By Ravi Kumar | Modlingua

Click the video below to watch this inspiring story:

This video explores the evolving role of translators in modern society, positioning them not just as linguistic mediators, but as strategic entrepreneurs embedded in networks of power — from individual and community levels to global influence. Ravi Kumar unpacks how translators contribute to shaping societal narratives, economic development, and international cooperation.

The discussion highlights four key areas:

• Translators as Individuals: Moving beyond text production, the video analyzes the translator’s persona, values, and decision-making in the context of translation.
• Emerging Market Trends: An overview of key industry questions, pressure from global clients, and the transformative power of translation in the digital economy.
• Influence of IT & Tools: How CAT tools, AI, and platforms like Google Translate and MANTRA are changing the industry—and the critical need for translators to adapt.
• Entrepreneurial Pathways: Insights on how translators can build businesses, serve niche markets, and thrive despite disruptive changes.

Ravi Kumar references studies from Common Sense Advisory, GALA, and the Indian Translators Association, revealing that while machine tools segment workflows, they also open up significant opportunities for skilled linguists—especially in Asia, Africa, and the Arab world where demand continues to rise.

Instead of fearing automation, the speaker urges translators to integrate IT, build domain expertise, and take charge of their professional futures. By viewing themselves as entrepreneurs, translators can play a decisive role in shaping the global content economy.

Keywords: translators as entrepreneurs, translation industry trends, CAT tools and translators, entrepreneurial linguists, Ravi Kumar Modlingua, translation and IT, Common Sense Advisory, GALA research, Indian translation market, machine translation and jobs