Memorabilia 2023

Annual Function and the release of Memorabilia 2023 

Memorabilia 2023 released by Prin. Dr. Sunita Nimavat

Memorabilia 2023 released by Prin. Dr. Sunita Nimavat

Video Recording of the Annual Function 2023

Memorabilia 2023

Click here to Download Memorabilia 2023

From the Desk of the Head of the Department

~ Dilip Barad

Amidst the ethereal dreams of a future world driven by Artificial Intelligence, we now find ourselves living in the very revolution we once imagined. The present is a surreal reality, and its sheer brilliance leaves us in awe. A mere glimpse of AI's eloquence with the English language is enough to make one's heart skip a beat. As we contemplate the digital revolution, we're reminded of Wordsworth's iconic words in Book XI of the Prelude[1]:

"Bliss was it in that dawn to be alive,

But to be young was very heaven! - Oh! Times!"

 

These lines, written for the fervent enthusiasts of the French Revolution, resonate equally with digital aficionados.

One could draw parallels between the French Revolution and the digital age, and take the perspective of a typical Luddite[2] to discern similarities between the frustration that accompanies a trail of revolution. The Tale of Two Cities[3], which opens with the famous lines,

" It was the best of times, it was the worst of times, it was the age of wisdom, it was the age of foolishness, it was the epoch of belief, it was the epoch of incredulity, it was the season of Light, it was the season of Darkness, it was the spring of hope, it was the winter of despair, we had everything before us," echoes the tumultuous nature of our digital era.

 

Living on the 'threshold of time,' we face technological uncertainties that are certainties, digital disruptions that rupture the very fabric of our being with revelry. It is imperative that we look to the youth to display a level of sensibility and maturity that surpasses that of previous generations. Should they fail to do so, the best of times could turn into the worst of times, this age could become a period of digital dumbness, and despair and darkness will surely follow. The youth must tread with caution, ensuring they navigate this new path with a profound understanding of the potential consequences of Artificial Intelligence.

As students of the English language, we must come to terms with the perilous threat that AI, as a language transformer, poses to our future job prospects. Tools such as OpenAI's ChatGPT have already achieved an impressive level of performance, which could potentially jeopardize the livelihoods of English language teachers. Yet, the future is not entirely bleak. Even with the advent of these language generative tools, there will always be a demand for those who possess the skill of identifying and rectifying errors. For those who have a natural gift for working with language, the future is bright. This also serves as an ominous warning for those who have acquired a Masters in English or passed competitive exams like TET or NET, for they may find themselves jobless or unwanted if they fail to surpass AI's capabilities in terms of linguistic expertise and literary sensibilities.

Our current batch (2021-23) has shown remarkable potential, bringing accolades and honor to the Department of English in various ways. In 2022, many students from this batch secured top positions in the Research Paper Writing Competition organized by the Research Facilitation Center of Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University. Several students delivered research paper presentations in a Seminar of National level, exhibiting their academic prowess. In the Youth Festival 2022, the Department exhibited an incredible performance after almost two decades of dormancy. Participation in sports and cultural events was better than ever before, and students shone brilliantly in other prestigious events of Bhavnagar City, such as Excel Expressions.

Let us not forget that the talents of bygone eras are but echoes of the past, and the arrival of a new decade demands a novel set of aptitudes to be acquired. The youth of today must don the mantle of being lifelong learners, possessing an innate ability to self-educate and adapt to the ever-shifting digital terrain. Alas, the unrelenting onslaught of the pandemic has instilled a sense of languor in many of you, and the youth must rise up to face not only the challenge of this slothful demeanor but also the sundry health hazards that accompany unpredictable weather changes, engendering an array of allergic afflictions.

In these trying times, the virtues of mental and physical well-being will be akin to precious pearls, coveted and treasured above all else. Hence, it is never too late to cultivate a healthy routine of engaging in outdoor activities, be it at the break of dawn or the fall of dusk.

Our department strives to cultivate students to not only possess a mature understanding of life and human nature through the prism of literature but also possess the digital acumen needed to excel in the contemporary world.

