English Department of University of Delhi organises International Conference in Centenary Year
Minister of State for Education emphasized on making Indian literature
accessible to English readers through translation
A three day International Conference on “English Studies in India:
Centenary Perspectives” was inaugurated on Tuesday by the Department of
English, University of Delhi, in collaboration with Indira Gandhi National Centre
for the Arts, Indian Council of Social Science Research and Oxford University
Press. It is noteworthy that the Department of English, University of Delhi is
one of the first eight English Departments of the University and one of the
oldest English Departments in India, which is celebrating its centenary by
organizing this international conference. The inaugural session of this
conference was organized under the aegis of the Centenary Committee of the
University at the Convention Hall of Vice Regal Lodge, in which Union Minister
of State for Education, Dr Subhash Sarkar was present as the Chief Guest. The
program was presided over by Professor Yogesh Singh, Vice Chancellor of University
of Delhi. Professor Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary, IGNCA was present as
the Keynote Speaker on the occasion. More than 300 participants from around 40
constituent colleges of the university and scholars from other parts of the
country including four international resource persons are taking part in this
conference.
The Chief Guest Union Minister of State for Education Dr Subhas Sarkar,
in his inaugural address, stressed upon the role of translation of bringing
Indian Literature to an English reading audience and mapping it on the global
canvas. He emphasised that National Education Policy 2020 offers strong
possibilities for the promotion and growth of English Studies in India. He
further argued for making English studies more relevant to the needs of the
society.
In his Presidential Address the Vice Chancellor, University of Delhi
Prof Yogesh Singh appreciated the contribution of the Department of English to
the academic life of the university. He further called upon the English
Departments of the country to explore new areas of English language studies
particularly in the context of fresh demands being made on the society by the
global employment scenario.
In his keynote address Prof Sachchidanand Joshi, Member Secretary,
IGNCA, outlined the evolution of English in India starting from Macaulay’s
minutes and the English Education Act, 1835 through the various phases of the
19th century till the present. He appealed for a revival of Indian
intellectual and aesthetic traditions through the teaching of English. He also
highlighted the changing phases and roles of English in the Indian context
referring to the NEP 2020. He suggested that English can offer a two-way
process of knowledge exchange between east and the west.
In his welcome address, Prof Anil K Aneja, Head, Department of English,
University of Delhi outlined the journey of the department over the decades
since its inception. He also pointed out how the department has been constantly
engaged through dialogue and discussion in the task of syllabus development and
teaching learning processes to respond to changing dimensions of Indian socio-cultural
contexts. The three day international conference, he stated, was intended to
interrogate the domain of English Studies holistically.