Sharjah: Fulfilling demands by academics and scholars in Kerala, three books by Sharjah ruler Sheikh Sultan bin Mohammed Al Qasimi have been translated and released in Malayalam, a language spoken by a large number of Indian expats in the UAE. "India and Sharjah have very good relations and both sides are keen to know more about each other. Some academicians and researchers from India had come and expressed interest in the works of His Highness being translated into Malayalam," Yousef Aydobi, director of Al Qassimi Publications, said. "The two sides will know each other better through books and writings of His Highness," he added.

The novels released by Al Qassimi Publications at the just-concluded Sharjah International Book Fair (SIBF) are: "The White Sheikh", "A Memorandum for Historians on the Innocence of Ibn Majid", and "Deep-Seated Malice". The 2002 book on Ahmed Ibn Majid, a 15th Century navigator originally from the region now called Ras Al Khaimah in the UAE, being translated into Malayalam is significant as he was widely thought to have guided Vasco da Gama in his path through the Indian Ocean. Sheikh Sultan offers proof that it was a Christian-Gujarati from India who guided Vasco da Gama to India.

"Ibn Majid was a big problem for both sides as far as history goes. His Highness was worried about this and he actually went to Portugal to the library where Vasco da Gama's diary is kept and got it translated to prove Ibn Majid's innocence," Aydobi explained. "Now they (the publishers) are thinking of more serious translations into Malayalam.there are talks with major publishers to get more of His Highness' works translated. He is keen that they can be read by maximum number of people," Kumar said, adding that apart from English, the Sharjah ruler's works have been translated into languages like German, French, Russian and Chinese. Malayalis form a large chunk of the 1.75 million Indians in the UAE.