We believe that learning literature helps students gain a deeper understanding of life and human nature through the prism of different literary works. It enables them to analyze complex ideas, identify different perspectives, and make informed judgments. By studying literature, students can develop empathy and sensitivity towards people from diverse cultures and backgrounds, as they are exposed to various literary works that reflect the human experience.

On the other hand, in today's digital age, having digital skills has become essential for personal and professional growth. Digital skills are required in almost every field, and students who possess them are more likely to excel in their careers. By acquiring digital skills, students can improve their problem-solving abilities, enhance their creativity, and increase their efficiency in performing various tasks. Additionally, digital skills are in high demand in the job market, and possessing them can significantly increase students' employability.

Therefore, the combination of literature and digital skills creates a well-rounded individual who can navigate the contemporary world with ease. Students who possess both can analyze complex issues, think critically, communicate effectively, and excel in their careers. The department's aim to cultivate such students, who can soar high and realize their aspirations, is commendable as it recognizes the importance of holistic education that prepares students for the challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.

We fervently hope that by the time you graduate, you will have grown wings to soar high and realize your aspirations with ease.

As we journey through the digital revolution, let us not forget the hopes and aspirations that fuel our dreams. May we rise to meet the challenges of this new era with Wordsworthian zeal, ever mindful of the beauty and wonder that surrounds us. Like a butterfly emerging from its cocoon, let us spread our wings and take flight, soaring towards a future filled with infinite possibilities.

Yet, as we strive for success and fulfillment, let us not be blinded by the bright lights of progress. Let us heed the warning of Dickensian dichotomies and tales of Hard Times, which remind us of the dark side of our existence. For in this world of light, there are shadows that lurk in the corners, waiting to pounce on unsuspecting prey. Let us be vigilant and cautious, ever mindful of the pitfalls and dangers that lie in wait.

So, my dear friends, let us move forward with optimism and hope, embracing the duality of our existence. For in this balance lies the key to a successful and fulfilling life. May your hopes and aspirations remain unscathed, even as we navigate the ever-changing landscape of the digital age.

 

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[1] The subtitle of The Prelude is 'Growth of a Poet's Mind'. William Wordsworth (1770-1850) began writing his autobiographical blank verse epic in 1798, working on it intermittently until 1839. It was published posthumously in 1850.

[2] 19C protester against technology: a worker who was involved in protests in the United Kingdom in the 1810s against new factory methods of production and who favored traditional methods of work.

[3] A Tale of Two Cities is a historical novel published in 1859 by Charles Dickens, set in London and Paris before and during the French Revolution.

Khan Academy announces GPT-4 powered learning guide . . . and this is going to be the future of education system

Memorabilia 2022 

Click here to download or view Memorabilia 2022

The Memorabilia 2022 released by Dr. Kaushik Bhatt and Prof. Dilip Barad

Video recording of the Annual Function - 9 April 2022

Video recording of the Farewell Function - 9 April 2022

From the Desk of the Head of the Department . . .

This passing out batch, i.e., 2020-22 will go in the annals as ‘the Corona Batch’. Among several disruptions #Covid19 pandemic brought in, the disruption to education system is of a curious kind. On one hand it gave ample opportunities to explore new dimensions in online pedagogy, while on the other hand it made us realize several vital pedagogical issues, which were, hitherto, taken as granted.

The benefits of teaching this batch were innumerable. Right from the beginning, it was challenging to build a rapport with students as students have never visited department or teachers, personally. To bridge this gap, we tried our best to make teaching as interesting and engaging as possible. And hence, we have to ‘revisit & relearn’ pedagogy of teaching in online remote mode. We also have to try our hands at new technologies like OBS, Live Streaming, Video Recording, Learning Glass, Video Conferencing etc. It was not only to use these technologies but also to make it effective and engaging for learners. Going down the memory lane of screenshots taken during first week of teaching this batch was a good memory to see how it all began. The Google Class & the Group were introduced in live video conferencing session – and OBS was used to make it engaging. The learning glass was also used to see that the teaching does not become dull and boring. The first two pictures in the below given collage-pyramid are telling this story. However, the story of disruption does not end here. The other side of the story, the students’ side, had also been of great learning importance.

