Sunday 31 July 2016

Interesting Facts on the Nobel Prize in Literature

Awards: 108 Prizes to 112 Laureates
Awarded women: 14
Shared prizes: 2

Number of Nobel Prizes in Literature: 108 Nobel Prizes in Literature have been awarded since 1901.

It was not awarded on seven occasions: in 1914, 1918, 1935, 1940, 1941, 1942, and 1943.

Number of Nobel Laureates in Literature

112 individuals have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature from 1901-2015.

Youngest Literature Laureate

To date, the youngest Literature Laureate is Rudyard Kipling,best known for The Jungle Book, who was 42 years old when he was awarded the Literature Prize in 1907.

Oldest Literature Laureate

The oldest Nobel Laureate in Literature to date is Doris Lessing, who was 88 years old when she was awarded the Prize in 2007.

Female Nobel Laureates in Literature

14 women have been awarded the Nobel Prize in Literature.

Swedish author Selma Lagerlöf (1858-1940) was the first woman to be awarded in 1909. Selma Lagerlöf was awarded five years before she was elected to the Swedish Academy, the Nobel Prize awarding institution responsible for selecting Nobel Laureates in Literature.

UGC-Sponsored National Seminar

Tuesday 26 July 2016

The All-time 'Famous Forty' Nobel Laureates in Literature


No.
Year
Important Nobel Laureates
1.
1907
Rudyard Kipling
2.
1913
Rabindranath Tagore
3.
1923
William Butler Yeats
4.
1925
George Bernard Shaw
5.
1927
Henri Bergson
6.
1929
Thomas Mann
7.
1930
Sinclair Lewis
8.
1932
John Galsworthy
9.
1934
Luigi Pirandello
10.
1936
Eugene Gladstone O'Neill
11.
1938
Pearl Buck
12.
1946
Hermann Hesse
13.
1948
Thomas Stearns Eliot
14.
1949
William Faulkner
15.
1950
Bertrand Russell
16.
1953
Sir Winston Churchill
17.
1954
Ernest Miller Hemingway
18.
1957
Albert Camus
19.
1962
John Steinbeck
20.
1964
Jean-Paul Sartre
21.
1969
Samuel Beckett
22.
1971
Pablo Neruda
23.
1973
Patrick White
24.
1976
Saul Bellow
25.
1982
Gabriel García Márquez
26.
1983
William Golding
27.
1986
Wole Soyinka
28.
1992
Derek Walcott
29.
1993
Toni Morrison
30.
1995
Seamus Heaney
31.
1996
Wislawa Szymborska
32.
1999
Günter Grass
33.
2001
Sir V S Naipaul
34.
2003
John M. Coetzee
35.
2005
Harold Pinter
36.
2006
Orhan Pamuk
37.
2007
Doris Lessing
38.
2012
Mo Yan
39.
2013
Alice Munro
40.
2014
Patrick Modiano

While doing an in-depth study of a literary figure, the clue for an effective and involved reading is to try summing up the essence of his/her oeuvre in a maximum of five points.

For example, if you take up Rudyard Kipling for study, the essence (including his USP) of his oeuvre could be summed up thus –

Friday 22 July 2016

A List of Books/Articles on Postcolonial Theory

Dear Students, 
Please find in the link HERE, an admirable List of Important Books / Articles on Postcolonial Theory, Compiled by Dr. V. S. Joseph Albert, with added inputs from Samuel Rufus.
With all best wishes,
Rufus

Thursday 21 July 2016

International Conference on Environmental Leadership

International Conference on
Environment Leadership for Academicians
in cooperation with
Environmentalist Foundation of India
ONE-DAY SUMMIT
29.07.2016, 9.30 a.m. - 2.30 p.m.
Goethe-Institut Auditorium
Registration on first-come, first-served
Goethe-Institut Chennai | Max Mueller Bhavan
the cultural institute of the Federal Republic of Germany has
created an Excellency project
Water | City | Chennai – the future in our hands”
to create a dialogue on urban water.
“Water | City | Chennai – the future in our hands”

Wednesday 20 July 2016

Eco-Tourism beckons you...

Wanna be an eco-tourist? visiting fragile, pristine, and relatively undisturbed natural areas, seeking authentic local experiences and connect with fellow eco-conscious travellers?

Our trekking/camping team goes regularly on trekking/camping adventure trips on the last Saturdays of every month in a team of 20 to 25 members.

Tada Falls
This month, [on the last Saturday - 30 July 2016] we have decided to go to Tada Falls / Ubbalamadugu Falls in Andhra Pradesh.

