Why is India Resisting the American Spelling Takeover! 💜

Why is India Still ‘Organising’ Instead of ‘Organizing’?

From Macaulay to MS Word | The Evolution of Indian English

#newspaperinlearning #reflections

17th April 2026

One cursory look at any English-language Newspaper or Magazine or Journal or Magazine, or Government communication printed all across India, and you are prone to find the ‘S’ that has gained significant traction over the ‘Z’ – Something that the Indian Print Media has been so faithfully and consistently following all along, till date!

Be it behaviour instead of behavior, humour over humor, centre instead of center, theatre instead of theater, apologise instead of apologize, organise instead of organize, jewellery instead of jewelry, defence instead of defense, catalogue instead of catalog, cheque instead of check, plough instead of plow, tyre instead of tire, pyjamas instead of pajamas, travelling instead of traveling,

the difference is indeed like chalk and cheese! 😊

In my classes too, I have students asking me this same question over the years!

Sir, do we use ‘s’ or ‘z’? Do we go with ‘colour’ or ‘color’?

Well, this prominent use of British spelling conventions (like “colour,” “flavour,” and “organisation”) in the Indian press, Indian academia and government is primarily a direct result of India’s historical and educational trajectory.

Here are the main reasons this “standardisation” has endured over the decades, across generations!

The foundation of English education in India was laid by the British during the colonial era, most notably formalised by Thomas Babington Macaulay's 1835 “Minute on Indian Education.”

The British established schools, universities, and administrative systems that naturally utilised the spelling, grammar, and vocabulary of the British Isles.

One reason why modern Indian education boards (like the CBSE, ICSE, and various state boards) continue to officially mandate British English in their text books, and students are traditionally taught using the Oxford or Cambridge dictionaries as the definitive standards.

So naturally, the spelling learned in the classroom becomes the spelling used in schools, colleges and universities, professional journalism and in the world of publishing as well.

Many of India’s oldest and most respected English-language newspapers (such as The Times of India, The Hindu, and The Statesman) also use the British spelling, as they were either established during the British Raj or founded by British expatriates. And hence we find that, their foundational editorial style guides were almost always built on British norms by default!

That’s hence, in order to maintain consistency, authority, and institutional voice, for probity and propriety sake, modern newsrooms have carefully cherished, nurtured and preserved these rules for generations.

In addition, the Indian bureaucracy, civil services, and judicial system have also been modeled oops modelled heavily on British institutions. Legal drafting, parliamentary records, and official government documents have been continuously maintaining British spelling conventions since independence.

Standardising a nation’s written language is a massive work of epic proportions. In case, India transitions away from UK spellings, it would mean a synchronised overhaul of millions of textbooks, legal codes, government forms, and editorial guidelines. That would also mean that, if in case this transition happens, very soon, in about 10 years’ time, all our existing archives, our official circulars, documents and literature might become obsolete or ‘trash’ to the upcoming generations, as they cannot relate with the ‘archaic English’ – much like we cannot relate with Chaucer’s English today!

Linguists use the term “Orthographic Conservatism” or ‘Linguistic Inertia’ to connote this resistance to ‘spelling change!’

However, although the print press and formal institutions remain resolutely aligned with UK spelling, American English is quietly creeping into informal digital communication and corporate environments in India, because of the fact that, MS Word processors and smartphones almost always set the US English as default!

That’s hence the witty, ol’ saying –

The devil is in the defaults! 😊

Myth in Motion | The Great Mother Archetype Simplified! 💚

The Universal Blueprint | The “Great Mother” Archetype Simplified

#intothewildwithrufus

Quite recently, during our forest outing in Karnataka, we were treated to a rare and beautiful sighting of a Mother Gaur and her calf.

And yes! we had to be as quiet as could be, to ensure that we saw the tender moments between the mother gaur and her calf!

What surprised us the most was the colour tone of the calf! 😊

And as we we were all watching, completely hooked, charmed and captivated, we were able to see the deeply touching display of affection between mother and her calf!