The students story told from the perspective of teacher has a few significant aspects. The teacher expects curiosity in the eyes of the students. This curiosity is what is driving force for the teacher. Well, in this remote emergency, if there is one very challenging thing, it was to feel the curiosity in the eyes of the students. As most of the students keep their camera’s off, it was not possible to see even normal gestures, forget the curiosity in the eyes. Somehow, it was very difficult to make it understand students that keeping camera on while attending the sessions is necessary. A few students were able to understand this. These students were like oasis in the desert. These students who kept their cameras own while attending the online sessions were such a great relief in the troubling and chaotic situation. Among the few students who understood this, three students deserve special mention. Daya, Nidhi and Riddhi – they were the most consistent in regularly attending the sessions with camera on. We, the teachers, expect to have similar students, in troubling times, wherein one can experience if the attempts made for engaging the learners are materializing or not. The bottom picture of the screenshot-pyramid (given above) is the evidence of this. Such a participation by students in remote teaching is very crucial.

The number of students in this Corona Batch was also considerably low than normal class strength. That was like a double whammy. One, virtual existence of all of us and on it, low number. Some may say it is good. Easy to manage! Well, yes, that’s true but we wanted to do lots of activities. Without good number of participations from equally good number of students, it is difficult to carry on the show. We believe, education is not only completing syllabus and the routine academic rigor. It is all about participating in co-curricular, extra-curricular activities like reading papers in seminars, publishing research papers, participating in cultural and sports events. It is not to say that there was complete stand-still to all these activities. However, it reduced drastically in this passing out batch 2020-22. Even with all these limitations of second wave of corona pandemic and lockdowns of academic institutes and activities not happening as such, our students have participated in around 40 events. Have a look at the chart in Memorabilia 2022 – page number 138/139. In spite of reasonably good participation in the troubling time, we were not able to get laurels and accolades. Except for FIRST positions by Riddhi Bhatt in Essay Writing and Khushbu Lakhupota in Research Paper Writing competitions, the participation did not yield desired result. Apart from this sorry state of affairs, even use of library substantially reduced during this year. Normally, all students have their library card and keep on visiting library occasionally to exchange books. This time, several students did not open an account with University Central Library. To add to this sorry state of affairs, several students’ committees remained ineffective or inactive. This is a great lesson to remembered. This is an example of why education is not only completing syllabus. When the students are not able to have physical gatherings in an academic institute, there are innumerable life-skills which are not acquired. Yes, some are genius and they do not require such training or orientation. Nevertheless, we need to build an environment wherein all these life-skills are acquired without much effort. We are unhappy to see that many talented students are passing out without brushing up their talent, many committee leaders are passing out without learning leadership skills, many are passing out without getting the finishing fine touch of our Department of English.

It is not to be concluded that all was dark and dull. We have seen amazing participation from Kishan, Latta, and Sneha in various events. Apart from Daya, Nidhi & Riddhi, Latta & Khushboo have displayed an amazing development in their performances from first to the last semester. Chandani, Sneha, Jignesh, Bhavyang, Pina & Aditi were also very good and performed as expected. Hiral and Nandita are talented but somehow, they were not able explore their potential during the studies. Bhumika, Anjali & Stuti are also good in several things but were not able to perform as per their capacities. You all have incredible spart within yourself. Had there been no corona pandemic, we would surely have been able to fire it and see the sparkles that you all are capable of.

With a sense of pastness, we are all supposed to look forward towards future. Bygone is bygone. No one can amend the past. But future is still in our hand, in our control. From the pandemic year we learn to be ready for whatsoever befall on us. Without giving an iota of doubt or an inch of hesitation, we shall be ready to live life it all its fullest capacity.

On behalf of Department of English, MKBU, I wish you all a great future.

Let yourself metamorphose into something so beautiful that we feel proud to say that ‘s/he is our student’.                                                   ~ Dilip Barad 

Memorabilia 2021

 Memorabilia 2020-21

The Memorabilia 2021 prepared by the Students can be accessed here

Video Recording of the Online event: Annual Day 2021

From the Desk of the Head of Department of English

#covid19 #coronavirus #corona #pandemic

Our last year, the academic year 2020-21, was entangled in these hashtags. Today is no better. The pandemic has turned India into quagmire. Officially, India is recording highest number of covid infected cases in entire world, for last several days. People are struggling to get oxygen cylinders, ventilators, hospital beds. The hotels are converted into paid-covid centers. Several academic institutes have started temporary covid care units. We are amidst second wave of covid19 pandemic and Indians are the hardest hit in entire world.