If you wanna join us, after assuring yourself that you are medically fit for the same, mail me at rufusonline@gmail.com rightaway!

However, this trek can't be done by children and the elderly. If you are above 23 years of age, and medically fit for a daunting yet exciting and fun-filled trek, decide now.

We also plan on camp fires and campfire cooking too!

Well, Tada Falls is located 92 km from Chennai, in Varadaiahpalem mandal of Chittoor district on the border of Tamil Nadu and Andhra Pradesh.

Tuesday 19 July 2016

MIDS Workshop - July 2016

Topic: Non-Violence in Relations and Non-Injury in Modes of Thinking: 
Transforming the Subjective and the Objective and the Calling of Transpositional

Speaker: Ananta Kumar Giri, Professor, MIDS
Chairperson: Godavarish Mishra, Professor, 
Dept. of Philosophy, University of Madras
Date: Thursday, 21-07-2016, 3:00 P.M.
Venue: ADISESHIAH   AUDITORIUM, MIDS
All are cordially invited!

Monday 18 July 2016

The Woods and the Floods! Reminiscences...

Planting tree saplings and gardening are my favourite pastime. Whenever I get a wee bit of that precious extra time, I take along a spade, cudgel, shovel etc, in ‘garden-work clothes’ and with a wonderful friend for company – shaktimaan in tow…

Yes, we call him shaktimaan for the myriad and marvelous ways in which he helps all and sundry in the lovely little neighbourhood of ours.

Green Drive...!
He’s a retired officer from the Secretariat, Chennai, and his love and fondness for helping his society is unparalleled.

He would accomplish any work assigned to him in no time!

During the Chennai floods, his work was way beyond ordinary, and he was also honoured by the Rotary for that!

And well, our sapling-planting-drive usually happens for four days a month – shaktimaaan has his handy almanac (kinda panjaangam) to show the time the rains come – and we gear ourselves for this favourable season of the month, in advance!

When we go on our 'sapling-planting' drive, most of our friendly neighbours accompany us to do their ‘little might’ that they could possibly offer - a kinda team effort!

And yes! our team has never said a NO to anyone who comes asking for tree-saplings to be planted in or around their residential areas, so much so that, our team is quite popular for our society-oriented initiatives!

We each chip in with a minimum of Rs.1,000 per month for our social initiatives. Sakthimaan gives the highest! Most of the money is invested on good fencing for tree-saplings – tree guards, and other paraphernalia!

[Well, yes, if you stay in or around Nolambur or Mogappair West, do give us a call or even mail us! We would help you plant the best saplings for your kind of soil – and give you saplings too free of cost! The only duty expected of you is that, you promise to guard the sapling till she nourishes herself well enough to become an adorable tree!!!]

‘Tree-sapling plantings’ apart, we also have a host of lovely and interesting people all around our house as wonderful neighbours. One among them is an Excise officer, who would spend time with all of us – describing his adventures in the ‘customs’ domain, every other day. He extols MCC as hoo hoo haa haa, and myself in turn, would express curiosity in his adventures as Customs Officer. One fine evening, for over 90 minutes, he was going on and on, talking about his adventures in Customs to Sakthimaan, Ammachi, and a couple of equally ardent and enthusiastic listeners that includes myself! He is just around forty years! The fire in his eyes, the passion in his demeanour and the vibrancy in his talk was very much palpable when he was describing his work experience in the sea, checking huge vessels for customs clearance, and airports, to check cargo containers for clearance.

Monday 11 July 2016

Elocution Contest 2016

Shriram Ilakkiya Kazhagam, the literary wing of Shriram group, is organising Thirukkural Elocution Contest 2016, the annual state-level competition from July 30 to August 28 for school and college students.

The preliminary rounds will be held in the city on July 30 at Dr. MGR-Janaki Arts and Science College for Women, R.A. Puram.

The contestants will be divided into four groups: juniors, seniors, super seniors and college. Institutions can send two entries from each class. Last date for registration is July 23.


Application forms can be collected from No. 145, Santhome High Road, Mylapore or downloaded from www.shriramchits.com. For details, call 4021 4100.

Saturday 9 July 2016

Books on Canadian Literature

Dear Friends, Blog readers and Well-wishers, 
I am glad to announce the publication of our next two books: the first one is titled Current Trends in Canadian Literature: A Critical Appraisal, co-authored with Ms. Remya Vincent, Assistant Professor of English, and an expert on Canadian Literature. The next book, co-authored with Dr. S. Armstrong is titled Explorations in Canadian LiteratureA sneak preview of both the books are given below. The books will be released this month-end, at the University of Madras, Chennai.