The adult Mother Gaur gently lowered her massive head, and began to gently nuzzle the calf! Such a profound display of tenderness and care for her young one!

As is always the case, wildlife sightings are always fleeting, you see! and yes! It was time for the pair to move on. In perfect unison, they turned away from us and began to amble deeper into the thick Karnataka wild!

For us, literary beings, this scene has a lot of enriching literary takeaways, ain’t it? 😊

So yes! Let’s view this lovely scene through the lens of Carl Jung’s analytical psychology to transition for a moment, from the literal meaning, to the literary meaning – that the scene entails, replete with such profound mythological resonance!

Well, Jung emphasises that the Great Mother is a “transpersonal” symbol - rarely just the personal mother - and represents the deepest levels of the unconscious.

And this Great Mother archetype is bipolar. The “Good Mother” represents nurture, care, and fertility (e.g., Demeter, Mother Nature, the Virgin Mary), while the “Terrible Mother” represents the engulfing or destructive aspect - anything that secretes, poisons, or traps (e.g., Medusa, Baba Yaga). She is symbolised by the womb, the earth, the cave, the tree, the moon, and the sea.

So what are archetypes?

Well, to put it in simple words, archetypes are ancient blueprints of sorts!

They are inherited, not learned. For example, we not only inherit physical traits from our evolutionary ancestors, but also inherit their mental frameworks! And they have existed for as long as human consciousness has existed.

They are universal in their nature, and that’s why the exact same “ancient” patterns show up in Greek myths, ancient Indian epics, and modern blockbuster movies, all across the world.

Moreover, a blueprint is not a physical house; it is just the design for a house. 

At the same time, the blueprint dictates the foundation and the walls, but the builder chooses the paint colours, the bricks, and the furniture. The individual’s personal experiences and their specific culture act as the “builder.” In short, they take the universal blueprint (like the “Hero” or the “Great Mother”) and give it a unique, recognisable form!

Because the Universal Blueprint or the Ancient Blueprint of the Great Mother is stamped into our collective unconscious, authors make use of this blueprint constantly to ‘build’ their unique stories. And what’s more - we are able to instantly recognise, connect and emphathise with these characters because they tap into that shared human instinct!

Let’s take the example of the character of Raksha in Rudyard Kipling’s The Jungle Book. Raksha whose name literally means “protection”) is the mother wolf who adopts the human baby, Mowgli. When the man-eating tiger Shere Khan demands the baby, Raksha transforms into a fierce protector, willing to fight to the death for a child that isn’t even biologically hers. She perfectly embodies the animalistic, fierce sanctuary of the Great Mother.

Just like Raksha in the jungles of Seoni, the Mother Gaur in the deep wild forest is living out this timeless, ageless, ancient blueprint of the Great Mother!

In fact, the Mother Gaur left us with much more than just a great wildlife sighting!

She was to us all, a cute personification of a Myth in Motion!!! 😊

Pāthēyam | A Gripping Performance | Today | St. Thomas’s Hall ❤️

Pāthēyam | A Gripping Performance

Today | St. Thomas’s Hall

Kudos to Ms. Lindsay and her team on their stellar performance today, at St. Thomas’s Hall Indoor Theatre, under the banner, Ottappaathrathhile Njandukal, for their directorial venture titled, Pāthēyam.

The performance is a stage adaptation of the legendary Parayi Petta Panthirukulam, drawn from Kottarathil Shankunni’s monumental compilation of folklore, Aithihyamala.

It is indeed quite heartwarming to see such engaging folk narratives transitioning alive onto the stage space!

The Parayi Petta Panthirukulam is a story that fundamentally challenges social hierarchies and speaks to a deep, underlying unity.

Each of the actors did their parts with such ease and excellence. Be it the songs, the proverbial breaking of the fourth wall, or the music, the actors did their parts with such felicity!

A special word of appreciation on the highly evocative nature of the flyer! Set against the beautiful hills and a river, the flyer focalises on the pothichoru - the traditional meal packed in a banana leaf, resting on the ground, with a trail of ants marching toward it. Woww!

