Hyderabad : In the tranquil world of books, Tirupati Kiran, native of Tirupati, finds his truest joy. Living a life immersed in characters, scripts, stories and poems and a penchant towards literature, he has translated 100 works, inspired by his extensive reading. In his words, “my thoughts were constantly occupied with books, always wondering what to read next.”
An avid admirer of Munshi Premchand, Kiran has translated 100 stories of Premchand into Telugu named “Premchand Kathaavali,” which was released in September 2023. His list of authors goes from Guy de Maupassant to Leo Tolstoy, R.K. Narayan, Raja Rao, Mulk Raj Anand to Fyodor Dostoevsky.
Kiran says that reading has been his passion since childhood. “My love for literature was so intense that my first story was published in Balamitra when I was in sixth grade,” he shared with Deccan Chronicle.
When asked about the brainchild of Kathaaprapancham, he mentions, “One of the most memorable experiences for me was meeting Margaret Atwood, a Nobel Prize winner, at the Jaipur Literary Festival. Having the privilege to speak with her for ten minutes was a conversation that left a lasting impact on me. It was this insatiable thirst for literature, combined with these inspiring experiences that eventually led me to start my own publishing house, Kathaaprapancham.”
Starting with magazines like Balamitra, Chandamama and Bujjai, his love for books expanded to include world literature. “As my passion for literature grew, so did my involvement in the literary community. I regularly participated in major book fairs and literary festivals across the country, where I had the opportunity to meet and interact with some of the most renowned writers and publishers. These interactions were more than just networking opportunities, they were moments of inspiration that fueled my passion for publishing,” Kiran added.
Before diving into the world of publishing, he worked in the film industry as a scriptwriter and film associate director.
Sharing about his co-publisher and the true backbone of Kathaaprapancham, Kiran says, “It was during a book fair that I first met Ushapratyusha. From the moment we met, I knew she was someone who shared my deep passion for literature. On that day, Usha bought books worth ₹50,000, a clear testament to her love for reading. She has always believed that fancy things, jewelry, or new dresses can never match the happiness that a good book brings. This philosophy resonated deeply with me, and it was clear that Usha's values and vision aligned perfectly with mine.”
About his publishing works, Kiran says, “We published nine translated novels in Telugu, and we have 10 more projects ready, aiming to bring them to readers by the end of the year.” His translations have earned him many accolades, including Sahiti seva award by Dharmaiaha Foundation.
“We are proud to have secured the translation and publishing rights for prestigious works, including "Ret Samadhi" by Geetanjali Shree, which won the International Booker Prize, "Randamoozam" by M.T. Vasudevan Nair, a Jnanpith Award winner, and "Road to Abana" by Lata Gwalani,” said the 39-year-old publisher adding that they are planning to conduct storytelling programmes and book tours across the two Telugu states.
