"Make the Most of Your MCC Days" | "Get Your Writing Going" | "Make Writing a Habit" | ❤️

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! 😊

Cordially Inviting You... ❤️

 

The Tiger as an Elder Brother: Reflections on Cultural Syncretism in Naga Literature ❤️

Exploring Cultural Syncretism in Naga Literature

Today’s Ph.D. Defence @ SRM University | A Report

I was so happy to be one of the External Examiners for the Viva Voce Exam of Ms. Ganga Devi, SRM University, Kattangulathur, Chennai, today at 9.30 am.

Well, something that really fascinates me skyhigh is the intersection of literature, anthropology and psychology. One reason why I always keep an eye out for fresh academic perspectives on these topics.

Today, I was so happy to witness one such compelling piece of research on the topic, “Transitional Dynamics of Angami Nagas and Cultural Syncretism: From Autochthonous to Hybridity in the select novels of Easterine Kire”, well-defended by Ms. Ganga Devi, at the M.S. Subbulakshmi Hall.

Ms. Ganga Devi R K, did a very good defence. In her presentation spanning 56 slides, she rarely looked up to the notes that she had in her hand, and that spontaneity in her talk resonated lots with the audience.

“Culture doesn’t just endure; it transforms. It sheds old forms and adopts new ones, weaving the complex, ever-evolving tapestry we recognise as cultural hybridity”, she started her defence, and then proceeded to examine the pre-liminal, liminal and post-liminal phases of the Angami tribes – the third largest tribe in Nagaland. Schooling and scripting for the Nagas, came with the colonisers, she averred.

Ganga then elucidated on the transitional dynamics of cultural syncretism.

Killing the tiger was considered a sacrilegious act among the Nagas, as it was considered an elder brother by the tribespeople. In the cultural and spiritual traditions of the Angami Naga tribe (as well as neighbouring Naga tribes), lycanthropy is a prominent concept, wherein the Angami believe that humans and tigers are intimately related through ancestry.

For this reason, in the Naga tradition, lycanthropy is considered a spiritual phenomenon where a person’s soul projects into an animal (such as a leopard or tiger) during sleep. Even today, in some remote parts of Nagaland, these tigermen still serve as local diviners, spirit mediums, and healers.

Dr. Prantik Banerjee, Professor of English at Rashtrasant Tukadoji Maharaj Nagpur University, who was the second External Examiner, had some very interesting observations as well.

On an aside, as soon as we both met, the first question he asked me was,

How far is MCC from SRM? 😊

Around 15 kms, I suppose, Sir, I replied.

Well, I come from around 1500 kms away, from Nagpur, he said, with a gentle smile on his face.

The very word “Nagpur” rang a bell in me, and so I impulsively asked him if he had been to Pench Tiger Reserve or Tadoba Tiger Reserve, which has the rarest spottings of the Tigers, the leopards, the bears, the foxes and the dholes. 😊

“Oh yes! I have! And many times too!”, he said, adding, “That’s why the concept of Tiger as an elder brother resonated well with me”.

Coming back,

Dr. Prantik in his remarks observed that, their University had the unique honour of having hosted Ms. Kire a couple of years ago. During her visit, she had expressed her reservations on research scholars interpreting her texts using a lot of -isms, it seems.

He also asked a question to the research scholar on those lines –

As somebody who doesn’t like researchers using a lot of -isms to dissect her works, and as an anti-theorist herself, how do you view your research on Kire?

Ms. Ganga gave a convincing reply to this very insightful question.

Dr. Prantik also supported her viewpoint saying that, ‘Even writers may not be aware of the many facets of their writing that the researchers uncover layer by layer. That’s where theoretical lens helps us lots. At the same time we should be able to justify the theoretical lens that we are using to augment our thesis statement.

When one participant asked her, ‘What were the various struggles you went through during your Research work?” she smiled and said, ‘It wasn’t a struggle at all, since I enjoyed every step of my research work right from day one!”.

And that I feel is the passion and the verve that every research scholar needs to cultivate!

Hearty congratulations to Dr. Ganga Devi, and to her vibrant Research Supervisor Dr. Arunprabhu on producing such a vibrant thesis - that - i strongly feel, would be a real value-addition to the body of studies in this field.

Talk to your professors, express your interests, and “Don’t hesitate to ask questions!” ❤️

From the Classroom to Space: A Guide to Studying Abroad 

VISA Programme

Episode # 29 | A Report

Mr. Rabin William, our illustrious alumnus from the Dept of Physics (Aided), delivered an inspiring and highly informative presentation in the VISA Programme’s 29th Episode, today, at 7.30 pm IST via Zoom Platform.

Rabin gave a meticulous presentation detailing his career trajectory and also offered a roadmap for our current students who are aspiring to study abroad.

