Full-Bright Experience : A Discourse
Date: 16 March 2023
The Department of English organised an interactive session with Dr. Urvashi Kuhad, Fiction Writer and Faculty of English from Ram Lal Anand College, University of Delhi for the MA English Literature students at Kristu Jayanti College on the 16 of March, 2023. The session was a very informative one on the Fulbright Scholarship and fellowship program. Dr. Urvashi Kuhad elaborated on what makes a successful application and discussed eligibility, suitable applications, letter of recommendations etc. She also discussed the multitudinous benefits that accrue when you pursue opportunities abroad.

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Rhythm of War
Date: 09 March 2023
The second-year MA English students conceptualize, scripted, enacted, and staged a theatre performance titled Rhythm of War on 9th March 2023, at M3 Auditorium, Main Block. The Chief Guest for the program was Fr. Deepu Joy, Director, of the Students Welfare Office and Faculty Member, of the Department of Life Science. Fr. Jais V Thomas, Financial Administrator and Faculty Member, Commerce, and Management also graced the occasion. The play focused on the themes of morality in war. It sketched the justifications for the good and evil of war put forward by the Greek Goddesses- Athena (Goddess of War) and Irene (Goddess of Peace). The play showcased the destruction and havoc war levies in the life of the common man. Through the storyline, the notion of war being a medium of social change was also brought out effectively. It also resonated with the idea of strength in unity. The play ended leaving the audience to ponder over the question of whether the war was good or bad. The event concluded with the Chief Guest of the day, Fr. Deepu Joy, appreciating the cast and crew for staging the play. He commended them on their thought-provoking performance.

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The Inside Tracks Session-7 - An Introduction to the Spatial Realm of Literature
Date: 08 March 2023
The Department of English organised Session- 7 of The Inside Tracks on 08th March 2023, for the students of MA English Literature. The session was on the topic An Introduction to the Spatial Realm of Literature by Ms. Minu A., Assistant Professor, and Department of English. The session introduced the students to the key concepts of the Spatial Realm of literature. The salient points covered in the session were the history of spatial theory, a brief note on the spatial turn and spatial triad, an overview of spatial theory, and a discussion of the central ideas proposed by the important theorists. The session was made interesting with online literary trivia on some of the prominent places represented in literary texts. Overall, this session proved to be a fruitful learning experience for the students.

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Soft Skills Training
Date: 02 March 2023
A soft skill training session on "Interview Skills" and "Roadmap to Success" was organized by the Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College for the students of VI Sem BA JPEng, JPCS, PEP, Viscom, and English Hons on March 2, 2023, in A1 auditorium, Admin block. The first session on ‘Interview Skills’ was from 11 am to 12 pm. It was handled by Dr. Geethu Anna Mathew, Assistant Professor from the Department of Management. The session started with a silent prayer. Dr. Masilamani, Assistant Professor, Department of English welcomes the gathering. To head start the session the speaker put forward the question “Are you Employable?” to make the audience introspect. She provided various career prospects available for the audience from professional writing to public relations and more. The session was quite interactive and she introduced different types of interviews. Adequate preparation and practicing through mock interviews are key to excelling in an interview. She also offered the audience some crucial pointers on how to make a good impression and reminded them of the major errors made during interviews. She emphasised the importance of having the right attitude, dressing appropriately, and always having questions prepared to ask the panel after the interview. Formally the session was concluded and Dr. Masilamani proposed a vote of thanks.

The second session was presented by Dr Mary Raymer, Assistant Professor of the Department of English, on ‘Roadmap to Success’ from 12 pm to 1 pm. The session unfolded with a silent prayer. Dr. D.N.P. Prema Ponmani, Assistant Professor, Department of English welcomed the gathering and introduced the speaker. In order to energize the audience, they were engaged in a writing activity. A few motivating videos were played, and a group exercise was conducted to teach the audience the importance of teamwork, focus, and working under pressure as steps toward success. Knowing that the road to success is constantly being built and that it is acceptable to ignore some norms if they impede your personal development is a key takeaway from the session.

Thus both sessions gave the students crucial guidance on how to handle the challenges ahead as well as a preview of what they ought to expect down the road in relation to their future. Finally, Ms. Susan from the final year thanked everyone for their involvement and organising such a wonderful program.

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Fenestra, the Internship Presentations
Date: 28 February 2023
The Department of English organised Fenestra, the internship presentations by the IV sem MA English students on 28th February 2023 from 9.00 AM at A1 Auditorium (Admin. Block). Fenestra provides students with the opportunity to experience the professional world. Each of the students made a brief PowerPoint presentation on their internship. They briefed on the organization chosen for the internship, elaborated on the nature of their job at the internship, along with highlighting the difficulties faced, strategies employed to overcome the challenges and lessons imbibed through the internship. All the students thanked the management and department unanimously for providing such an enriching experience. The internal guides of the students were also present for the presentation.

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Prove Your Point: Group Discussion and Debate
Date: 22 February 2023
Group Discussion and Debate were organized for the students of II Semester B. Sc (MBGE) (General English) on 22-02-2023 at M 402, Main Block from 10:00 to 11:00 am. The students expressed their points through the debate on the ‘Impact of movies on youth’ and Group Discussion on the ‘Impact of Video games on youth’. Students have highlighted the positive and negative roles of Video games and Movies for the young generation and they gave general awareness about how to overcome them.

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Public Speaking on Ruminations on Life
Date: 21 February 2023
A Public Speaking session was organized for the General English students of II sem B.Com C students on 21-02-2023 at M 104 from 02:40 to 03:30 pm. The students expressed their opinion on different topics the choice of students as Humanity, Gender Equality, Travel experiences, Different facets of social media, and the state of different students in the same classroom. The students were enthusiastic in sharing their views on the subjects which also served as a medium for learning different perspectives of life.

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Rovers’ Conclave Students’ Presentation Session on Travel Experiences
Date: 16 February 2023
Department of English organises Rovers’ Conclave, a session based on students’ presentations on their Travel Experiences which took place in the class. The session began at 1.40 pm and ended at 2.30 pm. Students started their presentations in class through their PPTs. Every student in the class has involved in this presentation. Individual presentations were conducted to encourage the students to formulate their own individual ideas based on classroom learning, to make them capable of how to learn by personally approaching the crowd and handling their anxieties. Every student found it interesting to give their presentation on their Travel Experiences. It’s useful to others to know about more places they never have explored before in their life. The students found this session a useful one and they emphasise their own presentation skills.

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The Inside Tracks - Session-6 Cultural Memory
Date: 15 February 2023
The Department of English organised Session-6 of The Inside Tracks on 15th February 2023 for the students of MA English. Dr. Sreedevi Santhosh, Assistant Professor, Department of English delivered a talk on Cultural Memory. The session threw light on the significance of the colonial dictums that have shaped the course of English studies. Further, discussions revolved around the co-relationship between culture and memory studies. The session concluded with a discussion on regional memory.

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Share your Thoughts on “Fairy Tales - Source of Entertainment or Split from Reality”
Date: 14 February 2023
One-minute student presentation was organized for the select students who opted for Fairy Tales of Viscom and PYJO (Additional English) on 14-02-2023 at B 203 from 11:00 to 12:00 am. The students expressed their different opinions on Fairy Tales. While some argued that Fairy tales are a complete split from the present reality, some stressed the need for fairy tales as a source of comfort during tough times, while there were some students who argued that during their childhood they served as a source of entertainment later leading to the realization that it’s a split from reality. The entire session served as a medium for learning different perspectives on the subject of Fairy Tales.

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“Talk over Talkies” - A Screening and Discussion on Lord of the Flies
Date: 14 February 2023
The event entitled “Talk over Talkies” - A Screening and Discussion on Lord of the Flies was conducted on the 14th of February 2023 for the students of IV Semester B.A. Psychology, JOEN, JOEC, PYEN, PYJO AND PYPA. Three different classes under the supervision of their subject teachers – Dr. Smrity Sonal, Dr. Sovya Shephyr S.A., and Ms. Steffi Santhana Mary, were assembled together for the screening of the movie at A1 auditorium, Administrative block, on the 14th of February from 10 am onwards. The screening was followed by, but not limited to a discussion and a series of other discussions to be taken up in the respective classes in the following days to come. The event was planned to cater to the needs of the syllabus where an audio/visual representation of the syllabus text (Lord of the Flies) could be studied more effectively and can be made more impactful by arousing the interests of the students. It aimed not only to help the students to understand the elements of the novel better but also to aid them with sufficient perspectives to build their understanding, analysis, and criticism.

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Poets League - “Reflections on Self Affection”
Date: 13 February 2023
The Poets League was organised by the English Literary Association “Krysolite”, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College on 13th February 2023. The league was organised for anyone interested in writing/reading poetry from all disciplines in the college. “Reflections on Self Affection” being the theme of the event, students who had written poems and who had poured their hearts out into writing were provided a platform to present their works of art. Some wrote as per the theme, while some wrote what their hearts desired, reminding the crowd the beauty, depth and vastness of poetry. A handful of students from other disciplines and a few faculty members also presented their poems.

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A Forum on “Wilderness Paradox”
Date: 10 February 2023
The Department of English organized A Forum on “Wilderness Paradox”, on February 10th, 2023. The program was organised for the II BCA, Section B and F, II BA HSPS, JOEN, and JOEC students. The students were asked to share their valuable inputs on the topic “Wilderness Paradox”, thus helping them to analyse and evaluate their analytical skills on the given topic.

The event was coordinated by Dr. Saranya Narayanan, Assistant Professor, Department of English.

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Digital Humanities - Session-5
Date: 10 February 2023
The Department of English organised Session- 5 of The Inside Tracks on 10th February 2023. The session was an instructive session on Digital Humanities by Ms. V. Iswarya, Assistant Professor, Department of English. The students of MA English Literature were enlightened on the importance of humanities digital humanities in the present scholarly scenario. Students were introduced through demos to many digital platforms like DH projects, JSTORE text analyzer, Google Ngram, and a few others. The program provided an understanding of the intersection of digital technology with humanities scholarship and how the digital landscape is transforming the way we do research.

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Voice Your Opinion on Alternate Education
Date: 09 February 2023
One- minute student presentation was organized for the students of Viscom and PYJO (Additional English) on 09-02-2023 at B 203 from 10:00 to 11:00 am. The students expressed their opinion on Alternate means of Education, providing emphasis on the positives and negatives of the educational system. The entire session served as a medium for learning different perspectives on Education.

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The Gen-Z Talks: A Podium for Public Speaking
Date: 09 February 2023
The Department of English organised The Gen-Z Talks: A Podium for Public Speaking on 9th February 2023, for the II sem Bsc.BOBT and BTGE students. The program was held in Main Block, Room No. 312 at Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. The Talk took place between 1:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. The session included a presentation by the student Ms. Anushka. K, II sem B.Sc. BTGE on “Stock Market”; Mr. Albin.J, II sem B.Sc. BTG, sharing his ideas on “History of Fire Arms”; Mr. Niranjan.KV, II sem B.Sc. BTGE made a presentation on “The Land of Happiness- Bhutan” and finally, Mr. Harshit M., discussed the topic “Dilemma”. The session was informative and the discussions on Public Speaking helped the students understand the different aspects of Public Speaking. This event was coordinated by Dr. Giftsy Dorcas E, faculty of the Department of English. Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.

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Exploring Passion
Date: 09 February 2023
A session was conducted to engage with literature in context with the emotional dimension. “Exploring Passion” a perspective enhancement programme was organised by the English Literary Association “Krysolite”, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College, and conducted on 9th February 2023 for I & II M.A. under the guidance of Dr Giftsy Dorcas and Dr. Arsha Subbi. The theme was ‘Exploring Passion’ – the way of approaching literature via emotion. The students had to follow the colour red as the dress code in accordance with the theme. Various interactive games were held by the students to engage with the same. The first game was finding a ‘quotable expression for the conversational approach’ and the participants were given two minutes to select their quote of choice and share it. The second game followed a similar pattern as the first game where students shared their subjective favourite lines from any literary work that moved them. This activity encouraged the students to explore and discover the various forms of expressions and perspectives towards passion. The initial games were concluded with students receiving prizes for the top favourite entries. The third and fourth games were classic games that were conducted in batches and urged the students to relive their childhood experiences. The programme concluded with the final game being passing the parcel which contributed to the physical and coordination skills and increased the collective spirits of the students.

Overall it was an exciting and interactive event for the students and teachers and allowed them to rekindle their passion through a creative platform.

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Workshop on Blog Writing
Date: 08 February 2023
A Workshop on Blog Writing was organised for the students of IV BA HSEC, HSPS, PSSO, Psy Hons, BBA AM (B), and BBA D on 8th February 2023 at M2 Auditorium. The workshop was divided into two sessions: the first session for the IV BA students from 1.40-2.30 pm and the second session for IV BBA students from 3.40-4.30 pm.

The students were taken through a step-by-step process of blogging from the creation of email addresses to template creation and shown several blogs to help them understand how blogging works.

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Collaborative Learning Session on “Afro-Surrealism and Afrofuturism: Resistance through the Aesthetics
Date: 07 February 2023
The Department of English organized A Collaborative Learning Session on “Afro-Surrealism and Afrofuturism: Resistance through the Aesthetics, on February 7th, 2023. The program was organised for II BA HSPS, JOEN, and JOEC students. The resource person for the event was Ms. Sonali Midha from VI semester BA English Honours, Department of English.

Ms. Sonali talked about Afro-Surrealism as a literary and cultural aesthetic, a libertarian framework that seeks to cultivate alternative and expand ways of knowing and being for the Black people. She also explained how Afrofuturism grows out of leveraging the African experience of the past. They faced the erasure of their culture, art, language, and literature. Thus, today, African spirituality has trajected into modern-day music styles and genres like jazz, the blues, hip hop, and rock and roll, to the point where the spirit that embodied the African people became the beginning source of infusing the world with the Black Vision of the future. The event was coordinated by Dr. Saranya Narayanan, Assistant Professor, Department of English.