The image in the flyer bespeaks to the title as well - Pāthēyam, which translates to “provisions for a journey.”

It was a memorable play, and thanks a lot to Mr. Rennie and Ms. Ranjitha for coordinating the excellent videography, thus making it a memory that’s got to be cherished for long!!!

A special note of appreciation goes to the vibrant Convenor, Dr. David Wesley, and the talented members of Ottappaathrathhile Njandukal for bringing this slice of the Aithihyamala from the page to the stage in such a grand manner! 

The Art of Writing the Diary: A Heartwarming Masterclass in Discipline from a Graduating Student! ❤️

On His Last Working Day Today

A Lovely Student’s Heartwarming Gesture!

He is one of our best students! He has never missed a class! He’s been very studious! Involves in class discussions and interactions all the time!

Today was his last day as student of the III BA English Class in MCC.

So yesterday he got an appointment to meet with me. I gave him an appointment for 9.15 am this morning, and he was there on time.

When his turn came, he gently sat at the desk, opened his bag, and placed three beautiful diaries that he had written so meticulously and consistently for the past three years, and then he gently said –

Sir, I wish to thank you for cultivating in me the art of maintaining a diary. The very first class you met us, I remember you exhorting us to write our diary every day. I took a resolve to that end, and today, it has become an indispensable part of my life. MCC has given me beautiful memories, a lovely education, and one great skill that I would cherish for life – that would be the art of writing a diary. These days, it has become such a compulsive habit, that if I don’t write my diary for even one day, I feel quite restless, until I write it down!

So saying, he took out the traditional shawl and draped it over my shoulders.

Indeed, this lovely little gesture really made my day today! I personally feel that, this is the true purpose of education – acquiring / learning skills far beyond the syllabus!

He is none other than Mr. Khamlianthang - one of our best students ever, ladies and gentlemen!

Be it taking notes in class, or coming to class regularly, up until the last class of the semester, or participating in interactions / debates in class, or bringing the text to class, he was always known for his punctuality and disciplined manners.

Indeed, today I felt so happy when he showed me his diaries. Apart from our degree-based education, that our students today are so obsessed about, it is quite rare to see students venturing into honing their skills!

Maintaining a diary is indeed a rigorous exercise in self-reliance and emotional intelligence. Moreover, the discipline of putting pen to paper requires a student to pause, process, and articulate their thoughts in such a coherent and graded manner.

Diary writing also helps a great deal in cultivating consistency - a trait that Mr. Khamlianthang clearly exhibited through his flawless attendance and classroom engagement.

Mr. Khamlianthang leaves MCC not just with a BA in English, but with the skills of a scholar, a writer, and a disciplined professional.

I am sure that, it is these skills, that he has cultivated quietly and consistently over the past three years, that will truly define his trajectory in life.

We are so proud of you, dear Khamlianthang! And we wish you the very best in life!

For Bookworms, Bakers, and History Buffs! ❤️

Whisking Through the Ages

By Reji Jacob B. S | II MA English

A Review

Whisking Through the Ages is a delightful and deeply engaging exploration of culinary history through classic English literature, by Reji Jacob, II MA English, MCC.

Reji has done a highly commendable work by examining the baked goods found in classic texts spanning from the 16th to the 20th century.

The book explores how food in classic literature is more than just about eating! It serves as a powerful rhetorical device as well. For example, the book explains how the fine “manchet” bread in John Fletcher’s The Maid in the Mill acts as a metaphor for social class and hierarchy, and how Mercutio’s joke about a “Lenten pie” in Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliet relies entirely on the audience’s knowledge of strict Elizabethan dietary restrictions during fasting seasons.

One special mention, that I would like to make about this book is that, Reji provides some yummy historical recipes for the literary dishes from across centuries.

Hence, readers can try their hand at recreating a 16th-century Lenten Fish Pie (adapted from authentic 14th and 16th-century recipes), a lamb pasty inspired by the venison pasty in The Merry Wives of Windsor, or a traditional Manchet bread using a recipe dating back to 1594.

