Department of English, WBSU

4-day long Third-Theatre workshop organised by Satabdi Kolkata - Third Theatre Group
Special thanks to our Sipra ma'am for letting us know that we can also get marks by having fun, creating memories that will endure a lifetime.

Special thanks to Priti Di, Sourav da, Sambit da, the three magicians who have offered us a space where we can meet our childhood again, a space where I can do anything that makes me happy, forgetting the cool-normal standards of society, a space where I can laugh with my friends, where I can cry like a baby, there is nobody to judge me, there's nobody to blame me.🌻❤️
No shame, No blame.

Let's take a moment to appreciate our new selfie-wall, designed by Titisha Nayek. 📖

Here are some glimpses of our Udbhav '24 ✨
Delicate hearts with impeccably gifted minds 💕✨

The Department of English, WBSU feels so enriched to have these talents with us.

ÜDBHÅV 2024✨💞

Yesterday was a colourful page in the diary of Department of English, WBSU. On 19th March 2024 we hosted a wonderful event as a heartfelt gesture of welcoming our lovely newcomers 🎓✨

This day was marked by lots of fun, laughter and remarkable performances. Here's to a journey filled with learning, growth, and memories and adventures ahead ! 🌟

Let's create memories that will stay with us forever. Join us at WBSU's English Department Freshers' Event on March 19th, a day filled with a lot of laughter, fun and surprises.
🎓✨

Women's History Month [March 2024]

Empowering the future by honoring the past. Celebrating Women's History Month with strength, resilience, and inspiration.

Picture courtesy: Pinterest

Amitav Ghosh has been honored with the 2024 Erasmus Prize by the Praemium Erasmianum Foundation for his remarkable contributions to the exploration of the theme 'imagining the unthinkable.' His impactful writing addresses the profound global crisis of climate change, skillfully portraying the unimaginable through the written word. Ghosh's work not only grapples with the challenge of representing this existential threat but also offers a unique remedy by making an uncertain future tangible through compelling narratives rooted in the past. Moreover, he eloquently highlights that the climate crisis is fundamentally a cultural crisis, stemming from a deficiency in imagination.

Congratulations to the author!

Picture Courtesy: https://erasmusprijs.org/en/

"It was one of those March days when the sun shines hot and the wind blows cold, when it is summer in the light and winter in the shade."

--Charles Dickens

Spring has sprung in WBSU 🌻🌼

The collaborative online Faculty Development Program (FDP) hosted by the Departments of English of Adamas University and West Bengal State University concluded yesterday. The event provided an invaluable opportunity for participants to delve into avant-garde research areas such as Energy Humanities, Blue Humanities, Pandemic Studies, Decoloniality, and Sustainability. Additionally, the speakers explored innovative viewpoints on subjects like Digital Humanities, Travel Studies, Language Studies, Narratology, and Postmodern Studies, enriching the participants' research perspectives.

Sharing some glimpses of the event.

During the inaugural ceremony of the Bi-Centenary festivities at The Sanskrit College and University's Heritage Building in Kolkata, a landmark unfolded as the English Departments of The Sanskrit College and University and West Bengal State University officially penned their inaugural Memorandum of Understanding (MoU). This historic accord, the first of its kind for our department, signifies a commitment to instigate dynamic academic exchanges and collaborations.

Celebrating 200 years, the event served as a symbolic backdrop, ushering in a new era of cooperation between the institutions. The MoU establishes a foundation for ongoing partnerships, promising mutual growth and shared academic endeavors in the years to come.

Here's to the place where dreams find wings. Cheers to breaking molds, embracing quirks, and making memories beyond the usual script.

Happy 17th, dear university!💐

From,
The Department of English

Black History Month [Feb 1 - Mar 1]

"History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again." - Maya Angelou

Celebrating resilience, triumphs, and the indomitable spirit that have shaped black history.

Image source: Pinterest

To ten million fireflies
I'm weird 'cause I hate goodbyes
I got misty eyes as they said farewell (they said farewell)
But I'll know where several are
If my dreams get real bizarre
'Cause I saved a few and I keep them in a jar ...

Nights in WBSU.

📚 Book Review, 0223: 𝘋𝘦𝘢𝘵𝘩 𝘰𝘯 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘕𝘪𝘭𝘦 by Agatha Christie

Write up: 𝗦𝗵𝗿𝗲𝘀𝗵𝘁𝗵𝗮 𝗗𝗲𝗯𝗻𝗮𝘁𝗵 (student of semester 1)

Hang on tight for Christie's another nail-biting murder mystery- Death On The Nile. The famous belgian detective Hercule Poirot is found here spending a holiday in Egypt along with several other tourists. Little did they know that death was lurking in the land of pyramids.

