STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: A one-day national symposium on ‘Indian Literature and the Narratives of Conflict Zones’ was organised by Department of English, University of Jammu in collaboration with Sahitya Akademi here on Thursday at Brig Rajinder Singh Auditorium of the University.
The symposium was inaugurated by Prof. Desh Bandhu, Dean Academic Affairs, University of Jammu who congratulated both the organizers for organising a symposium on the significant issue that India and more particularly, J and K, is grappling with.
Prof. Malashree Lal, Convener, English Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi, said literature of the conflict zones is a very traumatising kind of study. In this age borders and boundaries are stringently controlled what may be called as territorial authoritarianism. Meera Khanna, a renowned writer was also present on this occasion.
Earlier the programme started with the lighting of the ceremonial lamp by the dignitaries , followed by an invocation to Goddess Saraswati and bouquet presentation to the guests.
Prof. Sucheta Pathania, the Head of the host Department welcomed the guests.
Santanu Gangopadhyaya, Assistant Editor, Sahitya Akademi said that current situation in Kashmir calls for urgency of this discourse. “Writers capture the human response, both internal and external. Conflict these days has become cataclysmic; a business for imperial powers,” he added.
Prof. Satnam Kour, proposed vote of thanks. Swati Vijay conducted the proceedings of this session.
Later in the day, in the first technical session chaired by Dr. Vishav Raksha Head, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu four papers were presented: Meera Khanna, Writer ‘Humanizing Conflict through Narratives’ Dipannita Datta, Assistant Professor of English, The Neotia University, Kolkata ‘Tragedy and Triumph of Sonar Bangla: Re-Reading Partitions’ Kavita Suri, Director ,Department of Lifelong Learning, University of Jammu ‘Choked Spaces: Women in The Red Maizes’, ‘Curfewed Nights’ and Other Writings” Rana Nayar, Department of English and Cultural Studies, Panjab University, Chandigarh ‘Dialogics of Partition: Bhisham Sahni’s Tamas’.
The second technical session was chaired by Prof. Malashri Lal, Convener, English Advisory Board, Sahitya Akademi. The paper presenters include: Vishav Raksha, Department of Sociology, University of Jammu ‘Migration, Identity and Justice: A case of migrants in Jammu’. Kshamata Chaudhary, Head, Department of English, School of Humanities and Social Sciences, Vardhman Mahaveer Open University, ‘Crafting Journeys: (Hi)stories of Dalits’ Jayita Sengupta, Associate Professor, Dept of English, Sikkim University ‘Sikkim: Narrativising History through Literature.’
Dr Vandana Sharma from SMVDU read translation collection of Dogri stories.
The valedictory session was chaired by Prof. Sucheta Pathania. Meera Khanna shared her learning from the seminar and Prof. Moinka Sethi proposed vote of thanks. Certificates were distributed among all the participants. Those who were prominently present include Danish Rana, IGP Jammu Zone, Prof. Poonam Dhawan, Prof Ashok Kumar, Dr. Ravinder Singh, Dr. Sadaf Shah and Dr. Garima Gupta.