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Claim Your Turf: a freestyle debate session
Date: 07 February 2023
The Department of English organised "Claim Your Turf," a freestyle debate session for the students of II BA Psy. A and II BA PYPA on 7th February 2023 on the KJC turf at 2 p.m. The participants were presented a fictional scenario and asked to defend their reading of the situation. Forty students who took part in the debate were split into three groups based on their response to the given topic. While two groups of students defended opposing contentions, the third group consisted of undecided members who were then asked to take a side based on the two teams’ arguments. At the end of the debate, the side that had maximum supporters was declared the winner. The event helped students enhance their persuasive ability, communication skills, critical thinking and team building capacity.

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National Lecture Series: Queer Studies (HYBRID MODE)
Date: 06 February 2023
The second lecture of the National Lecture Series, a collaboration between English Departments of six institutes i.e. Patna Women’s College (Autonomous), Patna, Bihar, General Shivdev Singh Diwan Gurbachan Singh Khalsa College (Autonomous), Patiala, Punjab, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, Karnataka, St. Aloysius’ College (Autonomous), Jabalpur, Madhya Pradesh, St. Xavier’s College, Jaipur, Rajasthan and Sophia Girls’ College (Autonomous), Ajmer, Rajasthan across India, was held on 6th February 2023 in the M3 Auditorium, Main Block at 1 PM. The resource person for the lecture was Prof. Jaspreet Kaur, Associate Professor, Department. of English, GSSDDGS Khalsa College (Autonomous) as her lecture aimed at acquainting students with Creative Writing, its nuances and elements and its importance.

The event coordinator, Dr Mary Raymer, Assistant. Professor, Dept. of English, Kristu Jayanti College along with the Student Coordinators, Mr Shombit Das and Ms. Soha Anwar of VI BA English (Hons.) oversaw the successful conduction of the program, held over a Google Meet meeting, which was attended by the students of II BA English Lit., IV BA English Lit. and VI BA English Honours along with students and faculty members of the National Lecture Series member institutions. At the end of the lecture, the students were asked to take a 10-minute quiz upon the successful completion of which, students would be granted a certificate. The students showed great enthusiasm in their participation in this Collaborative venture and were excited to gain more knowledge regarding various subjects over the series of lectures.

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Optimistique Creativity Enhancement Program
Date: 02 February 2023
“Creativity is inventing, experimenting, growing, taking risks, breaking rules, making mistakes, and having fun.” - Mary Lou Cook. On the 2nd of February 2023, the Department of English organized the first literary association program of the year for the students of the Department of English by the students of I MA English. The event encompassed all of the students present there and was highly fascinating and enjoyable. First-year PG students of MA English literature along with the faculty member of the Department of English attended the program.

To make the session more interactive the coordinators conducted book asks and quick scribbling which involved all the students who were present. The audience was asked to write quotes using literary devices such as personification, in response to the visuals that were displayed, and a random member of the audience was picked to ask questions about books. The men of 1MA English performed a skit as well. Chocolates were given out to everyone who took part in the act. Optimism is the skit's main subject. Optimistic people are better at sticking with their plans, are more successful at doing so, are happier with their lives, and lead healthier lifestyles

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Crit the Tale
Date: 01 February 2023
Crit the Tale, a critical discourse on fairy tales was organised by the Department of English on the 1st of February 2023 for IVth semester BCOM and BBA students. A brief introductory presentation was given to teach the students about the existing stereotypes in primitive fairy tales. The addressed stereotypes were the lack of cultural diversity, the reinforcing of gender stereotypes, insensitivity addressed to trauma, and a certain lack of creative freedom. Students were able to identify these tropes and gauged a better understanding of how many fairy tales promote these stereotypes. Despite these criticisms, fairy tales continue to be popular and provide a space for creative expression and learning for many people.

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Round Table V
Date: 31 January 2023
The Debating Society organised the 5th session of Round Table, a debate and discussion forum for the members of the Debating Society on 31st of January, 2023 in Council Room, Admin Block at 3.30 PM. The day’s topic was “Can NEP 2020 Refine the Education System in India?”. The debate’s moderators were the student coordinators of DebSoc, Ms. Devika Shibu and Mr. Rohan Srinivas. The debate began with an introductory note by Mr. Rohan, and the participants shared their opening statements. This was followed by a heated discussion of the relevance of NEP 2020, the changes it perceived, and the impact it has on today’s education system. The debate was concluded by 4.40 PM with the judges of the day, Dr. Rini Reba Mathew and Dr. Rajalekshmi K, announcing the Best Speaker of the day, Mr. Vaibhav Arora from II semester BA English Literature.

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Not Fast Just Furious: Let’s Taco Bout it!
Date: 31 January 2023
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College organised Not Fast Just Furious, an open discussion on the topic of learning outside Classroom on 31st Jan 2023. The discussion emphasized on different ways of understanding and explaining the student’s opinions toward online learning, focusing on the Concentration aspect, learning satisfaction, and quality of learning respectively. Anticipating challenges like influencer fraud, social media influencers running real campaigns, and concerns about brand safety when unfamiliar influencers are engaged were also put forth by the students of II B Com P6.

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Commemorated the 74th Republic Day with an e-quiz competition
Date: 27 January 2023
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College commemorated the 74th Republic Day with an e-quiz competition, Road to Republic. The E-Quiz was conducted through google form on 27/01/2023 at 3:00 pm for the I MA English Literature students. Through the quiz, the students could test their knowledge to honor the Constitution of India and its values. The quiz covered a range of topics related to Indian history, culture, and current affairs.

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Curriculum Advisory Meeting
Date: 21 January 2023
Department of English conducted this academic year’s curriculum advisory meeting on the 21st of January,2023 at 10:00 am in the Council Room, Admin Block. The presentations were done for the upcoming Vth and VIth semesters single and double major courses. Dr.Kishore Selva Babu, Faculty, Christ University, was part of the expert panel.15 UG courses and syllabi were presented before the panel and received appropriate comments and suggestions. Following this PG courses and syllabi presentations were done before the panel for a few minor changes incorporated.

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Meghalaya Foundation Day
Date: 21 January 2023
The students of I MA English Literature celebrated the Meghalaya Foundation Day onJanuary 21st to commemorate the formation of the state of Meghalaya. The event was held in A2 Auditorium and was graced by the presence of Father Joshy Mathew, Head, Department of English. On this day in 1972, Meghalaya became the 24th state of India, after being carved out of the state of Assam. The students organized various events and celebrated the day with great enthusiasm and patriotic fervor, through various cultural programs to mark the occasion. The program started with the prayer song. Dr. Lyola Thomas addressed the gathering with a welcome address followed by a presentation on the relevance of the day by Nischay Bhandari. Along with other cultural events, the students performed an authentic regional dance to commemorate the culture of Meghalaya.

Oratorio 2022 (Finale)
Date: 02 November 2022
The Debating Society of Kristu Jayanti College Bengaluru organised a debating session for its student members, Oratorio. It was moderated by the secretaries of the Debating Society, and was judged by Asst. Prof. Chitra Susan and faculty coordinators of the Debating Society. There were 52 contestants but only 6 advanced to the final round. Mr. Prathik Jayaprakash and Mr. Jebeth Jason served as the event's judges, and Rohan Srinivas served as its moderator. Dr. Chitra Susan served as the event's teacher coordinator.

Every participant in the event had to open with a statement. Each of the other participants spoke after Ashwin A's forceful opening statement. The judges then interrogated each participant thoroughly about their statements. Then the participants were given the opportunity to question the other participants, sparking a contentious exchange amongst them. Every single participant offered impressive refutations.

Ashiq Mohammed, Lavni Khuarana and Aishwarya R were winners of first, second and third places, respectively.

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The Fortune Teller (For 2022-2025 Batch P6 BCom ACCA)
Date: 24 November 2022
The Fortune Teller is a short story penned by Karel Capek, a famous Czech writer. The story is about a fake fortune teller in England called Mrs. Myers and how she was trapped by the Detective Inspector Mr. McLeary and punished by the Magistrate Kelly. However, her prophecy turns out to be true, becoming the irony of the story as everyone’s judgement goes wrong but not the predictions of the fake astrologer. The 2022-2025 Batch BCom ACCA students of class P6 came together joining their imaginative and creative minds to present a vivid and striking skit on the lesson ‘The Fortune Teller’ on 24th November 2022 at 3:40 pm in A1 Auditorium in the Admin Block of Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous, Bengaluru.

OBJECTIVE:
A skit is a short theatrical sketch or act, participating in which, involves a lot benefits like improvement in communication skills, teamwork, dialogue, negotiations and socialization. The main aim of conducting the skit was to bring out the creativity of the students and to have in depth understanding of the lesson The Fortune Teller. It helps them get a better understanding of human behaviour and situations. It also helps students to develop their critical thinking abilities which allow them to make better decisions.

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Grammarton: Race to Crown the Grammar Champions
Date: 21 November 2022
On the 21st of November 2022, the Department of English conducted Grammarton: Race to Crown the Grammar Champions at 10.00 AM in M106 [Main Block]. The programme aimed to test the grammar knowledge of the students based on their general English paper syllabus. Questions on the following topics were covered in the quiz- tenses, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, synonyms and antonyms.

Steffi Santhana Mary, Assistant Professor, Department of English was the coordinator of the event. The competition had a preliminary round was conducted through LMS. All the students of the class participated in the preliminary round. The final round had 10 students battling it out on Grammar questions in 8 rounds. The students participated enthusiastically in all the rounds. At the end of each round there were eliminations.

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Bookmark Making Contest & Book Spine Poetry - Book Week November 2022
Date: 21-11-2022 to 25-11-2022
To celebrate the joy of books and reading, the Department of English conducted two events – a bookmark-making contest and book spine poetry to observe Book Week in November 2022. The contests were open to all undergraduate students and saw active participation from many. The bookmark-making contest required students to use a favorite quote from a book to create unique bookmarks with their creativity and originality. The completed bookmarks were dropped in a box kept in the Department of English. Students from all deaneries took an active part.

Book Spine Poetry Contest was the second event open to all students and was to be submitted online. The contest required the participants to submit a poem made out of book spine titles alone. A pile of books needs to be stacked and the photo taken and submitted as an entry for the same. The google form link was shared in class groups and this event also witnessed active participation. Winners will be provided a certificate from the department.

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Department of Humanities Alumni Batch Gathering
Date: 19 November 2022
The Department of Humanities conducted a virtual alumni meet for the batches 2013-16, 2014-17, 2015-18, and 2016-19 on 19 November 2022. Faculty members from the sub-departments of English, Media Studies, Political Science, and History were the organizers of the event. Mr. Aby Augustine, faculty of the department of Media Studies welcomed the gathering. Dr. Gopakuamr AV, Dean of Humanities addressed the alumni members. Ms. Ramya B, Dr. S.J Michael, Mr. Jerrin Jose, Mr. Abraham, Dr. Kaveri Swami, Ms. Minu A, and Ms. Alna Maiya Isac were the faculty members who attended the programme. Faculty members shared their joy and pride of being connected with the alumni members of our institution and appreciated their concern back to their alma mater. Alumni members shared their memories and their present position in the meeting and expressed their gratitude to the teachers and management for helping them to reach their desired destinations.

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Grammarton: Race to Crown the Grammar Champions
Date: 18 November 2022
On the 18th of November 2022, the Department of English conducted Grammarton: Race to Crown the Grammar Champions at 11.00 AM in M402 [Main Block]. The programme aimed to test the grammar knowledge of the students based on their general English paper syllabus. Questions on the following topics were covered in the quiz- tenses, articles, prepositions, subject-verb agreement, synonyms and antonyms.

Dr. Giftsy Dorcas E, Assistant Professor, Department of English was the coordinator of the event. The competition had a preliminary round Round of 30 conducted through LMS on 16.11.2022. All the students of the class participated in the preliminary round. The final round had 9 teams with two members each battling it out on Grammar questions in 8 rounds. The Quiz questions were compiled and converted to a Power Point Presentation by Ms. Gowri Madhu. Ms. Anjali Anil was the quiz master for the session. The nine teams participated enthusiastically in all the rounds. At the end of each round there were eliminations. The final round had two teams battling it out to be the winners . The final winners of Grammarton were Aheli Biswas – (22MBGE02) and Lea Baby Alex – (22MBGE26) and the team of Ron Aji (22MBGE34) and Esther Mary Biji (22MBGE12) came in second. The programme proved to be an experiential learning experience for the students.

“I enjoyed the quiz a lot, and it helped us learn Grammar through competition”, said Mr. Tapobrata Chattaraj from I BSc MBGE.

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Career Prospects for English Majors
Date: 18 November 2022
The Department of English organized an expert session on "Career Prospects for English Majors" in association with the Centre for Employability and Corporate Relations (CECR) to inform English significant students of what their future opportunities may be and ways that would enable them to successfully secure jobs through the placement process in addition to helping them advance in their careers. Prof. Bijin Philip focused on educating the students about the process and how students can eventually succeed in their careers.

The session mainly focused on providing suggestions and guidance regarding how students can make the right choice when it comes to choosing a career path, tips on resume building, preparing for the interview process, and all the small but essential requirements that need to be met.

The session ended with various exciting questions by the students, brilliantly answered by Prof. Bijin Philip, leaving no room for doubts.

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The “Oink” Show – with Abel Philip Johnson
Date: 16 November 2022
On the 16th of November 2022, the Department of English conducted The Oink Show with Abel Philip Johnson, a talk show based on the novel – Animal Farm by the students of II BA English Literature. This show aimed to understand the Novel and Characters better and also to indulge in literary criticism.

