The Summer 2025 issue of Antonym Magazine serves as a vibrant testament to the linguistic complexity and cultural depth of India and the world beyond. Under the editorial guidance of Dr. Nishi Pulugurtha, the issue opens with a poignant reflection on the commonplace nature of multilingualism in Indian life. Dr. Pulugurtha highlights that for many, moving between mother tongues and professional languages is so natural that it often goes unnoticed. This issue, however, demands that we pause and notice the rich treasure house of translated works that celebrate this fluidity.

A Global Tapestry of Poetry and Prose

The magazine’s poetry section is particularly expansive, bridging the gap between local and global voices. It features translations from Bengali, French, Kashmiri, Odia, and Serbian, showcasing a commitment to diverse aesthetic traditions. Highlights include poems by Ayan Choudhury (translated by Bidisha Mukherjee) and Dragana Mladenović (translated by Marija Bergam Pellicani). This section alone reinforces the editor’s belief that translation is a bridge to rediscovery.

The Short Story category offers a fascinating linguistic map of India. It includes works from:

 Angika: Damyanti by Aniruddh Prasad Vimal

 Bodo: Laopaani by Uttara Bwiswmuthiary

 Hindi: The Road by Jamuna Bini (notably from Arunachal Pradesh)

 Kannada: The Day the Bra Was Shed by Shridevi Kalasad

 Malayalam: Mission Green Planet by Mobin Mohan

This selection is impressive not just for its geographic reach, but for its inclusion of languages like Angika and Bodo, which are often underrepresented in mainstream literary discourse.

Art, Business, and Dialogue

Beyond traditional fiction, the issue explores the intersection of art and social commentary. The Artscape section features Sagarika Mukherjee’s photography and Esha Mukherjee’s textile art—tapestries where thought and fabric mingle. Esha Mukherjee also designed the cover, titled Contradiction, a framed tapestry that draws inspiration from the tension between untouched nature and human activity.

The Business and Interview sections provide intellectual weight, featuring a report on the Tehran Fellowship 2025 and a deep-dive conversation with activist-translator V. Ramaswamy. These pieces ground the creative works in the real-world mechanics of global publishing and social activism.

Final Thoughts

Antonym Magazine’s Summer 2025 issue is more than just a literary journal; it is a curated experience of translation happening in our lives. By giving space to everything from a Telugu novella (Bitter Song by Akkineni Kutumba Rao) to a review of children’s literature, it succeeds in its mission to bring myriad and fascinating prospects to anyone interested in the evolving landscape of global culture. It is a mandatory read for those who believe that every language brings with it a unique way of seeing the world.