It is but obvious that Corona Pandemic is a natural calamity. Though some conspiracy theories try to convince us that this virus is man-made in Wuhan Virus Laboratory in China and it is a sort of biological war started by China to economically destroy India and enemy countries, yet we do not have ample evidences to believe in such theories. What is important for us to believe in, rather than these conspiracy theories, is that how such natural calamities are aggravated by human error of judgement. How, we the humans, are responsible for the tragedies that happen in our societies and in our personal lives – is something very important to be learned from this pandemic.

We are aware of the fact that India lowered its guard against the pandemic in the month of March 2021. Officially, it celebrated the victory against Corona Virus. The leaders got busy with election rallies; the people got busy with religious congregations. There was widespread skepticism regarding vaccination among common-men. All these human errors of judgement are equally responsible for the tragic situation in which we, the Indians, are today. We come into such a dire situation because people in power deny to accept the advises of the experts. At times, they are taking decisions based on intuitions or astrology instead of scientific evidences. And then we all suffer!

However, it is not only the natural mutations of the virus and the errors of judgement by human agency that is responsible. It is our immunity or lack of it, also, to be made accountable. We have rich heritage of Yoga, Pranayama and Ayurveda. But when it comes to make it a part and parcel of everyday life, we are the laziest lots. These precautionary life-style is neglected, I would say, criminally neglected, and then, when the house is on fire, we think of digging the well. Then, when the milk is spilled, what’s the use of crying over it.

We are supposed to keep one law of nature at our fingertips: A single rotten mango can infect all the healthy mangoes, but all healthy mangoes can not remove the rot from a single infected mango.

The point is, we all have to be hale and hearty. Even if a single person in a society is not taking care of his/her health, s/he is a danger to all human beings. If s/he gets infected by virus, s/he is going to spread and infect all healthy immune system. All healthy immune systems are incapable to transmit good health to a sick human. A sick human is capable to transmit sickness to all healthy humans. Isn’t this the crude and bitter reality of nature!

The life lessons we learn from the zeitgeist of our times are useful in our normal times also:

1. 1)    When it comes to take decisions, which can affect innumerable lives and it may turn down to be the matter of life and death, believe in conclusions drawn out of logic and rationality. In short, do not take decisions based on intuition or irrational calculations.
2. 2)    Never celebrate small victories. What seems to have ended might be just a small battle. The war might still be going on and we may be unaware about it.
3. 3)    Always ask – ‘What next!’.
4. 4)    Always remember – ‘Readiness is all’. Remember, so many sports persons got infected with corona virus. The Indian Premier League (IPL 2021) has been postponed because of several cricketers got infected in the bio-bubble. So, even if you are keeping your immunity stronger with yoga, pranayama, Ayurveda or sports and outdoor games, be ready for the infection. So far as rotten mangoes are with us, we, the healthy mangoes, are prone to infection.
5. 5)    Every thing is just a mind game! Keep your mind engaged with some sort of activities. Only keeping body fit is not enough for immunity. The mind, too, shall be engaged with something creative, constructive and beautiful. Keep your mind busy with the work you love to do!
6. 6)    Learn to enjoy isolation! Practice individualism. It is not to say that do not be a part of community. Be ready to help the community but be self-reliant, Atmanirbhar! In short, do not give the remote control of your happiness or sorrow to others. Have a control over your remote control.
7. 7)    Remember, immunity is the key to happy life! Health is heaven, and illness is hell! No better than corona pandemic can teach this simple lesson so effectively.

Writing for this very well edited Memorabilia 2021, I am indeed glad to see that almost of all students are safe and healthy in this time of illness. Baring a few students, all others are hale and hearty. It was great to see that in the Webinar Presentation Season 4, all students made their presentation and no body gave an excuse on the grounds of illness. This is something rarely found even in normal days. It seems you in good health because you all are keeping yourself creatively and constructively engaged with your studies and other work. Keep doing so! Never keep your mind idle!

