Hunter. A two-year collaboration between volunteers at the Université du Quebec à Montreal and the University of Mumbai aimed to translate Patsauq’s book into two of India’s most-spoken languages, Hindi and Marathi. Prof. Vidya Vencatesan, far right, took the lead on the project from India and told Nunatsiaq News by email that many Indians view the Arctic as exotic. “Markoosie will be a great first step to better understand the Inuit and Arctic world from the South,” she said. Posing in the picture, from left: Marathi translator Jayant Dhupkar, UQAM professor Daniel Chartier, Mumbai French professor Vijay Khole, Sanjay Deshmukh, the vice-chancellor of the University of Mumbai, and Viday Vencatesan. (PHOTO COURTESY DANIEL CHARTIER)