1

DEPARTMENT OF MODERN INDIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERARY STUDIES UNIVERSITY OF DELHI, DELHI – 110 007

The Department of Modern Indian Languages and Literary Studies (MIL

and LS), University of Delhi, was established in the year 1961 and

celebrated its Golden Jubilee in 2011. A unique feature that identifies it

as the first and only one of its kinds in the Indian University system is its

institutional and methodological structure that enables a dialogue

among Indian literatures, languages and cultures. In times when ideas of

interdisciplinary and cross-cultural exchanges are being revisited with

new academic zeal, the department serves as a role model where such

endeavors have been continuing for last five decades.

During these years the Department of Modern Indian Languages and

Literary Studies has proved its uniqueness, which has been recognized at

national and international levels, through its achievements, such as:

Faculty members receiving national and international

recognitions.

Teaching and research activities in language, literature and

culture of India including the indigenous communities.

Recognized by the University Grants Commission, New Delhi, for

the grant of SAP for three thrust areas viz. Comparative Indian

Literature, Indian Folklore and Tribal Lore and Translation

between Indian Languages.

Adjudged as the Centre Of Excellence in a report prepared for the

Research Council, United Kingdom, in 2011.

Identified as the centre for the e-content development for e-PG

Course in Comparative Literature under the e-Pathshala

programme of MHRD and UGC.

2

DISTINGUISHED PERSONALITIES WHO SERVED IN THE DEPARTMENT

The department is identified with the research/creative works and academic excellence of the following scholars and creative writers:

Prof. R. K. Dasgupta (Founder Professor of the Department; an eminent scholar on Bengali Language and Literature and Comparative Indian Literature)

Prof. Chandrakant Mehta (An eminent scholar on Gujarati Language and Literature)

Prof. Harbhajan Singh (A renowned Punjabi poet and an eminent scholar; a creative writer and Saraswati Samman Awardee)

Prof. R. Mahalingam (Salai Ilantiraiyan) (An erudite Tamil poet and scholar; Founder of Tamil Ariviyakkap Peravai [Federation of Mindful Tamils] and an architect of Tamil University)

Prof. R. Parthasarathy (A celebrated Tamil dramatist and novelist; a Padma Shri and Saraswati Samman Awardee)

Prof. Sisir Kumar Das (An eminent scholar on Tagore Literature, Comparative Indian Literature, and a prolific critic; a dramatist and a creative writer)

Prof. Indira Goswami

(A prolific Assamese novelist and a creative writer; a Jnanpith

Awardee)

3

FACULTIES WHO HAVE SERVED ABROAD

FACULTY WHO HAVE SERVED AS THE DIRECTOR FOR ACADEMIC AND

CULTURAL INSTITUTIONS OF GOVT. OF INDIA

FACULTY MEMBERS SERVING AT PRESENT

Name Position Country Period

Dr. R. Parthasarathy Visiting Professor of Tamil Poland 1984-88

Dr. A. Mariappan Visiting Professor of Tamil Poland 2008-10

Dr. G. Rajagopal Visiting Professor of Tamil Poland 2011-13

Dr. Amitava Chakraborty Visiting Associate Professor

of Bengali

Japan 2015-18

Name Position Institution Period

Prof. R. K. Dasgupta Director National Library, Kolkata 1977-80

Dr. Raviprakash

Tekchandani

Director National Council For Promotion

of Sindhi Language, Delhi–110066

2015-18

Name Position Area of Specialisation

Dr. G. Rajagopal Head and Associate Professor

Ancient Tamil Literature and Bhakti Literature

Prof. Prakash Chandra Pattanaik

Professor Folklore/Tribal lore, Linguistics, Cultural Studies, and Odia Language and Literature

Dr. Amitava Chakraborty

Associate Professor Cultural Theory, Cultural Studies, Bengali Literature and Comparative Literature

Dr. Raviprakash Tekchandani

Associate Professor (On lien)