This enlightening session which was held in B202, Admin Block, began at 3:40 pm and was attended by the students of II BA JOEC, II BA JOEN and II BBA (B & D) and Dr. Lalmalswami Ralte, Assistant Professor, Department of English and Prof. Steffi Santhana Mary, Assistant Professor, Department of English. Dr. Giftsy Dorcas E, faculty of Department of English was the coordinator of the event. The event began with an invocation song by the Department choir. Mr. Abel Phillip Johnson of II BA English Honours was the MC of the event. The welcome address was delivered by the MC himself. Next, the show started with Ms. Sendhur Devi as Molly (a character of Animal Farm) who was interacting with the audience. Following that there was a narration of the summary of the novel in a form of poem. The spectacular poem was written by Ms. Janhavi Sharma of II BA English Honours and was narrated by Ms. Payal Dutta of II BA English Honours. The show then started with the arrival of Mr. Abel, the MC of the show. He began with the introduction of the show along with the guests of the show. The guests were in their character and introduced what character they were playing. The show began as soon as the introductions were done. The MC was questioning all the guests based on the role they played in the Novel. The much interactive session was followed by a series of questions from the inquisitive audience. After the question-answer session, the talk show or the “Oink” show came to an end.

Finally, the Vote of Thanks was delivered by Mr. Abel Phillip Johnson of II BA English Honours. At the end of the program, a photo session was held to commemorate the success of the event.

“I enjoyed the show a lot, and it was unique to represent a play”, said Ms. Lakshmi Nair from II BA English Honours.

The talk show was truly magnificent, and a splendid way to showcase the Novel – Animal Farm.

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The Debating Society - Roundtable II
Date: 10 November 2022
The Debating Society of Kristu Jayanti College Bengaluru organised a second roundtable for debating society participants. It was moderated by the secretaries of the Debating Society, and was judged by Dr. Rajeesh C.S., and Asst. Prof. Chitra Susan Thampy faculty coordinators of the Debating Society. Mayank Bharti from BTGE, 1st semester won the prize for ‘best speaker’.

The members actively participated in the stimulating exchange of dialogues. They showed their skill of having a controlled yet balanced conversation. In spite of the opposing point-of-views, they presented themselves with rationality and the entire event displayed their rigour in research.

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Best Practice of the Department Turn a Leaf
Date: 10/11/2022
The Department of English (UG) on the 10 November 2022 has successfully hosted ‘Turn a Leaf’ a reading event, diving into the wonderful world of books and Classics that an English Student or any avid reader should definitely indulge in. Despite the receding numbers in voracious readers, we were able to dwell into the 1966 novel by Jean Rhys, The Wide Sargasso Sea with full impact. Being a prequel to the Famous Classic Novel Jane Eyre by Charlotte Bronte, We were able to set a familiar atmosphere to all those who attended. The members assigned to organize The Turn a Leaf of this month, from the class of final year English Honours, Evelyn George, Roktim Mishra, Ananya Deb, Athonthei Luikham and Jatin Yadav presented a detailed study of the book.

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Experiential Learning A Theatrical Production on Nagamandala
Date: 14/10/2022
Experiential learning as part of teaching pedagogy, theatrical production was organised to develop students’ theatrical skills. Since the play ‘Nagamandala’ was part of their curriculum (Optional English V), Students of final year BA JPENG-B wanted to enact the same on the stage under the guidance of Dr Masilamani C. It was directed by Abhay C Abraham and Tamanna Dwedi.

The play was performed by the cast of 14 members. The play was a great success despite the time constraints due to exams. The story revolves around a girl who tries to win her husband's heart but accidentally wins over the heart of a King Cobra, who then takes up her husband's form and meets her only at night. Her confusion with her husband's switching personalities during day and night amused the audience.

The cast was very interactive and the play was based on folk narrative where the characters interact with the audience. The lead role of Rani was played by Freya Christian, and Geo Ann Tom played the dual role of Naga and Appana. Kuradawa was played by Jemimah Johnson, Kappana was played by Faheem Hyderali, The Elders were Nimir Nag, Alan Reji and Samuel S. 'The Story' was played by Nakshatra K, 'The Man' was played by Joel Shajan Mathew. The Flames were played by Jicy Joy, Lydia Haokip, Riya Attrish, Andreah Mathews and Chandrika Tummalapenta. These wonderfully talented students of JPENG B made the play a grand success.

Above all, it was overall a great show and was enjoyed throughout by the audience and the cast. The cast made best use of the resources available and the teachers of the department commended highly about the performance of the students and finally it turned out to be the greatest show.

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Online Poster Making Contest on APJ Abdul Kalam’s birthday
Date: 15/10/2022
The Department of English organized a Poster Making competition on Dr. APJ Abdul Kalam and his revolutionary ideas on his birthday commemorating the powerful and charismatic personality of Dr. Kalam and his powerful vision. The competition was organised on October 15, 2022, for all the BA English Major students. The competition was held online. The entries were open from 10 a.m. to 10 p.m. This event was co-ordinated by Dr. Neha Kumari, faculty of the Department of English. The judges for the competition were Dr. Saranya Narayanan, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru and Dr. Barnashree Khasnobis, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.

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Victopia: Victorian Promenade
Date: 22/10/2022
The Department of English organized Victopia: Victorian Promenade, a period cosplay commemorating the literary aesthetics and fashion of the Victorian era, on October 22nd, 2022. The programme was organised by the III BA Honour students, and it included a theatrical performance, a cosplay and a discussion session, held in M1 Auditorium, Main Block, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.

The session began with a theatrical performance of the play Importance of Being Earnest, which provided the audience with an understanding of Victorian morals and societal norms. It was followed by a cosplay, where the students dressed up as their favourite characters and authors from the Victorian era. The event ended with a discussion session where the audience got an opportunity to interact with these authors and characters.

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Inside Tracks – Session 2 - Experiential Learning in the Language Classrooms
Date: 21/09/2022
On the 21st September 2022, the Department of English held the second edition of a novel best practice called the “Inside Tracks” titled ‘Experiential Learning in English Classrooms’ for the students of MA English Literature. This edition aims to provide an understanding of various methods of English language teaching but more specifically, Experiential learning from within the classrooms.

Dr. Masilamani C. began his lecture on the various facets of experiential learning in the English classroom. He started with the example of Isaac Newton’s conceptualization of gravity from experience to reflection to concept formation which in turn forms the final output. He explains the significance of the process in learning as this plays a pivotal role in long term memorization of the concept. He then elucidated the different psychological approaches in learning such as Behaviorism which is learning based on stimulus and response, Cognitivism which is learning through internal processing of information, and Constructivism which relies on experience to construct our knowledge on the subject. An interactive session ensued his pragmatic session where the audience asked the speaker questions and clarifications.

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The Inside Tracks– Embracing Inquisitiveness
Date: 14/09/2022
On the 14th of September 2022, the Department of English kickstarted a novel best practice “The Inside Tracks”– an ‘Expert Lecture series on Research’ for the students of MA English Literature. This series aims to foster the students’ interest in the field of research and guide them through their research endeavours.

This enlightening session was attended by the PG students and Faculty members of the Department of English. Dr. J. Nelson Michael, Director, Centre for Research, was the resource person for the event. Dr. Lyola Thomas, Coordinator, Department of English (PG) addressed on the significance of the title “The Inside Tracks” and explained that this series would help the students cut across boundaries and gain an advantageous position in the field of research. Following Dr. Lyola’s address, Dr. J. Nelson Michael started the session on ‘Embracing Inquisitiveness’. He began by praising the Department of English for taking such a wonderful initiative to empower the students to enhance their research abilities. With the help of captivating images, he explained how a student should approach the field of research. He emphasized on adhering to eight values in order to be a good researcher– Refresh your mind, Embrace difference, Sensibility, Ethics, Ardor, Redefinition of your personality, Complementing personality and Happiness. The much interactive session was followed by a series of questions from the inquisitive audience. After the question-answer session, Dr. Lyola presented a memento to Dr. Nelson as a token of appreciation.

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Writeopia – Flash Fiction Writing Contest
Date: 08/09/2022
The Department of English conducted a flash fiction contest on 8th September 2022 to commemorate International Literacy Day. The contest titled Writeopia – Flash Fiction Writing Contest was held online and was open to all English major students. The theme of the writeopia was “Classroom”.

Outcome:
The event saw participation from all English major students. The 19 submissions were
reviewed and the results were as follows:
First Place: Nikitha Ganguly, III BA JPEng A
Second Place: Gaurika Naidu, II BA JOEC
Third Place: Richie Varghese Koshy I BA PYEN

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Battle of Open Letters
Date: 01/09/2022
The Department of English organized a letter writing competition ‘Battle of Open Letters’ commemorating World Letter Writing Day on September 1, 2022, for the III sem BA English Honours students. The competition was held in Admin Block, Room No. 403 at Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru. The competition took place between 1:30 p.m to 2:30 p.m. This event was co-ordinated by Dr. Giftsy Dorcas E, faculty of the Department of English. The judges for the competition were Dr. Saranya Narayanan, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru and Prof. V. Iswarya, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru.

The topic given for the competition was to write a letter to your favourite fictional character. In the preliminary round all students wrote letters to their favorite fictional character. The letters were scrutinized and the best nine letters were selected. This session began with the welcome speech by Ms. Sreepriya Parida, III BA English Honours, who was also the MC for this session. The chosen nine contestants then read their letters to the audience. All the contestants cordially participated in the event. The judge gave her insights on writing letters and appreciated the contestants for their efforts. The event was concluded with a vote of thanks delivered by Ms. Githika Prakash, III BA English Honours.

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Readers’ Gallery: ‘It Ends With Us’
Date: 26 August 2022
The Department of English organized another edition of the Readers’ Gallery, which took place on the Kristu Jayanti Turf at 3:30PM. This event took place on 26th August 2022 to provide us with a new perspective on ‘it Ends With Us’ by Colleen Hoover. It had over 40 participants including students and faculty members. The session began at 3:30 p.m and ended at 4:45 p.m.

This session began with a silent prayer invoking God’s blessings, followed by Ms. Anu Barathi who was the MC for this session along with a short profiling of the renowned romance and psychological thriller author – Colleen Hoover. At the end of the event, we had an interactive session followed by the vote of thanks by Mr. Teslin. We concluded with a photo session.

The audience not only participated jovially but also took to sharing their ideas from this thought provoking event and was a successful contribution to the Readers’ Galleries held and was a much appreciated one.

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Seven days Value Added Course on “Strategies for Effective Communication”
Date: August 08, 2022
The Department of English conducted a seven days Value Added Course on “Strategies for Effective Communication”for II year B.A PYEN, JOEN, JOEN and English Honours students. The objective of the Paper “Strategies for Effective Communication” is to develop students’ understanding and knowledge of English language and to help them improve their communicative skills. To enhance students’ competency in English and help them succeed in competitive exams and to equip students to face interviews. The faculties in-charge were Dr. Pauline V N, Prof. Chitra Susan and Dr. Lalmalsawmi Ralte and the resource persons for the programme were Prof.Samjaila TH, and Dr.Ruth Magdalene, Ms.Steffi Santhana Mary, Dr.Saranya, Dr.Barnashree, Mr.Brighton A Rose, Dr.Neha Kumari, Dr.Smriti Sonal , Dr.Pradeep Raj, Ms.Preethi, Dr. Mary Raymer, Dr.Prema Ponmani,, Mr.Allwyn F, and Mr.Santhosh, They have given their best to make the subject easy and understandable by delivering lectures by using power point presentations, videos and interactive sessions .At the end of the programme an exam was conducted for the students in order to analyze their level of perceivance.

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Onstage Theatre Workshop
Date: August 16, 2022
The Department of English (PG) organized an Onstage Theatre Workshop for the II MA English Literature students. The event took place on 16th August 2022. It was held in the Kristu Jayanti College Training Hall, 7th floor. The session began at 2:00 p.m. and ended at 4:30 p.m. Resource person for the event was Dr. Pavithra, coordinator, Department of Performing Arts, Kristu Jayanti college. Dr. Pavithra provided an elaborate training on the basics of the art of acting followed by other games and activities.

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The Freedom Quiz – Independence Day Celebration
Date: August 12, 2022
The Department of English organized a quiz competition ‘The Freedom Quiz' for the II MA English Literature students. The event took place on 12th August 2022. The competition was conducted in Kristu Jayanti College, Room No. 404, 4th floor. ‘The Freedom Quiz' started at 3:30 pm. It was conducted on the occasion of the 75th Independence Day, 'Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav'.

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The Song of Freedom - Regional Song Competition
Date: August 12, 2022
The Department of English organized a Regional Song Competition, 'The Song of Freedom' for the II MA English Literature students. The event took place on 12th August 2022. The judge for the competition was Dr. Pavithra, Assistant Professor, Department of Performing Arts, Kristu Jayanti College, Bengaluru. The students gave their performances in their respective regional languages like Malayalam, Hindi, and their tribal language. The faculty members also gave their performances in Tamil, Bengali, English, and Hindi

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Value Added Course for the students of II MA English students
Date: August 5/08/2022 – 16/08/2022
The Department of English conducted a Value-Added Course on Cultural Studies for II MA English Literature students. The course commenced on the 5th of August 2022 and ended on the 16th of August 2022.