Finally, I would like to say that this was a very good batch (2019-21) of students. Most of you were very eager to know more, your eyes were hungry to learn more and more, your sincerity in your work was very genuine, your habit of doing a little bit more than expected was something very rarely found these days.

The prime objective of our Department is to (i) develop literary sensibility, (ii) generate interest in academic & research writing, (iii) make students critical thinkers, and (iii) hone digital skills among our students. In this batch, I am glad to say that, the number of students who displayed these achievements are in large number than those who didn’t. Many of you have set a higher benchmark for the batches to come.

This year was a year of learning and doing so many new things. It was the year of disruptions. After teaching for two and half decades, the teachers start getting safe in their cocoon. In our younger days, we break the cocoon to get ourselves beautiful wings to fly like butterfly. The metamorphosis from caterpillar – to – chrysalis - to – butterfly

gets somewhere stagnant. We start believing that we have metamorphosed into butterfly. The corona year, for me, was a realization that there were I got stagnant was a phase of ‘chrysalis’. The challenges of teaching and also learning lot many things in this corona year was something like ‘becoming a butterfly’. This year was full of trials and errors, in short, of learning a lot – to teach in online mode, hybrid mode – to make lightboard, to try various innovative practices in teaching – learning to live stream events – was like getting new wings to fly.

All that was done during this pandemic year – is documented here https://sites.google.com/view/webinar-eng-mkbu/home .

Best wishes to all the students to shine out in real life situations. Never let your guards down. Keep on honing new sills. Never think that you have already metamorphosed into butterfly. Always keep in mind that you may be still in your cocoon and keep on breaking the self-imposed limits. The tough times make us tougher. The bitter times make us better. When the going gets tough, the tough get going!

Memorabilia 2020

Memorabilia 2020

From the desk of the Head of the Department

A Meme is an interesting ‘sign’ of communication. The word meme is a neologism coined by Richard Dawkins. It originated from Dawkins's 1976 book The Selfish Gene. 

Richard Dawkins likened the process by which memes survive and change through the evolution of culture to the natural selection of genes in biological evolution. Dawkins defined the meme as a unit of cultural transmission, or a unit of imitation and replication, but later definitions would vary. 

Merriam-Webster dictionary defined - A meme is an idea, behaviour, or style that spreads by means of imitation from person to person within a culture—often with the aim of conveying a particular phenomenon, theme, or meaning represented by the meme. 

Gordon Graham states in ‘Genes: A Philosophical Inquiry’ that “A meme acts as a unit for carrying cultural ideas, symbols, or practices, that can be transmitted from one mind to another through writing, speech, gestures, rituals, or other imitable phenomena with a mimicked theme. Supporters of the concept regard memes as cultural analogues to genes in that they self-replicate, mutate, and respond to selective pressures. 

Well, the purpose of this explanation of ‘meme’ is to understand how funny-looking photograph of Mr. Bean with a dialogue between interviewer and ‘me’ (whoever reads this) is so significant meme in the times of leadership crisis. 

When observed from the distant hill-top position with a hind sight, every passing-out batch makes me think something vividly and yet in very general terms i.e. not specific about individual students, but about entire ‘class’ / ‘group’. The batch passing out in 2020 makes me re-think about the qualities and characteristics of leadership. This meme acts as a unit for carrying leadership ideas, symbols and practices, that can be transmitted form one mind to another through behavioural patterns imitated by others, supported and self-replicated and responded in similar fashion. The contemporary phenomenon represented by this meme is exactly what was experienced in last year. The meme speaks about leadership crisis in real-life situations. Social media platforms like WhatsApp is just a means for communication. Communication is a very significant strategic tool for good leadership. However, it shall be carried out in real-life situation, lest it should remain only at communication level which does not materialize in real life situation. 

When it comes to developing leadership qualities among students, we follow the model of ‘Emergent Leadership’. The success story of Google is all about ‘emergent leadership. We have also achieved significant positive results in past with the similar model of leadership wherein there is little interference by teachers and students are free to display leadership qualities. 