Don't Miss Out..!

Shakespeare’s The Tempest in Tamil
On 30th July 2016
07:30 pm - 09:00 pm
@ Museum Theatre, Pantheon Road, Near St. Anthony School, Egmore, Chennai

Directed by: Samyuktha P. C.

On the 400th death anniversary of William Shakespeare, Crea Shakthi retells his story of magic and water - The Tempest. Locked in a deserted isle, Prospero tastes sweet revenge by bringing down his enemies in a storm of illusions. Known for its spectacular stagecraft demands, The Tempest has been adapted worldwide in various languages to unveil the truths of colonialism, slavery, and oppression. A new reading of this mammoth play in Tamil will bring forth a character who has been silenced and reduced to hysteria. Pitting the young against the old, it shows the priorities change with generations.
Donation Pass: Rs 200, Rs 300 and Rs 500

Tickets available on Bookmyshow

Friday 8 July 2016

Film Series @ Goethe-Institut

In cooperation with Department of Humanities & Social Sciences- IIT(Madras), Indo Cine Appreciation Foundation, Madras Film Society, LV Prasad Film & TV Academy, SRM Sivaji Ganesan Film Institute, The Cinema Resource Centre

FILM SERIES
16.07. 2016 to 17.07.2016, 6.30 p.m.
Goethe-Institut Auditorium

Deutsche Film-Aktiengesellschaft, better known as DEFA, was the state-owned film studio in the German Democratic Republic (in East Germany) throughout that country's history.  On May 17, 1946, the Soviet Military Administration in Germany granted a license to the DEFA Studio for the production of films. Just after five months the first DEFA film, The Murderers Are among Us (Dir.Wolfgang Staudte), premiered in Berlin and won international recognition—the first German film made after WW-II.

Wednesday 6 July 2016

On 'Taine's concept of the 'Milieu'

Literature did not come out of air. “It was conditioned by three earthy elements: race, milieu, moment,” says Hippolyte Taine, the famous French sociologist.

The word milieu means, the ‘socio-cultural context’.

For example, The Jazz Age was the milieu from which Fitzgerald’s The Great Gatsby emerged.

The Great Gatsby (1925) by the American F. Scott Fitzgerald follows a host of interesting characters living in the fictional town of West Egg on prosperous Long Island. Interestingly, the term ‘Jazz Age’ was also invented by Scott Fitzgerald himself!

Tuesday 5 July 2016

An exquisite show that explores the language used by Shakespeare...

Madras Literary Society (MLS)
presents
‘Experience Shakespeare
featuring a troupe of actors (Nikhila Kesavan, Radhakrishnan Iyer, Sarvesh Sridhar, Tarun Lakshman and Geetha Lakshman)
exploring Shakespeare’s characters, language and rhythms
on Saturday, 09 July 2016, 11.30 am
at Madras Literary Society, DPI Campus, College Road, Nungambakkam

The show will conclude with a play-reading, showcasing George Bernard Shaw’s approach to Shakespeare.

The year 2016 marks the 400th death anniversary of William Shakespeare. Known for his ability to write in various genres, Shakespeare is considered to be one of the most influential playwrights. Born in 1564 in England, he wrote 37 plays, 154 sonnets and multiple poems over a course of 20-odd years.
For details, call 2827 9666

Sunday 3 July 2016

Certificate Course in Lay Counselling

The Banyan in collaboration with Stella Maris Centre for Development of Resources for Inclusion and Vocational Enrichment (SMCDRIVE) is offering a certificate course in lay counselling for distressed individuals.

The objective of the course is to provide emotional support and offer counselling under the supervision of trained mental health professionals such as psychiatrists, social workers, psychologists and psychiatric nurses.

It is a six-month course starting from July.


For registration, call Princy, social worker, SMCDRIVE, at 28116831 or 8939125854.

Saturday 2 July 2016

Audio and Text Links to Dabydeen's 'Two Cultures' - Reg

Dear Students of II MA English,

Kindly find the audio link to David Dabydeen’s poem ‘Two Cultures’ HERE, and the Script to the poem HERE.

You’ve also got a wonderful interview with the poet in audio format, on the top of that page. Therein you can listen to the poet talk on his tryst with the language, and the various factors that conditioned his writing.

The first three poems that we would be taking up for our discussion in class would be –

Margaret Atwood’s ‘Journey to the Interior’
David Dabydeen’s ‘Two Cultures’
Chinua Achebe’s ‘Refugee Mother and Child’

Regards, 
Rufus