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Reorientation Programme for the students of II MA English students
Date: August 4, 2022
The Department of English organized a Reorientation Programme for the II MA English Literature students on 04.08.2022, at 2.30 p.m, in B404 (Admin. Block). Dr. Gopakumar A V, Dean of Humanities addressed the students and motivated them to up-skill themselves by making use of the different opportunities provided by the college. Fr. Joshy Mathew, Head, Department of English, was also present and encouraged the students to actively participate in all the department activities to be organized in this academic year. The students were also briefed about the department’s New Initiatives by Dr. Lyola Thomas, PG Co-ordinator-Department of English, and the Jayantian Code of Conduct by Prof. Susan Sanny. Prof. Jerin Jose, UG Co-ordinator-Department of English, the faculty members, and the II MA English Literature students were present at the programme

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Meet and Greet for I MA English Students
Date: August 1, 2022
The Department of English conducted an online ‘Meet and Greet’ event for the PG First Semester English Literature students on the 1st of August, 2022 at 10:00 am. The meeting for the newly enrolled postgraduate students started with a silent prayer, followed by Dr Lyola Thomas, Coordinator, English (PG) welcoming the students warmly to the event and congratulating them on having been accepted to the MA English Programme at Kristu Jayanti College. The participants introduced themselves and also expressed their happiness in being a part of the institution.

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Faculty Enhancement Program on ‘Technology Driven Pedagogy’
Date: July 27, 2022
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, organized a Faculty Enhancement Program titled ‘Technology Driven Pedagogy’ on 27th July 2022. Dr.Aruna Devi, Associate Professor, Department of Computer Science, Kristu Jayanti College, was the resource person. Dr Aruna Devi elaborated on a few technology-assisted teaching pedagogy tools that could enhance the teacher's effectiveness both within and outside the classroom. Teachers found the session insightful, comprehensive, and effective.

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Social Outreach Program: Inservio’22
Date: 3rd June and 4th of June 2022
The Department of English (PG) held its annual social outreach programme - Inservio’22 on 3rd and 4th June which took place in the Kanasvadi village with 25 students of 2nd semester MA English. Class animator Prof. I. Stephen and Prof. Susan Sanny accompanied the students to Nethaji Public School where everyone engaged various classes ranging from 1st grade to 10th grade students. A cultural extravaganza followed the classroom interaction .The programme that ended at around 1.30 pm was eagerly witnessed by 250 students of the school .They seated themselves under trees and stone benches. The cultural programme was organized by Mr. Arvind, Mr. Eljo, Ms. Sunidhi and Mr. Teddy. The afternoon session commenced with many team building activities and sports such as badminton and football, dance and other games. In the evening, the students had an interactive meeting with the entire department to discuss how much they appreciated the opportunity given .The meeting was also attended by Dr. Krishnaprabha , Fr. Joshy Mathew and Dr. Lyola . The second activity focussed on training the students of Kannamangala School. Dr. Lyola and Prof. I. Stephen guided the students’ .The students taught the school students Kannada, Communicative English and Zumba classes.

Ms. Mariza opined that the two day community engagement programme was an educative experience.

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Book Launch
On 6th June 2022, the Department of English organized a Book Launch to celebrate the release of the book titled ‘Cultural Crossings: Diffusing Borders.’ The book was the result of the collective endeavours of Dr. Lyola Thomas, Dr. Krishnaprabha, Prof. Susan Sanny, and Miss Sreelakshmi from IInd year M.A English.

The joyous event was held in the Council Room on the first floor of the Admin Block, in the presence of the faculty and the students of the Department of English (PG). The program began at 11:30 am with an invocation song by the department choir. The welcome address was delivered by Miss Princy P John of first-year M.A English. Miss Mariza Koshy the MC for the event invited Dr. Gopakumar A.V, Dean, Faculty of Humanities for the Book Cover Release. Dr. Gopakumar introduced the book to the audience. Dr. Aloysius Edward, Dean, Faculty of Commerce and Management was requested to officially launch the book. He extended his felicitations to the faculty of the Department of English (PG) and Miss Sreelakshmi for their efforts in compiling the remarkable work. Dr. Lyola Thomas read an excerpt from the book, giving a glimpse of its content. After that, Miss Sreelakshmi was invited to give a review of the book. The ceremony came to a close with the vote of thanks delivered by Miss Neethu Sebastian of first-year MA English.

“This day will be one of the most memorable days of my life”, said Miss Sreelakshmi, who played a major role in the making of the book.

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Student Panel Discussion
The Department of English (PG) organized a Student Panel discussion with Dr. Krishnaprabha, faculty coordinator of the event. It was held at Kristu Jayanti College Al Auditorium, 2nd floor, Admin block with over 23 participants including students. The session began at 2:00 p.m. and lasted till 5:00 p.m.

Kritika Chandrakar, the student coordinator for the event, gave the opening remarks. The panelists for this session, Sanika Sajan, Sandra Biju, Sandra Therase, Anu Bharati, and Pema Choedon, explored the most fascinating topic, "Stories of refugees' difficulties and survival." It was an educative experience opined Ms.Liya ,a student of MA.

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A Bientot farewell
The Department of English (PG) organized a farewell titled ‘A Bientot’ for the outgoing Batch of 2020-22. This event took place on 19th May 2022. It was held at Auditorium 3, 5th floor, Kristu Jayanti College.

This session began with an invocation song by the department choir seeking God’s blessings.Apart from fun games and informal programmes, the faculty members and Fr. Joshy Mathew wished the students. The final years Ms. Aksa Sara Lal and Ms. Swathi Nair shared their experience at Kristu Jayanti College. Ms. Liss opined that ‘A Bientot’ was filled with many cultural and fun activities and it would be remembered for years to come.

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French Fest, ‘Joie de Vivere’
On 13th May 2022, the Department of English (PG) conducted the French Fest, ‘Joie de Vivere’ which means the Joy of living.

50 students were present for sharing the joyous occasion .In the morning a French movie 'The Count of Monte Cristo' directed by Kevin Reynolds was screened to the students of the PG Department in the A3 auditorium. In the afternoon the students of 2nd year PG presented a French dance followed by a PPT presentation on French Culture and French Cuisine. A video on the culture of France was also showcased. At the end of the programme, the students assembled for a serving of delicious French cuisine, served in the department followed by a photo session. The programme sought to provide an immersive experience and a taste of French Culture to the assembled students.

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A Sunday Afternoon with French Art
The Department of English (PG) organized A Summer Afternoon with French art, presentations of famous French paintings by the students of second year MA English under the guidance of the event coordinator Dr. Lyola Thomas on 12th May 2022.

Five students from the department did presentations. The first was by Ms. Dhanya Pankajakshan on the Painting Nympheas by Claude Monet. She spoke about the beauty of the painting and the inspiration behind it. She also elaborated on the techniques used by the painter. The second presentation was done by Ms. Swathi S Nair on the Painting Liberty Leading the People by Eugene Delacroix. She spoke about the story behind the painting, its significance, symbolism and contemporary realism. The third presentation was by A N Sreelakshmi on the painting La Danse by Henry Matisse. She remarked the painter’s ideas on primitive art and fauvism. She explained how the intense warm colors of the painting convey hedonism. The last presentation was done by Jisha Jijumon and Jessia Saji on the painting Bal du Moulin de la Galette. It was indeed a memorable and enchanting day.

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The Reader’s Gallery
On 16th May, 2022, the Department of English (PG) organized another edition of ‘The Reader’s Gallery’ in the Recreation Arena, sixth floor at 04:00 PM, in the presence of the Faculty members, the students of the Department of English (PG) and the Department of English (UG).

The main speaker for the event, Ms Sandra Biju (1st year, M.A English Literature) engaged the listeners as she spoke about the well-known novel ‘Train to Pakistan’ by Khushwant Singh. Through her narrative style , she was able to transport the listeners into the world of the tragic tale of turbulence caused partition of India and Pakistan.

“The novel helped me to better understand the struggles of people and the conflict between Hindus and Muslims during the partition of India”, opined Ms. Mariza, a student of 1st year M.A English.

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Poet’s League 7th Edition
The Department of English (PG) organized the 7th Edition of the Poet’s League on 17th May 2022, to inspire the talented bards. It was held at A1 Auditorium, 2nd floor, Admin block in Kristu Jayanti College from 3.30 -5 pm. The event was helpful for the budding poets and enabled the students to step out of their comfort zones and showcase their hidden talents.30 participants including the faculty members enjoyed the session and also shared their poems.

Sudha of II MA English opined: ‘It helped us to evoke the creative minds in us.’

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Literary Theory Lecture Series on Post structuralism and Deconstruction: An Introduction
The Department of English (PG) organized a virtual lecture as part of the Literary Theory Lecture Series with Prof. Josy Joseph. The event took place on 27th April 2022. Prof. Josy Joseph engaged his audience with a very astute presentation, which delved into the myriad nuances of the topic and helped provide a new perspective on Post structuralism and Deconstruction. Over 50 participants including students and faculty members listened attentively. This was followed by an interactive session.

The audience imbibed insightful information from this thought-provoking lecture and was enlightened by the words of wisdom presented by the guest speaker of the day.

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Hour of Code-Technical Enablement Session
On April 13th, 2022, the Department of English (PG), along with the Department of Computer Science (PG) organized ‘Hour of Code’, a session aimed at developing the programming skills of students through fun and games. The session was held in the P1 Lab, on the second floor of PG Block at 3:00 pm.

Students of MA English were assigned places in the computer lab and instructed to log in through the desktops. The students of the Department of Computer Science (PG) assisted and helped students resolve the technical difficulties. They also patiently explained the procedure before delving into the actual practical experience. After an hour of coding experience, the session finally ended at 4:00 pm. It was a fun-filled experience for the students of the Department of English (PG) who enjoyed the idea of learning through games. Besides having fun, we gained a lot of additional knowledge on coding and took leave as more technically empowered individuals.

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Outbound Training Programme
The Department of English (PG) organized an Outbound training programme on 5th April, 2022, at Kristu Jayanti College P1 Auditorium, MBA block with over 50 participants including students and faculty members. The session was conducted by the versatile Prof. Sen B Mathews, Director of CECR, from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Prof. Sen B Mathews engaged his audience with fun activities which required everybody’s active participation. Ms. Teena a first year student opined that it was an enlightening experience and explained how Sir showed new ways to look for opportunities and grab them based on every individual's field of interest.

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Lecture series ‘Decoding Germany’
The Department of English (PG) organized an offline lecture series ‘Decoding Germany’ with Mr. Thorsten Schlidgen, Faculty of German language, Berlin, on 6th April 2022. It was held in Auditorium2, 3rd floor, Admin block with over 50 participants including students and faculty members. This offline lecture series on “Decoding Germany”, focused on Germany’s history, politics, economy, education, its geography, culture. Apart from this, the speaker held the attention of the audience while talking about Germany’s cuisine, sports and nature of people in Germany. Ms. Sunidhi opined that Mr. Thorsten, gave insightful views about Germany to the aspiring students.

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The Reader’s Gallery
On 31st March, 2022, the Department of English (PG) organized yet another edition of ‘The Reader’s Gallery’. The event took place in the KJC turf, in the lap of nature, at 03:00 PM, in the presence of Faculty members and the students of the Department of English (PG).
Ms. Dhanya engaged the listeners as she spoke about the well-known novel ‘Ladies Coupe’ by Anita Nair. Through her words, she was able to transport the listeners into the world of the six female characters, who faced several challenges in their journey to discover their identity.
“The novel helped me to better understand the struggles of women bound by conservative social norms”, said Ms. Kritika, a student of 1st year M.A English.

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International Lecture Series: The Wonder that is Spain
The Office of International and Domestic Relations at Kristu Jayanti College, Bangalore partnered with the Office of International Education and Development, Appalachian State University to host the program: The Wonder that is Spain on the 26 of March 2022 for the Post Graduate Students of the Department of English. The lecture was delivered by Mr. Alex Lorento Uviedo, Cultural Ambassador, from Appalachian State University, North Carolina as part of the International Lecture Series of the Department of English (PG) at 11:20 AM IST.

Mr. Alex Lorento Uviedo, took the participants on a virtual whirlwind tour of the alluring country of Spain. He began with the geography and physical conditions of Spain and its major cities. He then elaborated on the culture and customs of Spain. His talk covered aspects of traditional practices, cuisine and architecture. Mr Uviedo took the students onto a tour into Spain though beautiful visuals and google maps. He showed them around several places of historical and cultural significance. The lecture finally culminated with the major cultural festival of Las Fallas as he explained the significance of the Festival with breath taking visuals. The session was greatly aappreciated by the audience because of his self-depreciating humour and obvious love for Spain. and The event concluded with Prof. Stephen I, from the Department of English (PG) who briefed the students on the marvellous architectural designs of the churches and cathedrals in Spain with special reference to Sagrada Família. He concluded with thanking the resource person, Mr. Alex Lorento Uviedo for his sincere and committed efforts in bringing Spain alive to our students in Bangalore.

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Essentials of CorelDraw & Adobe InDesign
The Department of English (PG) organised a workshop on “Essentials of CorelDraw and Adobe InDesign. The session took place on 22nd of March, 2022 from 3:00pm to 5:30pm. Mr. Aby Augustine, Faculty, Department of Media Studies, Kristu Jayanti College who was the resource person of the event explained about the application of both software platforms. Sir began with the basics and then went on to explain more about the software and how it works. He then made the students go through a step-by-step process on how to create a poster and how to make a page layout.

He also gave the students an insight of the software platform like Adobe Illustrator and InDesign. He elaborated on how anyone can became an expert designer today by hard work and dedication. The resource person concluded by saying ‘Design is a passion and that anyone can learn to use this software without an external help if one has commitment to it.’

Aishwarya of II MA said, “The session was a productive one and opened our eyes to new possibilities”.

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Lecture on Invisible Intersections: Exploring Feminism, Disability and Gender
Department of English (PG) organized a lecture on 'Invisible Intersections: Exploring Feminism, Disability and Gender’ as a part of the Literary Theory Lecture Series on 21st March 2022 at 2:30pm in an online platform.