I would like to borrow views of Stuart R. Levine published as The Skills Required for Emergent Leadership on cutimes.com. He defined Emergent Leadership as ‘It is a type of leadership in which a group member is not appointed or elected to the leadership role; rather, leadership develops over time as a result of the group’s interaction. He concluded that it is not grades that matters but ‘predictive of success were adeptness with the “soft skills” of leadership, humility, collaboration and loving to learn, unlearn and re-learn… surprisingly, even the expertise was not a useful predictor. For every job at Google, general cognitive ability as the primary attribute of success and expertise as one of the least important. Google discovered that emergent leadership skills – including a desire to learn and the ability to process and integrate disparate bits of information for solutions and insights – were more important than content knowledge. 

Somehow, I don’t know why, but I get such vibes that the passing out batch was lacking the characteristics of emergent leadership. I have never felt an urge to write in Memorabilia about ‘the lack’. I prefer to write about what positive attributes were ‘present’ among the class of students passing out. Somehow, again I don’t know why, I feel – let me take this last opportunity to teach something so significant as life skills – emergent leadership! 

Many students are very talented in their respective areas of interest. . . . . But because they lacked the attribute of emergent leadership, they failed to lead the group to achieve something significant as a class. 

Many of the students were having very unique skills, attributes, characteristics, creative power and passion for life. Mentioning some of their uniqueness, not as per the attributes but alphabetically, I would like to mention that Alisha - a passion for acting in theatre & TV; Ashish - informed about his passion for badminton; Bhavnesh - shown good capacity to critically think and articulate in equally good elocution; Dhaval - good drafting style in Gujarati language, passion for photo-videography, media and also an insight for aesthetic designs; Dipti - displayed hunger for deep learning; Divya - capacity to do hard work; Hetal - a passion for sports; Hina was good learner; Jeel displayed attitude for research based learning; Kailas - a knack for adventure sports; Krishna displayed a capacity to lead; Lalji was one of the most sincere in learning and showed ability to unlearn & relearn; Minkal - displayed capacity to learn and articulate learning for exam purpose; Mitalba was slow in traditional classroom learning but was better in digital learning, especially in lab sessions; Nasim - developed an insight to read real life through the lenses of literature; Nikita – displayed tremendous improvement in last semester; Prakruti - good command over language and was able to articulate understanding in classroom discussions; Prinjal - been very good in working hard; Ruchita - shown initial spark of passion for learning and leading; Urvashi - good ability for sports; Vidhya was good in celebration and cultural events; and Vishva had good language commands, ability to be creative and a leader. Avni, Jetal, Jyotiba, mansi, Monika, Nirali, Rajdip, Richa, and Sejal were doing their bit as good students and even helping others in various activities. 

All these students had talents to make it larger than life; make something historical; make an indelible mark. Somehow, that did not happen as I imagined or expected from them. And so, when I reflect back on their endeavours, attempts, talents, attributes and ability to perform, I feel they lacked something known as ‘Emergent Leadership’ - a desire to learn and the ability to process and integrate disparate bits of information for solutions and insights – were more important than content knowledge. 

The lack of emergent leadership leads to the corrosion of an ability to communicate effectively also. If the students of literature (humanities) lack the ability to communicate, to share, to speak, to opine, to contribute, or to disseminate their learning, reading, research and interpretations, what happens is very tragic for entire discipline of humanities. We should always remember what Richard Altick and John Fenstermaker said about the dire condition of Humanities in the era of STEM: “If the humanities, including the study of literature, are in perennial crisis – more so at the present moment, perhaps, than ever before – and the outlook for their survival grim, blame must lie as heavily on us, their appointed agents, for our lack of enterprise, as on the supposed unreceptiveness of the prospective consumers. (Thus), it is our responsibility to seize every opportunity to communicate with the lay audience, as in book reviews or in articles and essays in the popular press (read social media) on history, biography, and culture (and to make such opportunities where they do not exist). Our contribution as scholars in this regard is only a slight modification of our essentially two-fold task in the classroom: to educate students at all levels to read, write, and think, developing in them the intellectually curious habit of mind that casts a disinterested eye over all important issues, appreciating their complexities; and to lead students by extensive reading and critical analysis of recognized writers and thinkers, ancient and contemporary, inside and outside the mainstream, to seek, in Matthew Arnold’s words, “the best that is known and thought in the world” for the purpose of creating in their own lives a “current of new and fresh ideas” appropriate in this, our time.” 

