Translating Legal Legacy
BENGALURU
On Constitution Day, the Alternative Law Forum (ALF) launched a series of videos translating the Preamble of the Indian Constitution into 17 languages spoken across Karnataka. The initiative aims to make the Constitution more accessible to all communities in the state.
In addition to Kannada, the Preamble has been translated into Aravu, Are Bhashe, Byari, Dakhani, Gosangi, Irula, Kodava, Konkani, Koracha, Koraga, Lambani, Malaame, Navaayath, Sanketi, Tulu, and Waghri. ALF hopes these translations will encourage more people to read, understand, and use the Preamble in educational and cultural programs.
Ashwini Bodh, ALF lecturer and activist, explained that the standard Kannada version of the Preamble is highly Sanskritised and often difficult to understand. “If the Preamble is available in local languages, communities are more likely to engage with it meaningfully,” she said.
The project, part of ALF’s larger effort to promote constitutional literacy, began with text translations over the past year. Video production accelerated over the last three months, with more than 45 people contributing through language suggestions, translations, and verification. ALF collaborated with native speakers and experts to ensure accuracy.
The initiative is ongoing, with plans to include languages spoken by Halakki Vokkaliga, Jenu Kuruba, and Yerava communities. Bodh highlighted the challenges of reaching nomadic tribes, whose scattered locations and low literacy levels make translation difficult but crucial.
ALF continues to invite suggestions for more languages, aiming to make the Constitution accessible to every corner of Karnataka.