The resource person of the lecture was Ms. Sharada Devi V, PhD Research Scholar, Institute of English in University of Kerala. It was a semi-academic lecture; more than theoretical points, lived experiences from real life was shared. Ms. Sharada Devi provided a very brief introduction of feminism. Then, she focused on intersectional feminism. Intersectionality/ Intersectional feminism is a very important concept in feminism. Intersectional feminism centers the voices of those experiencing overlapping, concurrent forms of oppression in order to understand the depths of the inequalities and the relationships among them in any given context. Intersectionality is relevant because issues belonging to marginalized sections are often sidelined. Disability is an important intersection. In a patriarchal society, disabled women suffer more than disabled men. Michelle Fine and Adrienne Asch are two important names in Disability Studies. According to them, women with disability have to experience “sexism without the pedestal”. Disability is considered as a feminist issue because disabled people also encounter societal expectations. Both women and disabled people are expected to be meek, obedient and satisfied with whatever they get. British academician and disabled woman, Jenny Morris pointed out that disabled women are not expected to be physically attractive; they are expected to be asexual. Disabled women are objectified as asexual or desexualized beings. Their sexual and reproductive rights are denied by the society. On the other hand, disabled women are also vulnerable to sexual crimes. According to an agency of Human Rights Watch, women with disabilities are three times more likely than normal women to be raped. So, it becomes all the more important to raise their concerns before the society.

85 students from various departments such as II year MA English, I year MA English and I year BA English Hons. attended the event.

“This lecture introduced several new aspects to me and generated interest in me to search and know more about the topics discussed.”- Ardra Therese Joseph

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Release of Krysalis 2022- In house magazine
The Department of English (PG) released Krysalis 2022, the Inhouse Magazine on 15th March 2022. The Guest Speaker of the day Ms. Saima Afreen, Poet, Journalist and novelist from, Illinois State University spoke to the students about the joys and trials of Creative Writing. She spoke about writing giving examples from her own life and experience as a writer. According to her, writing poems provides her a sort of liberation and helps in creating her own world. She spoke about her interview with the poet Wasim K Kapoor, who inspired her to continue writing. As a journalist and a writer, she said that writing provided her more opportunities for travel and interaction. She expanded on her experiences writing her first poem and the struggles she faced throughout her writing and journalism career. She mentioned how one of her professors told her once that ‘every word you write is a decision’. The talk was very interesting and thought provoking and Ms. Saima concluded her talk by giving tips on how to deal with writers block through automatic writing ie, writing every morning without thinking about what is being written.This was followed by a brief introduction to the magazine by Ms. Pancinovia Neelu, The chief guest was Rev Fr. Dr Augustine George, Principal of Kristu Jayanti College who released the first issue of Krysalis 2022, after which a short video of the previous editions of Krysalis was played. The session ended with Father giving out the award for the Best Inhouse Publication presented by the Global Women Achievers-2021, Virtual edition to the alumni students of the department for Krysalis 2021. Ms. Sreelakhsmi of second year MA English quoted “Krysalis was a child that we nurtured into completion. It was a very touching moment to see all our writings come together in the magazine.”

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International Women’s Day 2022
The Office of International and Domestic Relations and the Department of English (PG) collaborated with SCEAD International to celebrate International Women's Day on March 8, 2022 at 11:45 am in SKE Auditorium. The Guest Speaker was Hon. Ms. Limor Bletter, Deputy Chief of the Mission, Consulate General of Israel to South India. Mr. Siju Thomas Daniel, the founder of SCEAD Foundation also attended the event.

Rev. Fr. Augustine George talked in detail about the diligent efforts taken by the college to foster women empowerment and expressed gratitude to the female staff members for contributing to the myriad of accomplishments achieved by the college. Hon. Ms. Limor Bletter delineated the impressive achievements of Israel in the field of women empowerment and spoke warmly about the diplomatic relationship shared between Israel and India. She also offered assistance to anyone who wished to contact the embassy of Israel and expressed a hope that at least some people in the audience would visit her country.. The information shared by her was inspiring and thought-provoking to the young people in the audience, their minds brimming with budding dreams and ambitions. The formal session was followed by a mesmerizing musical session organised by band members from the SCEAD Foundation and College Choir. Their songs offered tribute to all women. The band engaged the audience in an energetic and engrossing performance 325 students from various departments such as II year MA English, II year MSW and II year MA and Economics and MBA attended the event. “It was an inspiring and informative session. I enjoyed the musical programme”- Liss Mathew, II year MA English student.

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Ecosystems in the Poetics of Experiences
On 26th February, 2022 the Department of English (PG) celebrated ‘Ecosystems in the Poetics of Experiences’, a logo design competition associated with the UNAI. The students of IV semester MA English participated in this creative digital designing competition enthusiastically and made their valuable contribution.

The topic was associated with connecting Literature and Nature .The best designs which will get selected has a chance of being credited and featured in all platforms of social media of Kristu Jayanti College. This opportunity was a wonderful experience for the students of MA EL as they got a chance to display their skills in different platforms of art .The whole class took part in this competition and cooperated in this event wholeheartedly.

Skill Enhancement Session: Accendo - Igniting the Spirit of Togetherness
The Department of English (PG) conducted a Skill Enhancement Session - Accendo, with the tagline: igniting the spirit of togetherness amidst a lot of camaraderie and celebratory spirit in B504 of the Admin block. This event took place on 30th December 2021 to review, celebrate appreciate and evaluate the recent events such as the Department stall and the NAAC accreditation.

The event began with Ms. Ritika introducing the session to the audience, followed by a short vote of appreciation for the team efforts of the Department. The students also shared their feedback on what they learnt about team building and managing successful projects. Each of the Faculty members also addressed everyone present and acknowledged the spirit of team strength. Fr Joshy then addressed the gathering engaging the participants into a retrospective group discussion on Team Building. At the end of the event, we had a wholesome treat provided by the teachers. The session ended with a vote of thanks by Ms. Ritika.

The audience were very happy and enthusiastic about this short but merry gathering so the session was an altogether euphoric one that brought the department closer to each other.

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“International Lecture Series: These are Not Ordinary Women by Urvi Khaitan”
On November 24th, 2021, The Department of English (PG) held a lecture as part of the International Lecture Series with Urvi Khaitan on “These are not ordinary woman: Empire, Famine, and Labour in Second World War India” which took place in the 1st Auditorium, 2nd floor, Admin block. Ms. Urvi Khaitan, a third year DPhil student in Economic and Social History at the University of Oxford was our honourable resource person.

During the event, Ms. Urvi Khaitan talked and presented on the presence of Women during and after the Second World War and female labour which is a topic much less researched about and even brought out a fresh narrative to looking at history. The talk provided an insightful and informative perspective and was much appreciated by the audience which consisted of both UG and PG student from the department of English.

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A session for reading:-“Olympus; An Indian retelling of the Greek Myths by Devadutt Patnaik and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley”
Department of English (PG) organized a session dedicated for reading “Olympus; An Indian retelling of the Greek Myths by Devadutt Patnaik and Frankenstein by Mary Shelley”. This event took place on 18th November 2021.The session was held for 40 participants. The session began by invoking God’s blessings, followed by a brief introduction and summary of the book “Olympus; An Indian retelling of the Greek Myths by Devadutt Patnaik” by Sandra Therese from 1st MA followed by the briefing of the book “Frankenstein by Mary Shelley” by Sreelakshmi from 2nd MA. The audience actively participated and took some insightful information from this session. The session was a complete success and a memorable one. Kenlee, a second year literature student remarked..

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A Day with an Author
Department of English (PG) organized ‘A Day with an Author' on 28th October 2021 from 2 pm. It was an interactive session with Shri. Sabin Iqbal, a senior journalist turned festival curator-director and the author of critically acclaimed novels, The Cliffhangers and Shamal Days .His novel The Cliffhangers was shortlisted for Tata Litlive’s first Book Award 2021.

Shri. Sabin Iqbal enumerated on various strategies to become a successful writer .His experiences helped the students gain a better understanding of the trials faced by an author.

“It was an incredible session with wonderful insights into writing.”- Ashitha

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International Lecture Series on Envisioning Trans feminist Justice
The Department of English (PG) organized the first edition of International Lecture series on ‘Envisioning Trans feminist Justice’ on 28 th October 2021 from 3pm to 5 pm .The resource person of the day was Dr. Debanuj Dasgupta-Assistant Professor of Feminist Studies at University of California, Santa Barbara.

Dr. Debanuj traced the evolution of transgender rights, and explained about religiosity and transgender rights. He further dissected the topic by elucidating on Transnationalism and Trans community as criminalized bodies. His illuminating views on the differences in Trans and Dalit narratives added better insight about the term ‘sexual subaltern’.

Sreelakshmi of III MA commented that the session was an eye-opener as it illuminated on myriad nuances of Trans feminist Justice.

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Freshers Day Nuevo’21
Department of English (PG) organized a social outreach program, Inservio'21 on 26th October 2021 at Nethaji High School, Kanaswadi from 10:30 am to 1:30pm.

Social etiquette, internet basics and communication skills were taught to the Nethaji High School students. The Jayantians were divided into four groups and each group engaged students from class six to nine. They also organized a street play that showcased the evils of child abuse. The Jayantians visited Kristu Jayanti CMI Public School, Kannamangala and interacted with Fr. Philip Nechikkattil CMI, the Principal of the school. Twenty-eight students from II MA English attended the social outreach program. “It was a wonderful program and a valuable opportunity for us. We enjoyed interacting with the students and learned a lot from them as well”- Athulya Bhaskaran.

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Freshers Day Nuevo’21
Department of English (PG) organised the Freshers Day Nuevo’21 on the 25th of October 2021, at Auditorium 3(Admin Block) from 10.30am to 12.30am. The event commenced with the lighting of the lamp ceremony while the teachers as a symbolic gesture lit candles of the juniors .This was followed by a felicitation by Fr. Joshy Mathew, Coordinator of Department of English (PG).

The informal session consisted of team building activities, ice breaking sessions, which helped the juniors to get more familiarized with their classmates and dance performances by the seniors to liven up the atmosphere. Overall, the event was well received by the ever-enthusiastic audience. “It has been an amazing day and the full credit for this Freshers’ Day goes to seniors who organized this fun filled day. I have no words to express except to say a very big thank you to all our dear seniors.” – Juwel Zacharia

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A Readers: Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer
Department of English (PG) organized the fourth session of the ‘Reading Day’ on Kane and Abel by Jeffrey Archer on the lush green college turf. This event took place on 22nd October 2021, from 4 pm. Hridaya Bhaskaran student of III MA explained the nuances of the book .It opened a platform for all the students to familiarise themselves with another author. It also enhanced listening and conversational skills. 46 participants including students and Faculty members attended the session. Lakshmi, a second year literature student remarked, it was a unique experience for us to indulge in discussions and interactions beyond the walls’ of the classroom.

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Value Added Course: Eco-Concerns And Ecocriticism
Department of English (PG) organized a Value added course titled Eco-Concerns and Ecocriticism from 24th September-1st October 2021, for I semester MA students. 23 students were benefited from this course. The units in the syllabus covered a wide gamut of topics like Eco Concerns and Ecological knowledge, Eco criticism and Literature, Eco Feminism and Environmental Aesthetics.

Arvind opined ‘the significance of Value added course’ and ‘the forethought required to save the voiceless mother Earth from impending doom.’

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A Reading: Beowulf the Warrior by Ian Serraillier
Department of English (PG) organized the third session of the ‘Reading Day’ on “Beowulf The Warrior by Ian Serraillier on the lush green College turf. This event took place on 29th September 2021, from 2pm. Sreelakshmi student of III MA explained the nuances of the book .It opened a platform for all the students to familiarise themselves with another author. It also enhanced listening and conversational skills.35 participants including students and Faculty members attended the session.

Liss Mathew remarked that ‘It was well organised and I really enjoyed the interactive session.

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The Poet’s League
The Department of English (PG) hosted the sixth edition of Poet’s League on September 28, 2021, to inspire the talented bards. The event took place at the Chavara Square of Kristu Jayanti College. Dr Gopakumar, Dean of Humanities expressed his thoughts and ideas on poets and poems. Sir specially mentioned the poem “Night of the Scorpion” by Nissim Ezekiel. Then the session was open for students and teachers for presenting their respective poems. Father Joshy Mathew, the coordinator of the PG department, addressed the students and commented on the myriad poems presented by the students. The event was helpful for the budding poets and enabled the students to step out of their comfort zones and showcase their hidden talents.35 participants including the faculty members enjoyed the session and also shared their valuable opinion.

Jessia of III MA opined: ‘It helped us to evoke the creative minds in us.’

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A Day with an Author
Department of English (PG) organized ‘A Day with an Author' on 24th September 2021 through an online platform from 4 pm to 5:30pm . It was an interactive session with Shri. Gopal Lahiri, a poet, critic and translator who has published 23 books, 15 in English and 8 in Bengali. His works have been published in 14 countries and in 15 languages. He was invited to a plethora of poetry festivals including World Congress of Poets held in India.

Mr. Gopal Lahiri started the session by explaining the process of creative writing and gave suggestions to develop creative writing skills. Shri Lahiri described creative writing as a linguistic journey. He advised students to find a mentor to guide them in their creative pursuit and asked students to acclimatize themselves by going through several books and journals. He emphasised that poetry is a blend of ideas and imagination and required reworking of thoughts. Improving vocabulary was highlighted as another essential trait for a creative writer.Shri Gopal reiterated that a writer has to connect with the readers and thus modern trends have to be kept in mind. He enumerated the role of a translator and said that one should ensure that the translated work was close to the original work.