We, at Department of English, strive hard to cultivate the habits of observing the process rather than the product; to nurture the habit of reflection, ponder upon everything we do; to habituate mind to question, to examine and to test before believing into anything – and above all, write about it, make it visible to the people in the world. We, the agents of literature / humanities, have to snatch every opportunity we get and display emergent leadership qualities; and be visible to the world by sharing our learning, reading, research & interpretations. 

If these points are pondered upon, I hope, the passing out students will be able to shine out wherever and in whatsoever position they are. 

This ‘Memorabilia 2020’ is an evidence of their incredible talent. Thanks to Committee Leaders for their reports. The Documentation Committee deserves an applaud for all the editing work. The design work is done by Dhaval. 

Best wishes to all the passing out students for the future of their dreams and desire! 

- Dilip Barad

'Memorabilia 2020' released by Vice Chancellor Dr. Mahipatsinh Chavda

Memorabilia 2020 from Dilip Barad

Memorabilia 2018-19

Memorabilia 2018-19

From the desk of Head of the Department

The Memorabilia 2018-19 reminds the sense of an ending. Julian Barnes has rightly said that the sense of an ending is one of the most curious senses. There are ‘senses’ which are very crucial for human beings. The senses like ‘common-sense’ is necessary to understand worldly affairs when our academic sense fails to unlock the enigmatic life. Similarly, ‘civic-sense’ makes us responsible and accountable citizens of the democracy. Likewise, ‘academic-sense’ guides us in using lessons learned in academia at right time and right place. Unlike these senses, political senses is not much valued and talked about. However, for the citizens who are eligible for casting their votes in democracy, this sense is as inevitable as any other. Bertolt Brecht has equated this with literacy and told very boldly that the worst illiterate is the political illiterate. s/he hears nothing, sees nothing, takes no part in political life . . . and does not seem to know that all citizens life depends on political decisions. Among all these senses, it is ‘historical sense’ which makes a huge difference. In T.S. Eliot’s words - the historical sense involves a perception, not only of the pastness of the past, but of its presence. The historical sense will help in better perception of zeitgeist of our time and space. It is this sense which differentiates people from sheople (sheep + people). We, at Department of English, while teaching English studies, makes an attempt to see that students develop these senses and become more sensible towards their personal lives as well as our society.

Coming back to the sense of an ending, the most curious sense of all these high-profile senses. When we get towards the end of two years, when a batch full of students are passing out – some curious feelings engulf and numbs our senses. No! It is not this Keatsian ‘my heart aches, and a drowsy numbness pains’ – sort of sense of an ending. It means an end of any likelihood of change in the life. We work very hard and we expect a sort of progressive, positive, and constructive metamorphosis among those with whom we so passionately get involved. At the end of the year, the sense of an ending engulfs.

This Memorabilia 2018-19 is nothing but a sort of pensive of all those wonderful memories. It is like that Time-Turner device made by Ministry of Magic in J K Rowling’s Potter series. It is like the Time Machine of H. G. Wells. Turning pages of this memory-booklet is like unwinding the time in Time-Turner or travelling back in the Time Machine.

 All credit for this sort of meticulous record keeping goes to the Documentation Committee. It is really tough task. However, social media like Facebook is helping a lot to them in keeping records. It was always satisfying to read their posts in the happenings with an interesting write-up and a few photos. It is even more satisfying to revisit all those ‘happenings’ in this Memorabilia, again.

When I look back at the quality of students who are passing out, I see that these students were a bit quicker in adapting to technology than the previous batches. These students have surprised me on several occasions. From presenting their work in digital form to working on online surveys, or preparing certificates with mail-merge feature, or collecting data, or working in collaboration, or even this Memorabilia itself . . . . With almost professional precision, they used assistive technology. I hope the digital skills they have acquired and honed are going to be very vital in their future career and life.

