Science Texts Translated from English into Gujarati in the 19th Century: A Translation History

Abstract

History pertaining to 19th century India has diverse strands running into different directions. These strands are also intertwined beautifully. History of science in India, history of textbook production and history of public instruction are a few of threads that bind 19th-century colonial history. It is hardly surprising that translation runs seamlessly through these strands. But its role has scarcely been analyzed in its true context. The paper attempts to unravel translation and its history concerning science texts translated from English into Gujarati. It aims at providing an overview of the kind of texts undertaken for translation, the translators who attempted it and the context wherein these translations occurred. The paper tries to articulate the significance that translation had for the history of science in India, history of textbook production, history of public instruction in 19th century Gujarat. Keywords: Public Instruction, Textbook Production, Science Education in India, Translation History.