Fifty four students from I MA English and II MA English along with faculty attended the session.
“It was an incredible session with wonderful insights into poetry and translation. It was inspiring to many budding writers.”- Dhanya Pankajakshan

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The Poets League
The department of English (PG) hosted the Poet’s League, on August 27, 2021 to inspire young poets. This intra-departmental event was exclusively for the English department’s promising bards. The event took place at room number B.504 in the Admin block of Kristu Jayanti College. The recitation of poems enthralled the audience.

Father Joshy Mathew who addressed the students commented that the poems presented by the students covered a wide variety of topics and ‘was an expression of different kinds of emotions’ while specifically referring to Wordsworth’s definition of poetry.

20 participants along with the faculty members and the coordinator of the department, enjoyed the session.

One student Ashly Ann remarked –‘The session was really fruitful for us. It helped us to gauge our innate talents.’

Krishnaveni opined: ‘It helped us to evoke the creative minds in us.’

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A Reading: Supratim Sarkar
“Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible.” - Barack Obama
As part of Azadi Ka Amruth Mahotsav- celebrating the 75th year of Indian Independence, the Department of English (PG) conducted an event titled ‘A Reading: Supratim Sarkar’ on 25th August 2021.The event illuminated the works of Supratim Sarkar with special focus on his work ‘India Cried That Night - Untold stories of freedom’s foot soldiers’. The event was attended by 23 students of the department. Ms. Dhanya Pankajakshan, a MA final year student, meticulously took the attendees through the life and works of the Kolkata-based India writer Supratim Sarkar.

Ms. Dhanya introduced the author Supratim Sarkar and spoke about his life and also summarized the novel ‘India Cried That Night’. She elucidated how the author narrated real life stories of unsung heroes during the Indian independence struggle. The author collected these facts from the files of Kolkata police and also described the dedication and commitment of the freedom fighters. Ms. Dhanya concluded by reading an excerpt from the book. Ms. Ashly Ann suggested that a game could be included in the event to engage the audience.

The students were introduced to a new author and this created a platform where the teachers and students could share their love for literature. Krishnaveni remarked that ‘It was well organised and I really enjoyed the interactive session that followed.’

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Freedom’s Muse: Photography Exhibition
Department of English (PG) organized a photography exhibition for III MA students titled Freedom’s Muse to exhibit their photographs on the theme of ‘freedom’ .The session took place on 19th August to commemorate the glorious occasion of Indian Independence. It was held on an online platform with 28 participants.

The photos taken by the III M. A English students was exhibited in the event on the ‘theme of freedom’. The session started with prayer and general instructions regarding the exhibition. The students took turns to exhibit their photos. As each one’s photo was shown they gave a brief explanation of the photo and how it is related to the theme. The other students and teachers listened attentively and shared their comments. Many photos conveyed the way freedom is restricted and how freedom must be enjoyed by all. Some photographs also questioned the real meaning of freedom. The photos and the photographers were duly appreciated by the teachers and they encouraged the students to take more photos. The session ended by a closing address by Dr. Krishna Prabha.

A student Dhanya Pankajakshan said “Freedom is the open window through which pours the light of human spirit and dignity”

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Value Added Course: Eco-Concerns and Ecocriticism
Department of English (PG) organized a Value added course titled Eco-Concerns and Ecocriticism from 9th August -19 th August 21, for III semester MA students. 29 students evaluated and analysed the outlook of the society towards ecological issues and the important symbiotic relationship between human beings and nature.

The course helped the students to identify, to develop a sense of responsibility and to work towards the conservation and improvement of the environment through research. The units in the syllabus covered a wide gamut of topics like Eco Concerns and Ecological knowledge, Eco criticism and Literature, Eco Feminism and Environmental Aesthetics.

Nandini opined ‘the importance of Value added course’ and ‘the farsightedness required to save the voiceless mother Earth from impending doom.’ Aksa was quoted as saying “we really appreciate this opportunity to learn and discuss about eco- concerns and criticism, as it will help us garner information beyond the prescribed curriculum.’’

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Freedom's Musings: Creative Writing Session
The Department of English (PG) organized a creative writing session titled ‘Freedom's Musings’ for writing inspirational patriotic poetry as a part of Azadi ka Amruth Mahotsav. This session took place on 16th August 2021 to celebrate the glorious occasion of Indian Independence Day. It was held on an online platform with 34 participants.

The second year MA English students wrote beautiful poems related to the themes of independence and freedom. The session started with prayer and general instructions. Ms. Sreelakshmi delivered the welcome speech and the students started writing their poems and expressing their creativity. After the writing session they read out their poems to the enrapt audience. The students and teachers listened with rapt attention. Many poems conveyed respect and admiration for the great sacrifice of freedom fighters. Some poems raised questions about the true meaning of freedom. Ms Akhila was quoted as saying “we really appreciate this opportunity and being provided a platform to read our works aloud to a live audience and listening to their feedback” The poems and poets were duly appreciated by the teachers and they were encouraged to write more. The session ended with the vote of thanks delivered by Arathi Cynthia.

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National Reading Day Celebration
Class & No. of students: MA English Literature; 57 students
Date: June 19, 2021
Objective: To mark the National Reading Day

“Reading is the gateway skill that makes all other learning possible” said Barack Obama. The Department of English (PG) of Kristu Jayanti College celebrated the National Reading Day, June 19, 2021 by organising a virtual event that celebrated the works of Kazuo Ishiguro. ‘Never Let Me Go’ by Ishiguro, was also shortlisted for the Booker Prize in 2005. The event was attended by 57 students of the Department of English (PG). Ms. Riya Merin, took the participants through the life and works of the British-writer, Kazuo Ishiguro and also threw light on his writing style and career.

Ms. Riya Merin summarised the novel ‘Never Let Me Go’ describing the fictional English boarding school, Hailsham, and its students who are held within the enclosure of the school. She shed light upon the dystopian elements, the author’s brilliance, the plot and futuristic tone of the novel. Ms. Merin read out excerpts from the book and concluded her presentation by sharing one of her favourite quotes from the novel. This celebration paved the way for a new tradition in the English Department (PG), in which each student would introduce a new book to their fellow classmates once a month.

The organisers of the event also held two games for engaging the crowd, which tested the knowledge of the students in the literary spectrum. Dr. Krishnaprabha V.P, Head of the Department, gave the concluding remarks on the coordination and participation of the students in the event.

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The Legacy And Influence Of French Literature
The Legacy and Influence of French Literature was an event conducted by International Relations Office, Kristu Jayanti College and the Department of English (PG) in partnership with the Office of International Education and Development, Appalachian State University. The event was held on April 27, 2021 at 11.30 am IST, on the Zoom platform. The speaker was Ms. Rebekah Spurgeon, Cultural Ambassador, Appalachian State University. A detailed profile and introduction of the speaker was shared with the audience at the beginning of the programme. The welcome address made everyone feel especially welcome by inviting the Principal, Rev. Fr. Dr Augustine George, the Director of IRO, Fr. Emmanuel and the Coordinator of the IRO, Prof Ratheesh P. along with the Head of the Department of English (PG) Dr Krishna Prabha, Faculty member, Prof Stephen, Faculty Coordinator of the event Dr Lyola Thomas and the student participants.

Ms. Spurgeon discussed various aspects of French literature and its influence. She elucidated on the various aspects of French literature from various ages in history by quoting examples from famous literary texts namely Albert Camus' The Plague, and Guy de Maupassant's Le Horla enumerating on the texts and her personal interaction with the texts as a French National. She also spoke about the contextual relevance of both the texts. She then drew upon George Orwell's novel 1984. Ms. Spurgeon spoke about Literature after the Second World War, in that she elaborated about the resistance, silence of the Jewish community and the reality of what actually went on behind the scenes and between the lines. She further also spoke about aspects in English Literature with respect to the genre of Dystopian novel.

The webinar was an enriching one. The session ended with the concluding remarks by the Head of the Department, Dr Krishna Prabha who spoke about the importance of such cultural exchanges and how these exchanges can add to the knowledge and experience of students.

Sheba, a final year student, shared her experiences “As students of English Literature, we learn to assimilate diverse cultures, by learning about its origin, journey, influence and significance in forming human civilization…the webinar gave us insight and information on the legacy and influence on French Literature and it was really enriching. I would like to thank the organisers for this well planned and well executed academic exercise!” There were 61 participants including faculty members and students from both the batches of MA English literature.

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The Poets League
The Department of English (PG) hosted the fourth edition of The Poets League, an intra-departmental activity, to inspire poets and provide a space for poetry on March 31, 2021. This event was arranged exclusively for budding poets in the Department. The event took place from 3:30 pm in A310 of the Admin Block. The poems recited covered themes of women, love, healing, happiness, loneliness etc. The poems were written on wooden planks and exhibited. The students shared their sense of gratitude towards the Department of English (PG) for giving them a platform for the budding poets to grow and showcase their talents.

Sheryl, a first-year student opined, “Listening to others speak and recite their tales and poems, I am extremely rejuvenated and feel blessed to have been a part of the event. I thank my Department for such an inspiring opportunity for the budding poets of our department and wish we can have more such events in the future.”

There were 30 participants along with the two Class Animators who also shared their views and insights at the end of the event.

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Theatre Production And Krysalis Release
The release of the Department in house publication ‘Krysalis’ and Theatre Production ‘Inside Out’ was organized by the Department of English (PG) of Kristu Jayanti College on March 16, 2021. The Non-CGPA Credit Course offered by the Department of English to second year PG students awards two credits and provides them with a choice for opting between In-house Publication and Theatre Production.

The third edition of Krysalis was released by Rev Dr. Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous). The contents of the magazine and the underlying theme was revealed to the audience. The theme of the magazine ‘Rhythm’ and its significance was presented by Dr. Lyola Thomas, the faculty coordinator of Krysalis. The Krysalis editorial team was introduced and applauded for their tireless efforts and the Principal addressed the gathering, marking the end of the inaugural session.

The next event was the release of the play- ‘Inside Out: The Battle Within’. The chief guests for the event were Ms. Nirmala Govindarajan, novelist and journalist, Rev. Fr. Emmanuel P.J, Director, Kristu Jayanti College of Law and Dr. Mohan R Bolla, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College of Law. Dr. Lyola Thomas conducted a question-and-answer session with the guest through a Zoom meeting that was broadcasted live to the audience following which Rev. Fr. Emmanuel P.J inaugurated the theatre production by clicking the play button. The play of a duration of thirty minutes was projected after which the theatre team was introduced. Rev. Fr. Emmanuel and Dr. Mohan R. Bolla appreciated the performance and Prof. Stephen, the faculty coordinator for theatre presented his insights on the play. The event came to an end with Dr. Krishna Prabha, Head of Department of English (PG) giving her remarks on the magazine and the play.

Alumni Interactive Session on Writing for Digital Media & Brands
Date: May 04, 2022
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, organised an Alumni Interactive Session on 'Writing for Digital Media and Brands' on May 04, 2022, at 3:00 pm in the M3 Auditorium. Mr. Mohammed Tayyab, Head of Content, Blusteak Media, Bengaluru, was the guest speaker.

The speaker successfully captured the students' attention by revealing that the student who asked the most interesting question would receive a book. Mr. Tayyab commenced the session by stating that they belong to a generation where the opportunities for 'humanities' is exploding. He also encouraged them to start a LinkedIn profile and create a network. He gave insight into his college life and work life. With a great sense of humour, the speaker interacted with the audience. Later, he introduced different kinds of writing: copywriting, ghost-writing, writing for brands, and finally freelancing. For the speaker, freelancing is the most fun and rewarding profession. He also stressed the importance of making a portfolio. He provided a few websites where the students can refer to begin freelancing. The students actively participated in the insightful session.

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Staging of 'The Dear Departed'
Date: May 14, 2022
The IV semester students of HEP and HTJ, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, enacted a one-act play, 'The Dear Departed' on May 14, 2022. The play was directed by Shannan Sarvanan and Memtombi Yelam. Through this insightful play, William Stanley Houghton, the playwright, satirizes the degradation of moral values in British society. The play portrays two sisters, Ms. Amelia Slater and Ms. Elizabeth Jordan, competing for the inheritance after their father’s 'supposed' death.

The students dressed up in costumes and their acting was to the point. The play was well directed and the technical team played a significant role in making it a success. The audience responded to the play positively.

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The Dear Departed: A Gen Z Adaptation
Date: May 13, 2022
'The Dear Departed' is a satirical one-act play written by William Stanley Houghton. The play represents the modern nuclear family strained with individual desires and materialism. The action takes place within the household of the Slaters. Amelia Slater is one of Mr. Abel Merryweather’s two daughters. The other daughter Elizabeth Jordan is introduced when the Jordans visit the Slater household after hearing the news of Abel’s death. The play shows the commotion between the two families over the father’s belongings until they realise he was not dead in the first place. The play ends with Mr. Abel’s decision regarding his will and plans to get married to Mrs. John Shorrocks.

The students of IV JPEng B, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, put together a Gen Z adaptation of the play, enacted in the M3 Auditorium. The play was directed by Ms. Faiza Anjum and Ms. Omsangmu Lamatamang and narrated by Ms. Yashika Menon Pandey. The rest of the cast included Mr. Joel Shajan Mathew and Ms. Riya Attrish as the Slaters, Ms. Chandrika Tummalapenta as Victoria Slater, Mr. Faheem HyderAli and Ms. Nakshatra K K V as the Jordans, Mr. Abhay C Abraham as Jimmy Jordan, Mr. Geo Ann Tom as Mr. Abel Merryweather and Ms. Yashvi Bajaj as Mrs. John Shorrocks. After the show, Ms. Harsha Ann Biju and Ms. Nichole Mary Varghese conducted a discussion on the play.

