VISA Episode #30 | A Report
Mr. Aadhavan Pazhani | University of London, UK
The Office of International Programmes, MCC, in collaboration with the Dept of English (Aided), MCC, hosted the 30th episode of its VISA (Virtual Interaction with Scholars Abroad) series, at 7.30 pm, today, Monday, 10th August 2026 via Google Meet.
Nearly 70 students – past and present, and faculty members, participated in the Interactive Session.
On an aside, the VISA Programmes are specifically designed to offer guidance and orientation for students who are aspiring to pursue their higher studies abroad.
It is a unique initiative organised by the Office of International Programmes designed to bridge the gap between current students and the global academic community, by providing direct access to our illustrious alumni abroad.
The programme regularly hosts virtual sessions that connect current MCC students with distinguished alumni and international scholars - who not only share their personal experiences, academic journeys, and the realities of studying overseas, but also offer valuable advice and actionable guidance for students aspiring to pursue higher education abroad.
In this regard, one important aim of the event is to help students cultivate a genuine interest and clarity of purpose for their international studies by providing the necessary mentorship for them through our alumni abroad.
Today’s informative and interactive session featured valuable insights from a distinguished MCC alumnus Mr. Aadhavan Pazhani who is currently pursuing his Doctoral Programme with the Department of English and Creative Writing at Goldsmiths, University of London, UK.
Mr. Aadhavan did his B.A. English Language and Literature (2014-17), and his M.A in English Language and Literature (2017-19), MCC.
Excerpts from his Talk this evening –
If you get into MCC or Loyola, then you can do English Literature, my family members had clearly told me, when they knew about my passion for English literature.
And luckily I got into MCC.
One question that you might ask is, “Why do Tamil Research in UK?”
I did my UG in English 2014-17.
This was the time when a host of new papers were introduced in MCC. I would go to literary events with my classmates and also with friends from other depts like Political science.
When Dr. JS asked me my topic for my master’s thesis, I said it was translation studies. She was happy to allow me to do it.
MCC developed my own unique creative thinking skills.
I was also able to translate Stalin Rajangam’s essays on cinema. This was my initial journey that took me to reading and contributing to international publications.
I wanted to work on 19th century Tamil society. On the one hand we have British rule. On the other hand, we have the old models of education being modernised during this time as well. So I wanted to look at the Tamil colonial dialogue and the other side of colonialism.
I was also interested in what kinds of translations came to Tamil as part of my research. In this regard, I worked extensively in the British library where you have immense number of materials.
I should also thank Dr. Monsingh and Dr. Ponnivalavan for having suggested good English movies. I am happy for that, since those movies have had a great impact on me.
I remember watching Portuguese films suggested by Prof. Monsingh, that I was able to connect with my friends from Portugal and Europe.
I would say with all conviction that, the period that you spend in MCC really shapes your thinking and thereby it shapes you and helps you get the right context.
UK is a very interesting place, and one nation that prioritises education. Many from South Asia come here to do their UG, Masters and Doctoral programmes. Oxford and Cambridge, LSE, Sussex, York, Bristol, Queen’s University, Belfast, Trinity College, Dublin.
These are those small moments that helped me go to the UK. I was very fortunate to get a fellowship called AHRC-CHASE funding.
The Arts and Humanities Research Council (AHRC) is the main source of UK Government PhD funding for doctoral students researching in Arts and Humanities subjects. AHRC funding will cover tuition fees and include a living cost stipend currently set at £20,780 per year. They fund cutting-edge research programmes in sciences and humanities, in London colleges. They give you funding for the entire duration of your PhD – covering both tuition fees and staying fees.
For those of you aspiring for research, get your writing going – make writing a habit – because that really helps you lots!
Get as much as writing training when you’re in MCC – while doing your UG and PG.
There are two fellowships that are more common –
Chevening Fellowships
Masters runs for a year in the UK.
Commonwealth Fellowships for Masters Fellowships, and Doctoral students can also get a short-term fellowship for three months.
UK has plenty of archives – it’s a country known for its archiving.
I got hold of a lot of 17th century and 18th century rare manuscripts.
The Newton fellowship
Marie-Curie Fellowship
There are also field-based fellowships – for Medical humanities, Digital humanities.
Even for your Master’s you should be able to write an SoP.
For my Doctoral Programme they asked me, “What particular archives or library sources will you use?”
I used the British Library archives, the SOAS Archives, the Oxford Archives, etc.
People also go to Birmingham to read about archives connected with India.
It also has a lot of rare manuscripts related to Thiruvachagam.
You can include this in the SoP, saying, Why it will be useful to you.
When you write your abstracts, the first couple of sentences are important.
What particular intervention you are doing is important. Your hypothesis, and how it would invite further research in the field is also important.
University of East Anglia also runs a Week-long programme on Summer School for Translations.
British centre for literary translations – so don’t just look for three-year funding alone.
Even small grants can help build your profile. You can find them on LinkedIn. You can write to them. You can also participate in International Conferences, which help in networking.
Last year Dr. Samuel Moses and myself we presented on Cinema in the UK.
In 2024 March, I helped organise a conference on the legendary Mr. Madhavaiah, in MCC.
He was a pioneering Tamil novelist, who features descriptions of MCC and Miller in his novels. Miller would give recommendation letters for Madhavaiah, one of the early English novelists as well. He was one of the pioneers of Indian writing in English.
His first writing appears in MCC Magazine. You can see them in the archives of MCC.
We wanted to discuss the role of MCC in shaping the early Telugu novels of Madhavaiah.
In fact it was serialised in the MCC Magazine.
MCC has produced a lot of eminent personalities. We organised two conferences in MCC. I also invited scholars in Tamil studies and English Studies.
Make the most of your MCC days, he exhorted students.
This was followed by a series of interactions with students. Mr. Sabarinathan, our former Global Student Ambassador and Office Intern, had a few interesting questions for Mr. Aadhavan.
This lovely feedback from Mr. Sabarinathan would be an apt summing up of the event today!
On the whole, it was a very rewarding evening – well-spent with an illustrious alumnus! 😊
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