The story revolves around a young woman- Linnet Ridgeway. Linnet has everything a woman can ask for- possession of a hefty fortune, lavish lifestyle, tonnes of friends and most importantly a loving husband. Yet she is always threatened by an uncanny feeling even on her honeymoon. While travelling in the same cruise, Linnet talks about her persistent fear with the detective. However, things take a huge turn as one morning Linnet is found shot through her head in her own cabin. Poirot delved into solving the case - his grey cells encounter with the darkest side of human nature. Every character has their own side of story which is concealed from the detective. Friendship, love, lust, money interweave a fascinating tale that emerges not only as a detective story but a story of human psychology. It is quite enthralling to follow Poirot in his journey of resolving the puzzles.

Christie never disappoints us with the several twists and turns in the plot and Death On The Nile is no different. The story lays bare the complex psyche and the untold desires of human consciousness. Though it has a weaker storyline in comparison with Christie's other magnum opuses like Murder On The Orient Express, And Then There Were None etc.

𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺: 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵

📩 [Send your book reviews at [email protected] with your designation included]

📚 Book Review, 0123: 𝘒𝘢𝘳𝘯𝘢'𝘴 𝘞𝘪𝘧𝘦 by Kavita Kane

Write up: 𝗣𝗿𝗮𝗿𝘁𝗵𝗮𝗻𝗮 𝗥𝗼𝘆 (student of semester 1)

Mahabharat has always been a favourite topic of mine to read and research about. Over the years there have been many versions and adaptations of this great epic. Of course, I don’t have the ability to read all of them and the original is just out of my league. So I usually stick to the modern adaptations, and they never cease to amuse me.

This epic is full of fascinating characters. Even the respectively minor characters had serious effects on the story. One of the most controversial characters of Mahabharat is Karna - we love to hate him and hate to love him. But what about the people around him who were greatly affected by his actions but also made him who he is? Like his wife. There’s very little information about Karna’s second wife Uruvi. But Kavita Kané expertly gathered all the information, mixed it with fiction and told the age old story from her point of view in ‘Karna’s Wife: The Outcast’s Queen’.

Uruvi was the only Kshatriya princess of Pukeya and the apple of her parent's eyes. She also had a good relationship with Kunti, through whom she met the love of her life, Karna. She first saw him in that infamous contest arranged to highlight the abilities of the five Pandavas and hundred Kauravas. It was love at first sight. Only if she knew the real reason behind Kunti’s fainting upon seeing Karna. She rejected everyone, even the most sought after Arjun, at her Swayamvar to marry the one person she gave her heart to. Their marriage was of great social contrast - her being a princess of a great state and him being a king of a small one, not to mention their ‘difference’ in caste. She tried to overcome every odd with her love for her husband and her formidable intelligence but some things are just beyond her control.

Its a quite unique experience to see the story through someone who is not on the side ‘right’ side of the story. Draupadi is no doubt the most important and impactful character of the story, but she had her faults. Uruvi overcame those faults, which made her the perfect partner for Karna. To see the pain and suffering in respectively ‘evil’ Kauravas is a bit heart-wrenching too. We all know the ending. But the little incidents that lead up to the moment are very touching.

Kané’s writing style is simplistic but beautiful. If anyone wants to start their journey in the pop culture version of the epic, this might just be the book. Mahabharat is not just scripture, it's a rulebook for leading life which has made it timeless. We need to know this story to recognise ourselves. This book is the perfect place to start the journey.

𝘗𝘪𝘤𝘵𝘶𝘳𝘦 𝘊𝘰𝘶𝘳𝘵𝘦𝘴𝘺: 𝘗𝘪𝘯𝘵𝘦𝘳𝘦𝘴𝘵

📩[Send your book reviews at [email protected] with your designation included]

Sometimes a scenic route takes you to a place of wonder. Our department's excursion was no different. Reminiscing memories of late November when the vastness of the sky was experienced amidst the peaks and the clouds.

Sharing some moments from the excursion to North Bengal initiated by the Alumni Association of the Department of English .

The educational sites we visited were Rabindra Bhavan, Mungpoo and Netaji Museum, Kurseong.

Our beloved H.O.D Sneha Kar Chaudhuri Ma'am commemorates the new bunch.

Welcoming a new wave of talent!
December marks the exciting start of our latest batch. Here's to a journey filled with learning, growth, and endless possibilities.

📚 Join Our Book Review Series!

Dear Members of the English Department Community,
We are thrilled to invite the students of our department to contribute to our upcoming Book Review Series. This initiative aims to foster a vibrant literary community within our department.

How to Participate:
Interested individuals can share their book reviews by sending their write-ups to: [email protected]

Let's celebrate the joy of reading and share our love for literature.

The 2023 BOOKER PRIZE WINNER IS HERE!!!

Paul Lynch's fifth novel, "Prophet Song" won the Booker Prize 2023 as the best English Novel.

"Prophet Song" follows one woman's attempt to save her family in a dystopic Ireland sliding further and further into authoritarian rule. It is a shocking, at times tender novel that is not soon forgotten. It is propulsive and unsparing, and it flinches away from nothing. This is an utterly brave performance by an author at the peak of his powers, and it is terribly moving. The novel has one of the most haunting endings you will ever read. The book lives long in the mind after you've set it down.