The cast and the rest of the crew's efforts made the show a huge success. It was a unique and exciting experience for the audience. The audience remarked on how the play held their attention throughout and the timely execution of the play. This play also provided an excellent opportunity for the students to deliver their diverse artistic skills and set the stage for more such performances.

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Orientation on Academic Aptitude Assessment (AAA)
Date: 27- 04 - 2022
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, organised an Orientation on Academic Aptitude Assessment (AAA) on April 27, 2022. Dr. Manikandan Kathirvel, Assistant Professor, Department of Life Sciences, was the resource person.

Dr. Manikandan highlighted the significance of identifying students based on their learning level to cater to the needs of individual students, emphasising on Individually Prescribed Instruction (IPI). He discussed the three stages involved in assessing students and their components, accentuating the objective of such evaluations to facilitate the learning capacity of students.

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Turn a Leaf 3.0
Date: 26th April 2022
The Department of English (UG), Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, conducted the third edition of Turn a Leaf on April 26, 2022 at 10:30 am in the A1 Audi in the Admin Block at Kristu Jayanti College. The lecture titled, ‘Decoding the Political Lyrics in K-Pop: A Special Reference to Spring Day by BTS’ was given by Dr. Lalmalsawmi Ralte, Poet, Translator, and Assistant Professor, Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous).

She began with a note on the emergence of the K-Pop wave and highlighted a few characteristics of the same. Dr. Ralte explained the deeper significance that underlie some of the songs and elaborated on how this is evident in the song ‘Spring Day’ by BTS. The students were encouraged to ask questions which they did towards the end of the session.

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An Orientation on the Constitution of India
Date: 26 November 2021
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, organised “An Orientation on the Constitution of India” to commemorate National Constitution Day observed on 26th November.

The resource person was Dr. Mohan Rao Bolla, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College of Law, who enlightened the students with the basics of Indian Constitution and rightly highlighted the words of B.R Ambedkar “The Constitution is not a mere lawyers document, rather it is a vehicle of life and its spirit is always the spirit of age”. The interactive session highlighted the comprehensive constitutional framework guiding and governing the Indian nation, keeping in view the social, cultural, and religious diversity.

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Employability Enhancement Programme on Competitive Examinations
Date: 26 November 2021
Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), Bengaluru, organised an 'Employability Enhancement Programme on Competitive Examinations' on november 26, 2021.

The resource person, Dr. Armstrong Pame, IAS Officer, is known as ‘The Miracle Man’ for his exemplary services to the community and its development and welfare. He narrated instances from his personal experience as an IAS officer to instill motivation in the students who aspire for the Civil Services. Dr. Armstrong Pame also highlighted the need for the students to be updated on the general events that happen in the country in order to stay updated on the important events that affect the political, economic and social aspects of contemporary India.

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Skill Enhancement Programme on Aura of Confidence in Public Speaking
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), conducted a second session on Public Speaking on November 12, 2021. The resource person was Prof Justin Ruben, Assistant Professor (Senior Grade) - English, Coimbatore Institute of Technology, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu. Prof Justin Ruben spoke on how an individual can gain confidence during public speaking and how to overcome stage fear. He gave the students several tips on how to become confident public speakers. He also spoke about how improvisation often becomes a very useful tool towards overcoming stage fear. He elaborated and substantiated his arguments by talking about how great orators engaged in public speaking. Moreover, he elaborated upon the importance of improvisation in public speaking by bringing in examples of stand-up comedians. Dr Aloysius moderated the question and answer session. Through the session, the students gained a lot of insightful knowledge on how to become confident public speakers and to use certain techniques towards overcoming stage fear. The programme was concluded with a Vote of Thanks.

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Debating Society - Inaugural Ceremony
Date: 09 October 2021
The Debating Society of Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, organized its Inaugural Ceremony on October 09, 2021 via Zoom. The Presidential Address to the Ceremony was given by Rev. Dr. Augustine George, Principal, who acknowledged the aims and objectives of the Debating Society. Mr. Rishiraj Singh, Former DGP, Indian Police Service Kerala Cadre and Current Director General, Prisons and Correctional Services, Kerala, was the chief guest who officially inaugurated the Debating Society. Speaking to an audience of 420 students and teachers, the chief guest stressed the need to remain alert to current events in order to bring about desirable changes within the society through our individual contributions.

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Orientation Programme on Public Speaking Skills
Date: 7th October 2021
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, conducted an Orientation Programme on Public Speaking Skills on October 07, 2021, virtually over the Zoom platform. Dr. Saumya Priya, Partner President, International Dual Career Network (IDCN), Denmark, Researcher, University of Lund, Sweden, was the resource person for the day. Dr. Priya enriched the lecture with her tips for effective public speaking and motivated the students to be better speakers for tomorrow. The session witnessed the enthusiastic participation of over 170 participants from various BA programmes.

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Employability Enhancement Programme on New Careers Newer Opportunities
Date: 05 October 2021
The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, organised an Employability Enhancement Programme on 'New Careers Newer Opportunities' on October 05, 2021. The resource person was Dr. Akila S Indurti, Assistant Professor, Presidency University, Bangalore. The session commenced with an anecdote of SWOT analysis which helped the students self-introspect on their potentials. Dr. Indurti highlighted the importance of grasping opportunities, and comprehensively interacted with students by citing her own life experiences as an educator, broadcaster and author. She also emphasized the need to identify the purpose of one’s choices and the possibilities of achieving better job opportunities. Through her session, she instilled insights to the students to find a purpose in life which would, in turn, help them in choosing the right careers.

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Gandhi Jayanti Digital Poster Making Competition
The Department of English conducted an online competition to create a digital poster on the theme of ‘Freedom and Youth’ for all students of the undergraduate BA programme on the occasion of Gandhi Jayanti 2021. The online event was open from 1st October and closed on 2nd October 2021.

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'Turn a Leaf' A Talk on Contemporary Indian Fiction
Date - 30 September 2021

The Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, initiated a Series titled 'Turn a Leaf' which was held in connection with Champaca Bookstores. Rev. Fr. Joshy Mathew, Member of Management Team and Faculty Member, Department of English, delivered the concept note address which highlighted the need for the inclusion of a reading habit in a highly digitized age. The invited speakers were Radhika Timbadia and Nirica Srinivasan. The discussion was on contemporary Indian writing and the speakers shared their recent favourite reads from the genre. Radhika spoke about 'Em and the Big Hoom' by Jerry Pinto and Nirica Srinivasan brought two books into spotlight - 'Girl made of Gold' by Gitanjali Kolanad & 'Club you to Death' by Anuja Chauhan. They read parts of their chosen books and spoke on the need to focus on Indian Contemporary Fiction. The event ended with a Q n A session which brought in interesting questions from the students and faculty which were duly answered by the speakers.

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‘Cluescape’ to commemorate the birth anniversary of Agatha Christie
The Department of English (UG), Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru, organised a competition titled ‘Cluescape’ to commemorate the birth anniversary of Agatha Christie on September 15, 2021. The quiz was held online and was open to all students. The literary detectives plunged into action and solved the questions based on the clues given.

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Skill Enhancement Programme on Research Skills
The Department of English (UG), Kristu Jayanti College, Autonomous, Bengaluru organized a Skill Enhancement Programme on Research Skills. The resource person was Dr. Brindha T. Sachdanandam, Research Associate, University of Madras, Chennai.

Dr. Sachdanandam commenced the session with a riveting quote: “Replace FEAR of the UNKNOWN with Curiosity” – Billy Cox. Keeping in mind the audience background, Dr. Brindha T. Sachdanandam gave comprehensive ideas and pointers for research in literature. The procedures of research were well executed in a systematic manner; focusing on the concept of research methods, types of research, qualitative research, research design, and methodology. She also briefed on the importance of theory in research and how as a researcher, one has to strategize theoretical framework in a field of study. Dr. Brindha T. Sachdanandam briefly highlighted on ethics in research and documentation, and she also advised the students to do an extensive reading on the area of research.

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Writeopia - Micro Fiction Writing Contest
The Department of English (UG) conducted a Micro Fiction Writing Contest on September 08, 2021 to commemorate International Literacy Day. The contest titled 'Writeopia' was held online and was open to all students and saw active participation from all departments. The theme of the micro fiction contest was 'Once upon a Pandemic'. The event saw participation from all students across all deaneries. The 117 submissions were reviewed and the results were as follows:
First Place: Nikitha Kishore, III BA HEP
Second Place: Wonmachui Luikham, II BA English Hons
Third Place: Jerome Benson, II BA LLB

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Documentary Film Screening - Indian Theatre
The Department of Performing Arts, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous), organized a Documentary Film Screening - Indian Theatre (1988), produced by the Films Division, in which the Department of English (PG) also collaborated. The venue was M3 Auditorium, Kristu Jayanti College. The film, while tracing India’s theatrical traditions, also presents various experiments carried out in various parts of the country by contemporary theatre artistes. It also acknowledges the role the common man played in preserving and nurturing Indian theatre traditions. The screening was followed by a discussion where the participants observed various dimensions of the documentary critically.

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In Conversation - An interactive Session with the Author Deepak Unnikrishnan
'In Conversation' is a series of interactive sessions organised by the Department of English, Kristu Jayanti College, to create an interactive platform for students with contemporary authors.

On 24 September 2021, the author of the award-winning novel

Temporary People, Mr. Deepak Unnikrishnan, was in conversation with the literature students. In his Prelude, Mr. Unnikrishnan spoke of the complexities in the experiences of those individuals who remain emotionally bound to the space from which they are physically separated while being forced to the fringes of the space where they live. During the interaction, students asked questions about his experiences as a writer and inspirations to write Temporary People, Mr. Unnikrishnan also talked about the journey of writing and publishing. For him, it is through writing that he negotiates the expatriate experiences.

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Caption Contest
To commemorate the 75th year of the India’s Independence, the Department of English (UG) organised a caption contest for the third semester BA Honours, PEP, JPEng A and B students on 14th August 2021. 111 students participated in the competition and submitted their responses through a Google Form. Prof Rini Reba Mathew and Dr Akhila Variyar, faculty members of the Department of English, coordinated the contest. Dr Masilamani C, Assistant Professor, Department of English (UG), reviewed the captions and selected three winners for the contest. The students appreciated the spirit of the contest and enthusiastically participated in the event. The event helped the students to experience patriotic feelings further and express their insights into their captions.

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In-house Training for Administrative Staff on Work Ethics and Communication Etiquettes
The Department of English (UG) and Department of Psychology of Kristu Jayanti College jointly organised an in-house training for the administrative staff on “Work Ethics and Communication Etiquettes” during 9th to 13th August 2021. The first day of the training session commenced with an inaugural function at 4:30 pm in the main auditorium located in the main block. In his presidential address, Fr Dr Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College, highlighted the role of each administrative staff member and appreciated their contribution to the smooth functioning of the college.

For successful interactions and personal attention, the administrative staff members were divided into two groups. The resource persons were Fr Emmnauel P J, Dr Gopakumar A V, Ms Soumya Simon, Dr Sruthi Sivaraman, Ms Sumathi N, Ms Alna Mariya Isaac, and Ms Rini Reba Mathew, who empowered them on various topics such as Online and Written Communication Etiquettes, Soft Skills, Interpersonal Relationships and Wellbeing at Workplace.

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Value Added Course on Communication Skills for Employability
The Department of English (UG) conducted a ten days Value Added Course on “Communication Skills for Employability” for II year BA JPEng (A & B), Eng Hons, HEP, HTJ and PEP students during 9th to 19th August 2021. The faculties in-charge were Dr Pauline V N, Prof Chitra Susan, Dr Masilamani, Prof Alna Mariya Isac, Dr Lillykutty Abraham, Prof Minu, Prof Jimin S Mathew, Prof Smitha Mary Sebastian, Prof Jeeva, Prof Vinesh Raj, Prof Viji, Prof Shanthi Joseph, Dr Sneha Suresh, Prof Aloysius Sebastian, Dr AkhilaVariyar, Dr Preeth, Dr Lalmalsawmi Ralte, Prof Rini Reba Mathew, Prof Sumathi N, Prof Samjaila T H, and Dr Ruth Magdalene. They gave their best to make the subject easy and understandable by delivering online lectures by using PowerPoint presentations, videos and interactive sessions. At the end of the programme, an online exam was conducted for the students in order to analyze their level of perceivance. The students found the course very useful, and they felt that the approach was very effective. They were able to get multiple nuances, and insights presented on a variety of subjects related to communication. Students had a thorough insight on effective communication both verbal and non-verbal through these sessions.

A Day with an Author Series Book Launch and Interactive Session
A Day with an Author series was organized by the Department of English (PG) on October 12, 2020 which also incorporated the book launch of The Zoo in my Backyard by the eminent author Mrs. Usha Rajagopalan. The book launch was then followed with an interactive session between the author and a poet, writer Mrs. Maitreyee B Chowdhury.

The book was launched by Rev. Dr. Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College (Autonomous) and the first copy was handed to the HOD of Department of English (PG). During the book launch, Rev. Dr. Augustine George expressed his thoughts on the book and how he could relate to it as it took him back to his childhood days.

The interactive session put forth by the department showcased several relevant queries by Mrs. Maitryee B Chowdhury which started off with the inspiration Mrs Usha had for writing the book The Zoo in my Backyard. She talked on how relevant it was for young minds, specially focussing on the urban kids who are not acquainted with the rural lifestyle alongside nature.

Mrs. Usha Rajagopalan very enthusiastically answered all the queries. She explained how her childhood experiences influenced her to write this book. “This book is a tribute” she mentioned while explaining that a number of people moulded her to the person she is today. Mrs. Usha further discussed the importance of childhood exposure in one's personal growth and pitched on the conservation of nature. Further, the author mentioned how her book would be an eye opener to the people who are not acquainted with the distinctive rustic life. Through her narration the readers got an opportunity to walk through the pastoral world. When questioned about her future works or sequel to the book, she expressed her plans to pen down the humorous experiences she had near the Puttenahalli Lake (Bengaluru).