Another unique feature perceived in this batch was their courage and confidence to speak-up and voice their happiness as well as angst and anxiety. Many of them wrote and some even published good poems, short stories, social media posts and blogs.

This was the batch on which we worked very hard to improve their English language. Not that these students were very poor in English language. They possessed normal English language skills which is common with all other batches. However, this time we were able to spare time for remedial classes, answer-writing workshops and academic writing workshops. In a way, this batch is fortunate to have many sessions of improving academic English writing skills. Some of them have learned it and displayed the improvement in their writings also.

It is a tradition that most of the activities are carried out by students of the Department. They are divided in various committees and those willing to lead become natural leaders. Every year, apart from regular co-curricular activities, some unique activities are also planned by these committee members. This year,

•  ·         the Library committee planned a visit of Barton Library. This library is historically very important site for all book lovers,
•  ·         the ICT committee organised workshop for P.G. students of all departments and exposed them to basic digital tools. The entire workshop was conducted by senior students and even the resource persons were members of ICT committee,
•  ·         the Film Screening committee organised watching Hindi film Uri – The Surgical Strike in the cinema theatre,
•  ·         the Art and Creativity committee organised various competitions on the occasion of Guru Purnima and made digital display of short stories, paintings, poems, photographs and rangoli and winners were selected by online public voting system,
•  ·         the Celebration committee celebrated International Day of Yoga at Department, the credit of maximum participation in Sports and Adventure activities goes to the Sports and Recreation committee,
• ·         the Gardening committee carried out projects to support Swacch Bharat / Clean India campaign,
• ·         the Daily Schedule committee organised some very courageous debates on challenging issues like Pulwama Terror Attack, Adultery Act section 497 of  IPC, LGBT Act section 377 of IPC.

All members of the committee from Semester 4 and 2 are appreciated for these unique activities. We know that all humans are not similar. Neither are we born to do similar things in life, nor are we supposed to think alike. We all are unique and the uniqueness shall be maintained, irrespective of what-so-ever-life offers us. In spite of this, the fact remains that this rule does not apply to leaders. The leaders are supposed to be different from other people. The uniqueness of leaders lies in the fact that they are ready to merge and assimilate with one and all. That’s the sure way to lead the people. 

There is a famous quote ascribed to Bruce Lee: “Be like water making its way through cracks. Do not be assertive, but adjust to the object, and you shall find a way around or through it. If nothing within you stays rigid, outward things will disclose themselves.  Empty your mind, be formless. Shapeless, like water. If you put water into a cup, it becomes the cup. You put water into a bottle and it becomes the bottle. You put it in a teapot, it becomes the teapot. Now, water can flow or it can crash. Be water, my friend.” Leader are supposed to be like water. It is glad to see that without knowing all these things most of you have displayed these characteristics. Be with it. In future, you may unlearn many things and relearn also. But do not unlearn these characteristics of leadership which you have acquired by being so – water like! 

Lastly, keep reading literature. Great readers make for great leaders! Reading literature ripens our maturity. The emotional, intelligence, spiritual, creativity, adversity, and physical quotients (EQ, IQ, SQ, CQ, AQ, PQ of literature students / readers are much higher and deeper than students of any other subjects / discipline. At the same time, I would like to suggest to watch as many films as you can. In this year, we have seen the rise of web streaming services. It has opened new vistas for acquiring all these quotients which altogether makes for literary quotients and literary sensibility. If one wants to put it in arithmetic equation, it shall have an integer of multiplication. 

So, it can be – LQ = IQ x EQ x SQ x CQ x AQ x PQ. 

In addition, L = B + eB + F + YT + WS +TV, wherein Literature is equal to books, eBooks, films, YouTube, Web Steaming and Television. 

Do not nurture bias against these mediums. Do not privilege one over the other. All are equally important for the acquisition of literary quotient.

Wish you all the best for your future career and life. Keep sharing your achievements with us. We will make anecdotes out of your achievements and turn you into role-models for upcoming batches of students.

-         Dilip Barad

The Memorabilia 2018-19

Memorabilia 2018-19 from Dilip Barad