Romain Rolland Book Prize 2024 awarded to Bengali Translation of ‘Stalin’s Couch’

The Romain Rolland Book Prize is an esteemed literary award given to appreciate and encourage outstanding works of fiction that promote understanding and empathy across cultures. Named after the renowned French writer and Nobel Prize laureate Romain Rolland, this prize aims to celebrate literature that raises borders and languages and helps create a dialogue between people of diverse backgrounds.

Established in 1991 by the French Embassy in India, the Romain Rolland Book Prize has become a symbol of cultural exchange and mutual respect. It is awarded annually to both Indian and French authors, highlighting the importance of literary exchange between the two nations.

This year the Romain Rolland Book Prize has been awarded to a Bengali translation of an originally French book about Stalin. The original book, by Jean-Daniel Baltassat, titled ‘Le Divan de Staline’ was translated to Bengali by Pankaj Kumar Chatterjee and was titled ‘Staliner Divan’ (literally meaning ‘Stalin’s Couch’ in English).

The Bengali translation of the book was published by New Bharat Sahitya Kutir and the book has now gotten more fame. ‘Staliner Divan’ by Chatterjee has also become the second Bengali translation of a French book to win the Romain Rolland Book Prize. The initial recipient of the award was the translation of Kamel Daoud’s ‘Meursault, contre-enquête’ into Bengali, titled ‘Myorso Birudhyo Saksho’, skillfully translated by Trinanjan Chakraborty and published in 2022 by Patra Bharati.

What is ‘Stalin’s Couch’ about?
‘Le Divan de Staline’ is a thought-provoking novel by Jean-Daniel Baltassat, exploring the intriguing encounter between Josef Stalin and a young artist, Danilov. Set in the Soviet Union during the 1950s, the story explores the themes of power, art, and manipulation. As Danilov creates a portrait of Stalin, their interactions give rise to layers of complexity, revealing the dictator's insecurities and the artist's struggle. Baltassat's beautiful and precise storytelling and characters offer readers a glimpse into a confusing and unpredictable period of history while raising questions about the nature of authority and the importance and pursuit of artistic expression.

Winning author’s statement
On winning the award, Chatterjee said in a statement, as reported by Indian Express, “I am delighted as my first translation from French into Bengali has been honoured with the prize. I am grateful to the French Institute in India for their support during the past two years – from arranging funds under the Tagore (publication assistance) programme to my selection as the awardee. I expect more and more French books will be translated into Bengali. I promise to do so.”