Reji acknowledges that, the motivation for the book came from a concept that was sparked by modern YouTube creators who recreate fictional foods from anime, cartoons, and movies. He takes that same magical concept of making “fictional food materialise into something tangible” and applies it to the realm of classical literature.

Yet another engaging factor of the book is that, it offers a rich look into the evolution of baking itself. By detailing on how 16th-century baking evolved with the introduction of global trade ingredients like currants and treacle, and how 17th-century bakers had to rely on rudimentary tools, wood-fired ovens, and wild yeast.

In short, I’m sure that the book would be a toothsome delight to a melange of readers - bookworms, bakers and history buffs! (Sorry, the alliteration really doesn’t sit in the last one!) 😉

The author invites his readers, to not just read about the past, but to go ahead, “tie on an apron, preheat your oven and journey back in time”.

And well, the real icing on the cake lies in the author’s reminder to his readers, (in the front cover itself) that, this book is NOT a Sunday Times bestseller! 😊

Here’s wishing you happy journeying into the book to taste it for yourself!

And here’s wishing Reji our heartiest congratulations on his first publication, and here’s also wishing him many many more of such creative books in the years to come!

Pause the Classroom, Pursue Your Passion: Inside MCC's New Deferral Programme! ❤️

MCC Introduces ‘Defer a Semester’ Scheme for Extracurricular Excellence

The New Indian Express, Chennai Edition

STUDENTS of Madras Christian College (MCC) will have the opportunity to pursue extracurricular activities without affecting their academic progression as, starting from the 2026-27 academic session, the institute will roll out the ‘Defer a Semester’ (DAS) scheme.

Eligible students can defer their semester for a full 90 days, participate in selected activities such as national and international internships or sports competitions, as long as they meet the required benchmarks outlined by the college.

The scheme will give students the flexibility to pursue opportunities outside the classroom and engage in activities such as innovation and entrepreneur ship development, internships at reputed institutions, participation in national and international sporting events, or any other significant educational experience recommended by the head of department (HoD) and approved by the college’s standing committee.

The scheme is open to undergraduate students (in any semester from two to five) and postgraduate students (in semester two or three). To apply, students must have no disciplinary actions, have good academic standing, and have secured at least 60% in their previous semester to qualify for the scheme.

A detailed application process will involve submitting relevant evidence, including offer letters, certificates, and confirmation letters from the activity providers, at least 90 days prior to the commencement of the DAS activity. Students will course work, as deferred semester courses will be handled through a crash course format during the subsequent semester.

“This scheme reflects our commitment to nurturing entrepreneurial and global-minded students. By offering the flexibility to explore opportunities outside the classroom, we are empowering our students to innovate, grow, and contribute meaningfully to society,” said Paul Wilson, principal of the college.

“By offering the flexibility to explore opportunities outside the classroom, we are empowering our students to innovate and grow”. - Paul Wilson, Principal, Madras Christian College.

Defer A Semester @ MCC! ❤️

MCC to allow students to defer one semester from next year

Times of India, Chennai Edition

13th April 2026

To allow students to pursue innovation, take up internships in reputed industries, and participate in sporting events, Madras Christian College plans to introduce a ‘defer a semester programme’ from next academic year (2026-27).

According to this proposal, students will be allowed to appear for the end-semester exams in the subsequent semester for all courses missed during the deferred semester.

The college has launched MCC-MRF Innovation Park to incubate start-ups. The college also has several academic partnerships with the foreign universities. “These courses will not be treated as backlogs or arrears in the student’s marksheet. Instead they will be considered part of regular academic progression permitted under deferral provisions,” said Paul Wilson, the principal.

Meanwhile, Stella Maris College has introduced co-curricular and extracurricular transcript, which will record students participation across a broad spectrum of activities.

“It will complement the academic transcript and capture the learning experiences occurring beyond formal coursework. It will provide a more comprehensive representation of a student’s development,” said Sr Stella Mary, principal of the college.

“It will improve campus placement prospects as recruiters get a better idea about the candidates and their pursuits. It will also increase students’ participation in developmental activities,” she added.