Sindhi Literature and Folklore

4

PROGRAMMES/COURSES OFFERED IN THE DEPARTMENT

Courses

Year of Approval

Ph. D. (Language, Literature and Culture) 1962

M. Phil. in Comparative Indian Literature 1971

M. A. Bengali 1963

M. A. Tamil 1978

M.A. in Comparative Indian Literature 1994

Dr. K. Premananthan Assistant Professor Drama and Theatre Arts, Literary Theories and Comparative Indian Literature

Dr. D. Uma Devi Assistant Professor Tamil Folklore and Gender Studies

Dr. Ratnottama Das Assistant Professor Tribal lore and Assamese Language and Literature

Ms. Mitali Barman Assistant Professor Assamese Language and Literature

Dr. Venkata Ramaiah Gampa

Assistant Professor Modern Telugu Literature and Literary Theory

Dr. V. Narayanappa Assistant Professor Medieval Telugu Literature

Dr. Rajendra Kumar V. Mehta

Assistant Professor Gujarati Drama and Postmodern Literature

Mr. Ahanthem Homen Singh

Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)

Comparative Indian Literature

Dr. Shibukanta Barman

Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)

Bengali Language and Literature

Mr. Agniv Ghosh Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)

Bengali Language and Literature

Dr. Paramita Chakraborty

Assistant Professor (Ad-hoc)

Bengali Language and Literature

5

Certificate Course in 11 Indian Languages (Assamese, Bengali,

Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia,

Sindhi, Tamil and Telugu)

1962

Diploma Course in 11 Indian Languages (Assamese, Bengali,

Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia,

Sindhi, Tamil and Telugu)

1963

Advanced Diploma Courses in 11 Indian Languages

(Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Manipuri,

Marathi, Odia, Sindhi, Tamil and Telugu)

1964

ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA FOR POST GRADUATE COURSES

M. A. BENGALI

(in order of Preference)

Course Requirements Minimum Marks Requirements

B.A. (Hons.) in Bengali Examination of the University of Delhi or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto in the respective subject (Bengali).

45% marks

B.A. (Pass) Examination of the University of Delhi or an Examination recognised as equivalent thereto with at least two papers in Bengali.

45% marks in aggregate and 50% marks in the subject.

M.A. (in any subject) examination of the University of Delhi or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto with at least two papers in Bengali at the graduate level.

50% in aggregate and 55% in the subject and (subject to pass-ing an eligibility test in Bengali to be held by the Department)

6

M. A. TAMIL (in order of Preference)

Course Requirements Minimum Marks

Requirements

B.A. (Hons.) or B.A. (Advanced or B. Litt.) Examination in Tamil or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto.

45% marks

B.A. (Pass) or B.Sc. or B.Com (P) from Delhi University or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto with at least two papers in Tamil.

45% marks in aggregate and 50% marks in Tamil.

B.A. (Hons.) Examination in any subject (Arts or Social Sciences) of the University of Delhi or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto with at least one paper in Tamil as a subsidiary at the graduate level.

50% marks in aggregate and 55% marks in the subject (subject to pass-ing an eligibility test in Tamil to be held by the Department)

Master’s Degree of University of Delhi or a degree recognized as equivalent thereto, in any subject.

50% marks (subject to passing an eligibly test in Tamil to be held by the Department)

M. A. COMPARATIVE INDIAN LITERATURE

(in order of Preference)

Course Requirements Minimum Marks Requirements

B.A. (Hons.) in any Indian Language or English or Comparative Literature of the University of Delhi or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto in the respective subject.

55% marks

B.A. (Pass) of the University of Delhi or an examina- tion recognized as equivalent thereto with at least three papers in any Indian Language or English.

60% marks

7

B.A. (Hons.) in any Indian Language or English or Comparative Literature of University of Delhi or an examination recognized as equivalent thereto in the respective subject.

50% marks

B.A. (Pass) of the University of Delhi or an examination recognised as equivalent thereto with at least three papers in any Indian Language or English.

55% marks

M.A. in any Indian Language or English from Delhi University or any other examination recognised as equivalent thereto.

