The
Indo-Canadian Studies Centre - ICSC - had organised
a one-day international symposium on 'Re-Imaging the
Old and Negotiating the New: Indo-Canadian
Literature and Cinema' following the Centre's
inauguration on 3rd October 2011. The
Centre had invited international experts in
Indo-Canadian studies to this symposium.
Professor Nilufer E. Bharucha, the Honorary
Coordinator of the ICSC, Mumbai University welcomed
the guests and delegates to the symposium and said
how the centre was given funding by the former
premier of the British Columbia Province, Mr. Gordon
Campbell, through an MoU between the Mumbai
University and the University of the Fraser Valley,
B.C., Canada.
The
symposium was inaugurated by Dr. Rajan Welukar, Vice
Chancellor of the University of Mumba,who in his
inaugural address said that he hoped that this
symposium was the beginning of a long collaboration
between India and Canada. His thoughts were echoed
by Mr. Marvin Hildebrand, Consul General of Canada
in Mumbai, who was the Chief Guest at the
symposium.
Professor Susan Fisher, Vice Dean of Arts,
University of the Fraser Valley, Canada, gave
introductory remarks and also mentioned her long
personal and professional association with Professor
Nilufer E. Bharucha, Honorary Coordinator of the
ICSC, and Professor of English at the University of
Mumbai.
The
symposium which was conducted in two sessions had
interesting Keynotes on the theme of the symposium.
Chaired by
Professor Barbara Schmidt-Haberkamp
Professor of English, University of Bonn, Germany,
the first session had Professor Susan Fisher of the
University of the Fraser Valley, Canada, talking
about 'South Asian Canadian Literature: Between
World Literature and Canadian Literature'. Next,
Professor
Sunaina
Singh, Former President of the Shastri Indo-Canadian
Institute, New Delhi, and Professor of English,
Osmania University, Hyderabad,
dealt with the theme of homeland in the context of
the Diaspora and presented a paper titled
'Re-imagining Homeland and Heterotopia- Situating
the Diasporic Context'. The session came to an end
with a Keynote on "Matching Orphaned Socks":
Cross-Cultural Memories in Bharati Mukherjee's
Novels' , by Professor Klaus Stierstorfer, Vice
Dean, Philology, University of Muenster, Germany. He
is also the Vice President of the Association of
Canadian Studies in University of Muenster,
Germany.
The
Second Session resumed after the lunch break. This
session was chaired by Professor Susan Fisher of the
University of the Fraser Valley, B.C., Canada. This
session was opened by the Head of the Department of
English of the University of Muumbai, Professor
Coomi S. Vevaina. She spoke of how language can
create/recreate reality in the everyday lives of the
diasporic community. Her Keynote was titled "Arrey
baba, I'm telling you the truth, no" Anita Rau Badami's (Re)Creation of Reality in Chutnified
English in Tamarind Mem'. She was followed by
a Keynote Speech by Professor Sridhar Rajeswaran,
Dean, Faculty of Arts and Head, Department of
English, University of Kachchh, Bhuj, Gujarat. He
presented a paper on 'Re-imaging the Nation from the
Diaspora - Deepa Mehta's 1947 Earth'.
Professor Barbara Schmidt-Haberkamp,
Professor of English at the University of Bonn,
Germany, presented a Keynote paper on 'The
In-Between World of M.G. Vassanji', looking at Vassanji's writing and how his being a diasporic
affected his work. The last Keynote was addressed by
Professor Nilufer E.
Bharucha, Hon. Coordinator, ICSC, and Professor,
Department of English, Mumbai University on 'Repossessing
the Master Tongue, Subverting the Master Narrative
and Challenging the Metanarrative of History:
Rohinton Mistry's Fiction'. The vote of thanks was
offered by Ms. Kirti Javadekar, Project Associate.
The symposium was attended by students and faculty
members of different Mumbai University departments
and exchange students from German Universities. The
audience interacted with the Keynote speakers after
each paper, thus making the symposium interesting
and communicative.
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