This is me, Anju Okhandiar.
I’m a native Hindi speaker based in Edinburgh, Scotland.
I have a robust background in languages, and my compelling love for languages is a huge asset to my current work. Before I became a freelancer, I was an English teacher for 22 years with special interests in Bilingualism and English as an Additional Language (EAL).
I also have a BA in Philology from Humboldt Universität Zu Berlin, and an MA in English and Linguistics from the University of Nottingham.
Writing is my passion and I love working with words. My multifaceted role as a language professional confirms the versatility of my work as an editor and a translator.
The two areas of my work are editing and translation.
Editing:
Working as an editor enables me to organise my critical thinking, knowledge and understanding of language, reinforces attention to detail, clarity and consciousness.
Interacting with clients further strengthens my interpersonal skills and supercharges my creativity.
I specialise in copyediting.
On the other hand, I also offer editing, developmental editing, proofreading, revision and review of books, articles and online content.
When I first started as a freelance editor, I trained with Publishing Scotland and took the Proofreading course, as well as the two-part Copyediting Suite.
Later when I joined the CIEP in 2021 I took various professional courses including with other reputed providers, including Denise Cowle, Cadman Training, and The Publishing Training Centre. My CPD is ongoing.
I’m currently undertaking the Training in Indexing course with the Society of Indexers.
I continue to be actively involved in the activities of the CIEP and locally with Edinburgh Editors' Network.
and in its local branch, Edinburgh Editors' Network (EEN).
https://edinburgheditorsnetwork.org/directory/
I am also a member of the Society of Indexers.
Translation:
I am an outstanding translator from English into Hindi.
Aside I'm a chartered linguist and a published translator. I translate from English into Hindi and vice versa.
I specialise in literary translation and have been offering exceptional translations to government, education sector and private companies since 1988. Adhering to key aspects in translation, to include features of linguistic, paradigmatic, stylistic and textual levels, I adapt the relevant translation technique to suit the given text. I aim for a translation that stands out, preserving its cultural adaptation. I have a disciplined translation technique with a strong eye for detail. With excellent fluency depth in both the source and target language I strive to convey the exact intended meaning of the honed text accurately, along with the actual tenor and mode, ensuring that the final translation reads smoothly as if it was written in the original language.
My first professional training in translation and broadcasting was with the BBC World Service.
I joined the Chartered Institute of Linguists (CIOL) after my postgraduate studies. Since, I have completed numerous courses, workshops and webinars to further enhance my translation repertoire and expertise.
https://www.ciol.org.uk/member-check/profile/80075/2307
I’m also a member of the Society of Authors and had the privilege to serve as an elected committee member of the Translation Association (from November 2021 to November 2024).
I have judged the Schlegel-Tieck translation prize for German book translations into English since 2023 for the Society of Authors. https://societyofauthors.org/prizes/translation-prizes/german-schlegel-tieck-prize/