50% marks

Any graduate of the University of Delhi or any other examination recognised as equivalent thereto provided he/she passes in a qualifying test which would be organized by the Department to test the candidate’s aptitude for basic knowledge of Indian Literature.

55% marks

M.PHIL. IN COMPARATIVE INDIAN LITERATURE

Course Requirements Minimum Marks

Requirements

M.A. in Comparative Indian Literature 55% Marks

M.A. in English 55% Marks

M.A. in any of the following Indian Languages: Assamese, Bengali, Gujarati, Kannada, Malayalam, Manipuri, Marathi, Odia, Sindhi, Tamil and Telugu.

55% Marks

For more details see “Notification” (Amendments to Ordinances VI, VI A

& VI B), regarding M.Phil./Ph.D. admission, issued by University of Delhi,

Dated 09th August 2017.

The medium of the course is English.

8

INTER-DISCIPLINARY COURSES

(As a part of Post Graduation programmes meant for the PG students of

other departments) Course 204: Introduction to Indian Literature

Course 404: Comparative Literature: Theory, History and Methods

AREA OF RESEARCH

COMPARATIVE INDIAN LITERATURE, INDIAN LANGUAGES AND LITERARY

STUDIES, TRANSLATION, CULTURE, FOLKLORE AND TRIBAL LORE

Ph. D. AWARDED (2012-17)

Sl. No.

Name of Ph.D. Scholars

Title of Thesis Year of Award

1 Usha Saraswat A Critical Study of M.K. Jetley’s Contribution to Sindhi Language and Literature

2012

2 Anjla Upadhyay The Ballad of Rajula and Malushahi in the Oral Traditions of Kumaon: A Folkloristic Study

2013

3 Jayeeta Bhattacharya

Configuration of Women Characters in Bengali Fiction and Films: A Comparative Study (Post-Indepen-dence Era)

