One day National Seminar on “Humanistic Concerns” organised at GGN Khalsa College

Ludhiana, April 11, 2023: Under the aegis of Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council, the Post Graduate Department of English of Gujranwala Guru Nanak Khalsa College organised one day National Seminar on “Humanistic Concerns: A Preview through Partition Literature” today. The occasion was graced by the honourable presence of Dr. Harish Narang, Former Professor & Chair J.N.U., New Delhi who delivered the Presidential address and Dr. Swaraj Raj, Professor & Former Head Department of English and Dean, Faculty of Languages, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib who was the Keynote speaker. Dr. Deepinderjeet Kaur Randhawa, Associate Professor, P.G. Department of English, Cultural Studies and Foreign Languages, Khalsa College, Patiala, Dr. Ankdeep Kaur Attwal, Assistant Professor & Head, Department of English, Sri Guru Granth Sahib World University, Fatehgarh Sahib and Dr. Harpreet Kaur Vohra, 

Assistant Professor, Panjab University Regional Centre, Ludhiana chaired the three plenary sessions. The event started with the lighting of the lamp and after that Dr. Sushmindarjeet Kauris, Associate Professor & Head, P. G. Dept. of English of the college acquainted the gathering with the primary theme and significance of the event. After her, Former Vice-Chancellor G.N.D.U. Amritsar & President, Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council, Dr. S.P. Singh formally welcomed the guests and said that the partition of India witnessed many adverse consequences that left a long-lasting impact on social, economic and cultural landscape of Indian subcontinent and it has become an inseparable part of the literature as well. In his key note address, Dr. Swaraj Raj recounted that the partition of India was definitely a horror of unimaginable scale as it was not just partition of the country but a partition of the families, relations & friendship and Partition Literature helps preserve the memory of the Partition and serves as a reminder of the events that shaped the lives of millions of people. Dr. Ankdeep Kaur Attwal while speaking on the occasion said that the partition literature is an amalgamation of history, conflict studies, border studies, and politics. Dr. Deepinderjeet Randhawa discussed the multi-layered dynamics of the literature written on the partition of India and Dr. Harpreet Kaur Vohra explained how literary portrayal of the Partition of India brings into limelight the plurality of human experiences.

In his Presidential address, Dr. Harish Narang said that the partition has been one of the darkest phases in history of the subcontinent which had far-reaching effects on the history, literature, cinema, art and politics of India. He further said that there has been a shift in the historiography on partition with the focus now on the legacy left behind and it is not only the political but also its metaphoric and symbolic relevance and ramifications which are remembered and revisited from multiple angles in Partition literature. Forty eight paper presenters from different parts of the country came to present the papers on the diverse topics and these papers were discussed in three plenary sessions  which were successfully moderated by Dr. Hargunjot Kaur (Associate Professor) Dr. Bhupinderjit Kaur (Assistant Professor) and Dr. Mandeep Kaur (Assistant Professor), P. G. Dept. of English of the college. 

The Seminar concluded with the vote of thanks by Principal of the college, Dr. Arvinder Singh who showed his gratitude to the guests and said that this specific Seminar will surely encourage the students to look at one of the defining events in the history of the Indian subcontinent and Partition literature is a well-rounded representation of the bloody legacy of religious extremism. 
Harsharn Singh Narula, Honorary General Secretory of Gujranwala Khalsa Educational Council, other members of the council, the heads of the institutions running under the council, faculty members and students were present on the occasion.