The session concluded with advice and tips for the students to keep in mind while authoring or editing any piece of writing. Both the dignitaries pitched in information about the importance of reading, writing, and editing. Finally Mrs. Maitryee B Chowdhury put forth a writing formula- to read like a critic and edit like an enemy.

Alka Gopi, a final year MA student shared her experience- "It was a really wonderful session. Usha Rajagopalan ma'am took me back to my cherished childhood days. We got a chance to know more about two excellent authors. Both of them put forward so many insightful ideas to mull over. Overall it was an enlightening session.”

“It was good to see a writer talk about her book, how it was inspired from her childhood memories .I was inspired by Madam’s urge to conserve the environment.” opined Nandini Nagar, a first year MA student.

70 participants including the Principal, the faculty members, the students of the English department (PG) , invited guests and the alumni were mesmerized by the weave of words that swathed them in the author’s narrative

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THE POETS LEAGUE - 2nd Edition
The Department of English (PG) hosted the Second Edition of The Poets League, to inspire poets and poetry lovers of Kristu Jayanti college on August 10, 2020. The central theme of the event was ''Uncertainty in the time of Pandemic'' and the poets expressed their emotions and thoughts during the lock down days.

The occasion was graced by Dr. S Padmapriya, an eminent English writer from Tamil Nadu, along with faculty members and students from various departments. When the whole world is locked and shocked due to the pandemic, COVID – 19, the Department of English (PG), Kristu Jayanti College set a platform for the budding poets to come together and share their creative impetus. The poetry recitation delighted the participants as they could recite their own poems as well as listen to poetries of other fellow participants.

The event was organised on the Zoom digital platform, with the graceful presence of Rev. Dr. Augustine George, Principal, Kristu Jayanti College. Dr. Augustine congratulated the department for creating an opportunity to explore new ways for refreshing the minds of people in the new ‘normal’ world, when all are confined within their own limited space. He stressed on how poetry plays a crucial role in connecting the world with the society.

Dr. Padmapriya, the chief guest of the day, shared her deep and abiding passion for English literature, though she holds a Doctoral degree in Economics. She elaborated on the importance of ‘intensity’ alongside the play of ‘aesthetic sense’ in poetry. She further quoted famous poets like Rabindranath Tagore and Sarojini Naidu and substantiated how their poetry served as a major influence on the minds of young Indians. It specifically directed to the elements of nationalism and romanticism that stems from these great poets.

Keeping in sync with the central theme of The Poets League, the poems could be categorised into the expression of the minds during pre-pandemic, initial pandemic days and severe lockdown days. There were poems those even expressed the feeling of hope in the minds of people. The event was a perfect illustration that the people haven't lose their hope for a peaceful world even after this depressing scenario. Dr. Padmapriya commented on every poem that was recited by the participants, which was an encouraging gesture from her part towards the budding poets.

Jyothis Koshi, an outgoing student of the department of English (PG), was honoured in the meeting, for publishing three of his poems in an anthology. He is a blossoming poet and the participants were really enthralled by his recitation of one of the published poems – The Injured Soul.

Riya Merin, a final year student expressed that, “The event provided a sense of tranquillity, listening to those powerful words, woven with rhythm and thick with emotion.”

There were more than fifty enthusiastic participants including faculty members and students of the college.

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THE POETS LEAGUE
The Department of English (PG) hosted The Poets League, to inspire poets and poetry for poetry lovers on March 11, 2020. The occasion was graced by Professor Stephen Deepak, an eminent poet and faculty of the Department of MBA, Kristu Jayanti College along with other faculty members of various Departments from the College. Poems were written on pieces of wood and placed aesthetically at the venue. Besides, poetry recitation enthralled the programme with variety of poems recited by the students of the Department of English and other Jayantians. Faculty members from other Departments also recited poems and Professor Stephen recited his poems written both in English and Kannada. His interest in poetry enriched the audience who participated enthusiastically at The Poets League. The poems recited covered themes of love, healing, happiness, loneliness etc. The poems up cycled on the wooden pieces seem to have left a landmark on the hearts of those who penned them down hence it was displayed at the Chavara Square were the programme was conducted. The poetry discussion was an altogether different experience not only for the students of MA English Literature but also for others who took part in it because of the strength of poetry, in its ability to shed sideways light on the world, so the truth dawn on everyone. We thank the Department of English (PG) for coming up with a new platform for the budding poets to grow and showcase their talents.

Esther Jayakumar, a final year student opined, “The Poets League, was definitely a start for something beautiful, as I was presenting a poem of mine titled “When love was what it cost”, I was overwhelmed with tears of joy to see audience staring at me with smiles and eagerness to know what next, and looking at them gave me encouragement, and inspired me to go on for such events in the future”.

There were more than 100 participants across the college campus who not only shared their poetry and recited them, but also enjoyed the session with rapt attention.

Quiz Competition – “A Tribute to the Legend Leo Tolstoy”
“Competition makes you better, always, always makes you better, even if the competitor wins.”

The Quiz Club in association with the Department of Humanities, Kristu Jayanti College, organised a Quiz Competition – “A Tribute to the Legend Leo Tolstoy” for the III semester BA students on 20th November 2020. The judges for the event were Prof. Jeeva and Prof. Manohar. Several interesting questions were put forth during the course of the entire competition.

Emceeing was done by Ms. Prerna Nayak, a student of III semester JPEng. The competition included a preliminary round after which top four teams were selected as finalists. The finals consisted of four rounds covering the areas of Tolstoy’s biography and literary works. Each team had to find out the right answers, and during the course, it was interesting to see each team highly involved in the competition towards emerging as the winners. The winners were given a Certificate of Appreciation, and all the participants were given participation certificates for their enthusiastic participation making the event successful.

The participants shared their feedback, and many of them stated that it gave them the opportunity to know more about the phenomenal Leo Tolstoy.

Book Release at Visthar, Bengaluru
On the occasion of the release of the book Cultural Labour: Conceptualizing Folk Performance, Visthar held a panel discussion on 6th of September 2019. The discussion had a panel of discussants – Ms. Sammitha Sreevathsa, Freelance writer and Art critic with The Hindu, Ms. Shashikala, a Fulbright scholar and Dr. Manila K, Postdoctoral Fellow, Witwatersrand University, South Africa. The session was chaired by Dr. Brahma Prakash Singh who is an Assistant Professor of Theatre and Performance Studies at the School of Arts and Aesthetics, Jawaharlal Nehru University, while Ms. Kirtana Kumar who is an actor, director and film maker by profession, moderated the session. The students of the Department of English (PG), Kristu Jayanti College Autonomous were also invited to be part of the event.

The discussion was based on his recent book Cultural Labour: Conceptualizing Folk Performance. Dr. Brahma Prakash gave an insight into his book, while explaining how his basic premise rested on the idea of performance arts and their union with literature today. The title of the book puts out varying major focal points with distinct perspectives, which piqued the interest of the reader. The book is also the first of its kind in South Asia and India. Dr. Brahma Prakash gave a brief introduction of the individual chapters of his book while elaborating on personal life incidents that triggered this publication. The book sought out a cultural analysis frame, showing the effect of decolonisation and it's after effects. He also expressed his discomfort with modern education system as it tampers with the true essence of folk and culture.

Kirtana Kumar, the moderator, expressed how traditionalism and revivalism can be as much a part of the so-called contemporary and modern theatre. Ms. Shashikala added how "It's an interesting intersection of diverse concepts that have been battling historically for quite some time". The discussion also touched upon the underlying issues of the alteration of folk performance from its true form, the effects of modernization and the loss of authenticity. The discussion was an open door to everyone to explore the vivid world of folklore. The entire discussion ended with a Q/A session which helped the audience interact with the author better and understand his perspective on a firsthand basis.

"It was an amazing and interesting discussion; it gave us an insight into the field of folklore, art, labour and culture. We had the opportunity to interact with famous literary figures and theatre artists. To witness an author actually talk about a book that is the first of its kind in India was worth cherishing" opined Jeeva, a first year student.

There were 22 students from the Department of English (PG) who were a part of this fascinating discussion along with other external participants.

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Bengaluru Poetry Festival, 2019
“Poetry lifts the veil from the hidden beauty of the world, and makes familiar objects be as if they were not familiar.” — Percy Bysshe Shelley

The Bengaluru Poetry Festival is the city’s only literary event dedicated to poetry. It was organized by the not-for-profit Bengaluru Poetry Festival (BPF) Trust. The fourth edition of the festival brought poets and poetry from across the country, with substantial regional and ethnic flavours to the audience. It was a fruitful event with the participation of many poets, musicians, lyricists, actors and famous personalities. The programme included individual performances, panel discussions, workshops and readings. The final year students of the Department of English (PG) were accompanied by Dr. Krishna Prabha, Head of the Department, to attend the Bengaluru Poetry Festival (BPF) held at The Taj West End, Race Course Road, Bengaluru on 20 and 21 July, 2019. As a part of experiential learning, the students had the opportunity to witness the august presence of famous poets and artists across India. Out of the 20 students who attended the Fest, 15 students had the privilege to volunteer at the Fest. Aishwarya M, one of our student volunteers opined, “Volunteering at the Bengaluru Poetry Festival was a great opportunity to meet and interact with some of the distinguished poets of the country. The fest provided us not just experiential knowledge about poetry but also instilled in us a great team spirit and also provided us with a chance to work with people from different colleges and occupations”.

Apart from volunteering, the students also had the privilege to interact with famous personalities like Hoshang Merchant, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev, Swaroopnath Bhatra, Maitreyee Bhattacharjee Chowdhury, Andrea Jeremiah, Siddhant Chaturvedi, Tenzin Tsundue, Anushka Ravishankar, Ranjit Hoskote, Arundhathi Subramaniam, Jeet Thayil, Raj Shekhar, Irshad Kamil and many more.

Hoshang Merchant, poet and retired professor, with twenty books to his name, kept his audience spell bound in “The Body is also in the Soul” session. As a gay poet, he has edited India’s first gay anthology Yaraana: Gay writing from India (1999). He further opined that coming out as a gay person should be “as natural as coming out of your house”.

In one of the sessions, Anushka Ravishankar, shed light on the process of writing children’s books. She propounded that “Writing a book for children is no child’s play. You need to be at your interactive best.” She added that – while writing a book for children, one must imagine oneself to be the child and understand the child's mind and psyche.

Siddhant Chaturvedi – actor, rapper, musician and the Gully Boy star, spoke about his tryst with poetry. “Even before I was an actor, I used to write poetry,” he said. Speaking like a true poet, he quipped, “I can write poetry anywhere, even in the kitchen.”

In “The Metre and Mysticism”, Sadhguru Jaggi Vasudev in conversation with poetess Arundhathi Subramaniam, put forth a totally new perspective about poetry. “When you want to convey something that is not logically correct you use poetry” revealed Sadhguru. It was perhaps one of the best sessions of the BPF.

Another entertaining session was Majnu Ka Tia, a poetic performance in Hindi by lyricist Raj Shekhar who was accompanied by Swaroopnath Bhatra on the guitar. Shekhar recited poetry in Hindi including Jantar Mantar Lohri, a lullaby for the activists who sleep in Jantar Mantar at night before facing a new day of protest and “hope for a new change”. The discussions on rebel poetry with Jeet Thayil and ‘Love in Unreal Times’ with Ranjit Hoskote were equally enticing.

“Usually, poetry follows music, but for me, poetry is the mainstay, music complements it”, poet and Hindi lyricist Irshad Kamil said, ahead of his captivating performance with Inkband – India’s first poetry band.

One common string that bound all these creative personalities together was that, all of them spoke about the essence and power of poetry. They encouraged the use of poetry in our day to day lives and even encouraged the audience to write poetry fearlessly because poetry has a very rare power of its own.

Ragi Sebastian, another final year student showed her exuberance and gratitude by proclaiming – “I always look forward to meet people who could think beyond the mere physical existence. People who could delve deep into the inner recesses of human souls have always held me captivated. Bengaluru Poetry Festival was a great exposure which was beyond our expectations. We are thankful to the organisers for inviting us.”

The Fest exposed our students to poetry of various cultures, languages and historic periods. They returned with more knowledge about poetry and their love for poetry was strengthened. They also bought books written by the popular Indian authors and got their books autographed. This was a golden opportunity not only for those who were a part of the volunteering team but for all those who attended the fest. The students were enthralled to be a part of such an efficacious and purposeful literary festival.

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FAREWELL
Date: 11/03/2019
Classes: IInd and IVth Semester M.A. English Literature
Venue: Mini Audi I, MBA Block
‘Ad Astra’, the 2019 edition of the farewell function for the graduating batch was conducted on 11 March 2019 in Mini Audi I, MBA Block. It was planned out creatively by I MA students under the able guidance of the class animator, Dr. Lyola Thomas. The program began with a formal session with the Principal as Chief Guest on the dais, and other faculty of the Postgraduate Department of English in attendance. Rev. Fr. Principal delivered the presidential address expressing his happiness over the theme chosen for the farewell and wished the graduating students all the blessings in their future career and life. He also used the opportunity to welcome the outgoing students as alumni to the college.

In the unofficial segment that followed, much entertainment unrolled. Through many activities, the outgoing students were aptly recognized and felicitated by the juniors for their talents and contributions made to the department. The faculty also gave their wishes and shared their pleasant experiences with the batch. The outgoing batch gave gifts to the teachers and juniors as a symbol of their love and affection. The farewell function ended with a sumptuous dinner and sessions at the photo booth.