The annual official award is given to books in 16 different categories. A translation of Russian writer Fyodor Dostoyevsky's 'Crime and Punishment' won this year's award for creative literature.
The translator, Maung Myint Kywe, told The Irrawaddy he considers "Burmese Days"—set in a small British colonial outpost in Upper Burma—a scathing portrait of the imperious attitudes of both the British and Burmese.
His intention in translating the book, which was first published in 1934, was partially for young people to learn about how the Burmese were discriminated against under British rule, he said. "But Orwell is unbiased, even though he himself is British. He has fairly portrayed how bad the British were, as well as we Burmese, too," said the translator, whose other work includes translations international best-sellers and self-help books.
"I thought the Burmese should read it, and so I translated it," said the 79-year old translator, who is as old as the first edition of 'Burmese Days.'
Htay Maung, the leader of the 10-member panel that awarded the prize, said the 'Burmese Days' translation was picked from a field of almost 170 entries. The entire panel voted for 'Burmese Days,' he added.
"Because we all believed that, contrary to other books on Burma by the British, the novel is quite balanced," he said. "Plus, the Burmese translation style is OK and conveys the meaning of the writer well."
George Orwell spent five years in Burma from 1922 to 1927 as a police officer in the Indian Imperial Police.
http://www.information.myanmaronlinecentre.com/orwell-dostoyevsky-win-burmese-literary-award/
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