13/02/2025
NATIONAL SEMINAR ON “TRADITIONAL ORAL CULTURE OF INDIA: RELEVANCE OF ITS STUDY IN CONTEMPORARY TIMES”
11/02/2025- 12/02/2025
On 11th and 12th February, 2025, the Department of English and the Department of History, in collaboration with IQAC, Khowang College, organized an ICSSR sponsored National Seminar on “Traditional Oral Culture of India: Relevance of its Study in Contemporary times”. The Seminar had a total of 4 technical sessions with 41 paper presenters and more than 100 participants combining both online and offline mode from all over India. Dr. Sajmina Akhtar and Kakoli Bonya Gogoi were the Convenors of the Seminar. Dr. Sajmina Akhtar, Associate Professor, Department of History, Khowang College, welcomed everyone to the event and appreciated their noble presence in the National Seminar. The inaugural session on 11th February began at 9.30 am at the Conference Hall of Khowang College with the lighting of the lamp by Bipin Chandra Sharma, President of the GB of Khowang College. It was followed by the felicitation of the members on the dais - Professor Jiten Hazarika, Vice Chancellor, Dibrugarh University; Professor Girin Phukan, Retired Professor of the Department of Political Science, Dibrugarh University and currently the Director of the Institute of Tai Studies and Research, Moran, Assam; Dr. Manas Ray, Former Professor of Cultural Anthropology and Former Head, Department of Anthropology and Mass Communication, Visva Bharati University, Santiniketan; Dr. Trailokya Dehingia, Principal, Khowang College; Bipin Chandra Sharma, President, Khowang College. Resource persons Professor Mridul Bordoloi, Head, Department of English, Dibrugarh University, Dr. Mandakini Baruah, Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University and Professor Rajib Handique, Department of History, Dibrugarh University as well as the dignitaries - Commissioner of Khowang Co-district, Jintu Borah, Dr. Tarun Gogoi, Principal, Moran Mahila Mahavidyalaya and Mrs. Iveelata Chutia, Principal, Moran Commerce College, were also felicitated at the event. The inaugural session was chaired by esteemed Professor Girin Phukan. Dr. Trailokya Dehingia gave the welcome address where he welcomed formally everyone. The Book of Abstracts was formally inaugurated in the event by Prof. Jiten Hazarika, Vice Chancellor, Dibrugarh University. Guest of eminence, Professor Jiten Hazarika, gave the inaugural speech and spoke on how relevant the chosen theme is in recent times. It was followed by the keynote address by the distinguished guest, Dr. Manas Ray. His knowledge and expertise on the chosen theme for the Seminar greatly enlightened the audience. Respected Professor Girin Phukan then spoke about how Indian history and oral culture are interconnected and explained with illustrations how oral history is the means of preservation of age-old customs, traditions and even beliefs. There was a total of 4 technical sessions, out of which 2 sessions were held on 11th February, one in online mode and one offline, both taking place simultaneously. The chairperson for the offline session was Dr. Trailokya Dehingia and Professor Rajib Handique was the resource person. Dr. Mandakini Boruah, Assistant Professor, Department of Cultural Studies, Tezpur University acted as the chairperson for the online session and Professor Mridul Bordoloi, Head, Department of English, Dibrugarh University was the resource person. Technical session 3 on 12th February was chaired by Dr. Trailokya Dehingia and Dr. Binud Chandra Borah, Registrar, Majuli University of Culture acted as the resource person. The online technical session on 12th February was chaired by Dr. Jitu Borah, Assistant Professor, Department of Assamese, Dibrugarh University and Dr. Bikash Deka, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Dibrugarh University acted as the resource person. The two offline sessions had a total of 19 participants, while the two online sessions had a total of 21 participants. The Valedictory session was held on 12th February, 2025. Dr. Trailokya Dehingia chaired the event and addressed everyone present. Daisy Priya Gogoi, Assistant Professor, Department of English delivered the Rapporteur’s report for the 2-day National Seminar on “Traditional Oral Culture of India: Relevance of its Study in Contemporary Times”. Dr. Bikash Deka then spoke to the audience and enlightened them on the relevance of oral literature. Dr. Jitu Borah also shared a few words of wisdom in the meeting. It was followed by the distribution of the certificates to the participants by the dignitaries on the dais. The event concluded with the vote of thanks by Kakoli Bonya Gogoi, Assistant Professor, Department of English.