2013

4 Shreeta Mukherjee

Narrative Technique of Bani Basu 2014

5 Piyali Sen Ghosh Negotiating Dharmashastras: A Study of 19th Century Bengali Literary and Cultural Discourses

2014

6 Anwesa Mahanta Traditions of Performing Arts in Assam and the Role of Sattras

2015

7 Himadri Shekhar A Socio-Cultural Study of Bengali Panjika

2015

9

8 Paramita Chakraborty

A Critical Survey of Selected Histories of Bengali Literature

2015

9 Aamir Sadiq Bhat Impact of Modernism on Contem-porary Kashmiri Poetry

2015

10 Sukanta Ghosh Post-Independence Bengali and Hindi Cinematic Adaptation of The Novel Devdas: A Critical Study

2015

11 Tamanna Emi A Study of Rhetorical in Selected Bengali Public Speeches

2015

12 Arijit Kundu Bengali Supernatural Fiction (From 1847 to the Present Day): The Colonial Context

2015

13 R. Davidson Jeyachandra

Marginalized People in Early Tamil Literature

2015

14 Kristina Zama Mizo Identity and Culture: The Construction of ‘Mizoness’

2015

15 Rup Kumar Ari Post-Independence Bengali Literary Writings in Delhi

2015

16 Mukuta Borah Women in Conflict: Tension and Turmoil in the Women Writings of Assam and Nagaland

2015

17 Jitendra Makwana Writers on the Stage: Life Stories of Literary Personalities in Gujarati Plays

2015

18 Urvashi Kuhad Indian Women Science Fiction: A Study of Radical Potential

2015

19 Mushuka Ramchiary

Performing Traditions of Bodos: Exploring Community Identity

2016

20 Dipak Maiti Bengali Science Magazines: An Analytical Study of Jnam Bichitra and Kishore Jnan-Bijnan

2016

21 Rajani Kumari Presence of Buddhist Elements in Eastern Indian Literature

2016

22 Tilak Sarkar Bengali Literary ‘Nonsense’ Writings: A Study

2017

23 Narottam Bhabuk The Dialect Usage in Some Selected 2017

10

Bengali Novels of India and Bangladesh

24 Balamurugan. C. Writings and Life of Subramaniya Bharati: Multiple Transitions from Traditions to Modernity

2017

25 S. Pandikumar Gender Politics in Cangam Litera-ture

2017

26 Manikandan Contemporary Themes (Kathai Karu) in Modern Terukkoothu

2017

27 Silambarasan. K. Evolution of Kotrravai through Ages 2017

SIGNIFICANT PROJECTS UNDERTAKEN BY FACULTIES LANDMARK PROJECT: DEVELOPMENT OF e-PG CONTENT FOR

COMPARATIVE LITERATURE Development of e-PG content for Comparative Literature sanctioned by the University Grants Commission, under the e-Pathshala programme of MHRD (under National Mission for Education IT), New Delhi, with MOA signed between the UGC and University of Delhi, with Prof. P.C. Pattanaik as the Principal Investigator of the project.

MAJOR RESEARCH PROJECTS OF THE DEPARTMENT

Title Principal Investigators

Sponsoring organization

Sindhi Folk Culture and Folk Literature in India: A Study

Dr. Raviprakash Tekchandani

UGC, New Delhi

Fakelore in Tamil Nadu: A Research on the Growth & Current Scenario

Dr. D. Uma Devi UGC, New Delhi

Thematic Survey of Post- Independence Gujarati, Marathi and Hindi Plays

Dr. Rajendra Kumar V. Mehta

UGC, New Delhi

11

CONFERENCES / SEMINARS HELD DURING 2012-2017

National Seminar in honour of the Late Professor R.K. Dasgupta on “Literary Relations: India and the World” during 09th-10th March, 2017. National Seminar on “Indian Theatre in Transit Modernity” during 17th-18th May, 2016. National Seminar on “Oral Tradition and Community Identity” during 18-19th March, 2016. National Seminar on “Social Epistemology and Comparative Indian Literary Culture” during 12th-13th November, 2014. National Workshop on “Style Manual for Research Writings in Indian Languages” on 17th April, 2014. International Seminar on “History and Sociology of Bengali Studies and special Sessions on History and Sociology of Indian Literary Studies” during 10th- 11th January, 2014. National Seminar on “Courtesans in Indian Literary Tradition with Special Reference to Telugu Literature and Culture” during 6-7 November, 2013.

Tribal lore of Odisha: Common Culture Contents

Prof. P. C. Pattanaik UGC, New Delhi

Globalisation and Indian Literary Studies: Perception, Infrastructure and Strategies

Dr. Amitava Chakraborty

UGC, New Delhi

Reconceptualising the history of Oratory and Argumentation in Ancient India

Dr. Amitava Chakraborty

International Society for the

History of Rhetoric, USA

Writers, Writing and History: An Archive of Literary Dialogues

Dr. K. Premananthan UGC, New Delhi

12

National Seminar on “Women’s Texts: Historiography” during 19-20 February, 2013. National Seminar on “Problematising Comparative Indian Literature: Special Reference to North Eastern Experiences” during 22-23 February, 2012.

BEST PRACTICES OF THE DEPARTMENT

DEPARTMENT RESEARCH FORUM

This Forum of Research Students of the department who are pursuing Ph.D. and M.Phil. meets once a month. The research students present papers on their areas of interests, followed by open discussions. This practice provides space for the students to share their work and receive suggestions and feedback from their peers and faculty members. This exercise encourages group discussions among students on various topics, making it truly interdisciplinary.

13

14

DEPARTMENT WEEKLY SEMINAR This is a unique practice of the Department, held on the Wednesdays of every week where the faculty members make presentation on the topic of their interest and share their current works. The uniqueness of the practice lies in the fact that the presentations are made by faculty members of the Department belonging to different Indian languages and literatures thereby nurturing multilingual, multicultural and multi-disciplinary ambience as well as the comparative understanding of Indian literature and culture.

READ A FILM (A FORUM FOR MEDIA STUDY)

This forum consisting of students and faculty of the Department organizes film screenings and discussions to enhance the understanding in Arts and Literature. This is a unique practice of the department where students from PG courses, M.Phil. and Ph. D. programmes come together and delve into intense discussions on film, literature and media studies.

15

16