CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER'S OFFICE

                   

                                     Dr. R.J.A.Stephen Loie’s

                  “THIRUKKURAL ENGLISH COUPLET”         

                           ISBN : 9789388139601 Published by PALANIAPPA  BROTHERS                      

Practising Advocate in the Madras High Court. He holds 3 Bachelors in Law with I class and Gold medal. An M.A.in English Literature. His alma mater is  Jesuits run St. Xavier’s College, Pallayamkottai. An M.BA ., M.Sc. in Psychology with I Class and an M.A. in Criminology from M.S. University. He holds a  PG  Diploma in Guidance and Counselling from Annamalai University. Yet another distinction M.BA and PG Degree in Law, Religion. He holds 3 Ph.D Degrees on interdisciplinary subjects, D.C.(USA) and many Diplomas  in various allied subjects of interest. He has not spared Universities like University of Madras. Leading Channels in Tamil Nadu like Jaya TV (2002) Kalaignar TV (2010), Zee Tamil (2001) have interviewed him. He was honoured with Bharath Jyothi Award for his remarkable contribution by a former Governor of T.N. He had been a Content Reviewer for American English into Tamil. He has conducted a number of Seminars on Pscho-legal matters in Europe. Apt Introductory Reviews speak on this work called THIRUKKURAL  ENGLISH COUPLET as follows:                                                                                         

                                     From Prelude…AVVAI  NATARAJAN  ஒளவை நடராசன்,

                  Former Vice Chancellor

“Dr.R.J.A. Stephen Loie in venturing the task in a unique way with his inimitable style by comprising the whole gamut of Thirukkural as concise and  precise in 4+3 word couplet is a remarkable achievement, and  I have my own fear in telling, a great task has been well revealed in power of knowledge in comprehension of Thirukkural...”

                                  அணிந்துரையிலிருந்து…

             பேராசிரியர். கான்ஸ்டன்டைன் ரவீந்திரன், M.E., MBA., MCA., Ph.D., LLB.

             திமுக செய்தித் தொடர்பு இணைச் செயலாளர்.

“டாக்டர். ஸ்டீபன் லூயி அவர்களின் திருக்குறள் மொழி -பெயர்ப்பைப் படிக்கிறபோது ஆங்கிலத்தைத் தாய் மொழியாகக் கொண்டிருந்தால் கூட இவ்வளவு நேர்த்தியாக, நிறைவாக மொழியாக்கம் செய்திருக்க முடியுமா? என்ற கேள்வி எழும்பும் வண்ணம் ஆங்கிலத் திருக்குறளாக மலர்ந்திருப்பது, லூயி என்ற தமிழனுக்கான சிறப்பு மட்டுமல்ல தமிழரான நமக்கெல்லாம் சிறப்பு என்றே கருதுகிறேன்…”

            அணிந்துரையிலிருந்து…ப. முத்துக்குமாரசுவாமி

            விருதுகள் மேல் விருதுகள் பெற்ற மூத்த தமிழ் அறிஞர்

“திருக்குறளின் ஆங்கில ஆக்கம் அருமை. தித்திக்கிறது. காலமெல்லாம் இப்படைப்பு பேசப்படும். திருக்குறள் தமிழில். ஏழு சீரில் அமைந்திருப்பது போல அரிது முயன்று அற்புதமான ஆங்கிலத்தில் ஏழே வாரத்தைகளில் வடிவமைத்த வித்தகம் வியக்கவைக்கிறது. அய்யா”

                   From  Foreword….Rev.Fr. Dr. Leonard Fernando, S.J.           

                                              Rector- St. Joseph’s College, Trichy, India

                     “No one has so far attempted to present the translation of Tirukkural in English language in the way Dr. Loie has done. It is a historic achievement. Dr. Loie has already left his indelible mark in many fields as his life story and list of achievements testify”

                         Review on Thirukural Translation- Dr K.S.Antonysamy

                                Head, Department of English, Loyola College

 Sujatha, the great luminary of 20^th Century Tamil Literature stated that there is a yawning gulf between the classics in Tamil and their cognition among the contemporary Tamil youth. In order to make them understand, he made an attempt to paraphrase Aathichoodi and Thirukural into layman’s language.  Similarly, Dr Louie, the translator of 4 + 3 word couplet Thirukural has not only abided by the forms of a couplet but also transformed into a lucid, terse and laconic content well suited to both the cognoscenti and mediocre readers with his multifaceted forte and profound erudition. A sample study of his efforts would throw light on his anchorage and supremacy over both the source language and target language:

            “Kingdom perishes if eight

            Virtues are unheeded” (Chapter 55, Couplet 8 on Upright Governance)

The youth of the generation would easily gat at the content of this kural as if it has been done in communicative translation I appreciate Dr. Loiue for the immense efforts he has put in to make this intellectual sage with a great amount of passion.  

             From Preamble…Rev. Fr. Bali Reddy, Rector-SVD Seminary, Chennai-600016

“Dr.R.J.A. Stephen Loie has been our Visiting Professor….teaching our Seminarians studying at Loyola College. He is a man of letters with a sense great commitment…His thirst for knowledge is immeasurable. 4+3 WORD THIRUKKURAL TRANSLATION by Dr.R.J.Stephen Loie is a master piece. It is a challenging task to stick to the 4+3 formula without deviating from the original text in Tamil…”

                                                    Fr.Dr.G.Lazer,SVD,

    Director-SANSKRUTI-INSTITUTE FOR DRAVIDIAN CULTURE & RESEARCH, HYDERABAD “Your translation is very clear and candid. Any non-Tamil  can understand the glow and flow of it. Simply fantastic. Yours is a great attempt and I must appreciate your intellectual acumen.”                                                             

CANADIAN PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE :  

      “…I would…. like to extend my best wishes to you for success with your work…”