Bhubaneswar, Feb. 21: Author Monalisa Jena has been selected for the Sahitya Akademi award for translation of Arun Sharma's Asirbadara Ranga, an Assamese book, into Odia.

Monalisa had also won the Odisha Sahitya Akademi award in 2007 for translation of Astoraga from Assamese into Odia.

An alumnus of Ravenshaw College, Monalisa has also translated many books from English to Odia and vice versa.

In her two-decade journey with the pen, she has written poetry, short stories, features and articles, most of which convey strong social views.

She felt that it was only recently that the society realised the importance of translated works.

"When I began translating, hardly anyone paid any attention. But over the past few years, people have realised its importance in terms of cultural exchange and better understating of one another's viewpoints," said the writer.

She also felt that there was a need for various government and literary personalities to take up translation projects and promote its importance among young writers. Monalisa has edited and translated 16 contemporary Odia short stories into English, which has been published in a book titled, Dasuram's Script.