According to The Booker Prize 2023 judges, "This is a triumph of emotional storytelling, bracing and brave. With great vividness, "Prophet Song" captures the social and political anxieties of our current moment. Readers will find it soul-shattering and true, and will not soon forget its warnings."

How many of you are going to read this?

Source: official website
Image credit: Thebookerprizes.com

The 2023 BOOKER PRIZE WINNER IS HERE!!!

The winners of the 2023 International Booker Prize are Georgi Gospodinov and Angela Rodel. The award was given to Gospodinov's novel “Time Shelter”, which was translated by Rodel.

“Time Shelter” becomes the first novel originally published in Bulgarian to win the prize. In the book, a ‘clinic for the past’ offers a promising treatment for Alzheimer’s sufferers: each floor reproduces a decade in minute detail, transporting patients back in time. But as the rooms become more convincing, an increasing number of healthy people seek out the clinic as a ‘time shelter’, hoping to escape the horrors of modern life - a development that results in an unexpected conundrum when the past begins to invade the present.

Leïla Slimani, Chair of the International Booker Prize 2023 judges said:
It is a profound work that deals with a very contemporary question: What happens to us when our memories disappear?

How many of you are going to read this?

Source: official website
Image credit: Thebookerprizes.com

🟥 𝗖𝗮𝗹𝗹 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗮𝗽𝗲𝗿 𝗳𝗼𝗿 𝗮 𝗯𝗼𝗼𝗸 𝘁𝗶𝘁𝗹𝗲𝗱 "𝗘𝗰𝗼𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗴𝘂𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗶𝗰𝘀 𝗔𝗰𝗿𝗼𝘀𝘀 𝗗𝗶𝘀𝗰𝗶𝗽𝗹𝗶𝗻𝗲: 𝗜𝗻𝗱𝗶𝗮𝗻 𝗣𝗲𝗿𝘀𝗽𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗶𝘃𝗲𝘀"

Important dates:
1. Abstract submission: 15th November, 2023
2. Abstract acceptance notification : 30th November, 2023
3. Final paper submission: 31st January, 2024

Please refer to the brochure for detailed information on themes, guidelines, and submission instructions.

Congratulations to 𝗗𝗶𝘁𝗶 𝗖𝗵𝗮𝘁𝘁𝗼𝗽𝗮𝗱𝗵𝘆𝗮𝘆 on her exceptional achievement—a prestigious scholarship from the Centre for Cultural, Literary and Postcolonial Studies (CCLPS) within the School of Languages, Cultures and Linguistics at SOAS, University of London, enabling her to embark on her postgraduate studies.

We take immense pride in her accomplishment and extend our heartfelt best wishes for her forthcoming journey on foreign academic terrain. Diti stands as the very first student to qualify for overseas studies, and we anticipate that her success will serve as an enduring source of inspiration for our fellow students.

Visit the YouTube channel of our department , and experience some amazing performances of our exceptionally talented students and professors. Subscribe now to stay updated on our departmental activities, and programs. Join us on this journey, and let's grow together! ▶️🎥

English Department WBSU - YouTube Welcome to the YouTube channel of the Department of English, West Bengal State University. This channel has been created and is managed by the student repres...

A kaleidoscope of colourful moments from teachers' day-cum-farewell event 2023.✨

Sharing some moments of joy and laughter from our unforgettable teachers' day-cum-farewell event 2023.🎊

The Centre for Studies in Gender, Culture & Media (CSGCM) at West Bengal State University will begin its third Lecture Series from 16th September 2023. The series is titled Revisiting the Long Nineteenth Century and the inaugural lecture will be delivered by the eminent historian Professor Amiya Prosad Sen on “Enduring Ideas and Values of the Bengal Renaissance” in a webinar on 16th September (Saturday) from 7: 30 pm. All are cordially invited to join us at https://meet.google.com/hjq-uzow-qvc

A year ago on this day we embarked upon a new and exciting venture by establishing a vibrant virtual presence of our beloved department. The primary goals of the social media handles have been to reach a wider audience, foster meaningful connections, and provide valuable insights and updates about our department's activities, events and seminars. The digital presence serves as a platform to engage students, scholars, and professionals with our content as well as to foster a sense of community among students, faculty and alumni.

Our department has achieved some significant milestones over the past year. Whether it be student success, special lecture series, research grant programmes, cultural events, co-curricular activities, or academic collaborations, social media has been instrumental in celebrating these accomplishments. Needless to say, the continuous encouragement and support from our respected professors act as a source of our endless enthusiasm.

As we celebrate the completion of one year of our department's social media presence, we look forward to the exciting possibilities that lie ahead. We aim to further expand our online reach, enhancing our engagement strategies. We are immensely grateful to our followers, supporters, and all those who have been part of this remarkable journey.

Congratulations and a big thank you to all.
❤️🎉