Currently based in Dublin, Ireland, Rabin works as a Space Systems Engineer and Product Lead at InnaLabs, developing gyroscopes and accelerometers for space navigation for major clients like the European Space Agency (ESA) and AIRBUS.

A few lovely takeaways from his talk – that outlined on how he navigated the journey from a bachelor’s degree to a successful career in the space industry.

Rabin began his academic journey studying BSc Physics at Madras Christian College (MCC) with a focus on the practical side of space science. Initially, he had no plans to study abroad and was focused on passing the IIT JAM to pursue a Master’s degree at an IIT or NIT before moving into industry.

However, his trajectory shifted dramatically when he attended a study abroad talk during his 3rd year. This inspired him to shift his focus to Plan B: pursuing an MSc abroad, he said.

To successfully transition abroad, Rabin outlined a structured five-step preparation strategy.

Seek out topics that genuinely interest you, visualize your ideal day-to-day work life, and speak with professionals in that field.

Research top universities in your fields of interest, attend study abroad fairs, and utilize platforms like QS TopUniversities, LinkedIn, and YouTube.

Dedicate time to passing language exams like IELTS/TOEFL (which he self-prepared for daily), writing a strong Statement of Purpose (SOP), and gathering academic transcripts and Letters of Recommendation.

Aim for scholarship applications by targeting early deadlines between December and March for the Fall (September) intake.

Keep a master list tracking all university-specific deadlines and requirements, 

he exhorted our students. 

On the Course Realities in Ireland, he said that - 

For students who are considering Ireland, Rabin provided a candid assessment of the current master’s degree landscape with respect to Ireland -

Computer Science, Software & AI programs are “saturating fast”.

Data Science & Business Analytics are considered “oversaturated”.

Pharmaceuticals & Biotechnology (including Biomedical Engineering) offer “decent” prospects.

Finance, FinTech & Accounting remain a “good” choice.

Master’s programs are usually completed in one year over three semesters, but students should be prepared for the fact that coursework is roughly 80% self-study. A crucial piece of advice was to opt for an internship in the final semester, especially since there are no campus placements provided by the university; students must navigate the job market themselves.

Getting an unconditional offer letter is a prerequisite for what Rabin calls “the real deal” - the visa application.

Engaging a consultancy is recommended, but applicants should choose their own university and avoid paying consultancy fees, as these agencies are usually compensated by their partner institutions.

The visa application takes at least 1-2 months, and providing clear, comprehensive financial proofs is vital, as many applications are rejected due to insufficient documentation.

Living abroad requires strict budgeting. For the 2025/2026 academic year, students should anticipate monthly living costs (excluding tuition) between €950 and €1,250. 

Rent is the most significant factor - 

Dublin: €720-880

Cork: €580-730

Galway: €520-670

Limerick: €480-630

Waterford: €420-520

Finally, a successful study abroad experience goes beyond academics. Rabin encouraged students to enrich their university life by making international friends, joining student societies (like the UCD International Students Society, Game Soc, or Physics Society), and deeply exploring the local culture. He also highlighted the importance of networking through alumni events, job fairs, and utilizing the university’s career centre.

To strengthen a CV, he urged students to build personal projects, attend workshops, and participate in hackathons. In fact, his own involvement paid off significantly when his team, the ‘Irish Moonquakers,’ won a NASA Space Apps Challenge in Dublin.

And his ultimate piece of advice for ambitious students?

Talk to your professors, express your interests, and “Don’t hesitate to ask questions!”,

he signed off.

More than 40 students had turned up online, along with Rabin’s past professors, past VISA speakers, and our alumni as well.

Dr. Jacob George, Dept of Physics facilitated the student interactions. Mr. Mathew Alex, II MA Political Science did the MC, and Dr. Serena coordinated the Programme on behalf of the Office of International Programmes, MCC.

Leaving it to Psmith | Why Wodehouse is My Cuppa Tea ❤️

On Why I Love Wodehouse! 😉

And how I ‘manifested’ my love for the legend in my own little ways! 😊

#musings #lovelyreads

Horror fiction has never been my cuppa coffee... oops... my cuppa tea, anytime! 😊

On the other hand, I’ve always loved reading stories that abound with light comedy, idyllic settings, cheerful characters with a zest for life, where the characters don’t have any harsh words for anyone, and at the same time, so chivalrous and romantic when it comes to adventurous escapades, with albeit light-hearted endings! Such stories have always truly blue-ly resonated much with my reading sensibilities for long.

This takes me back down memory lane - to an array of lovely reads from my childhood days that have really helped me lots in cultivating such a sensibility! Remember Tintin? or Happy Days? He’s of that ilk! 😊

And that’s exactly ‘that something’ that makes P.G. Wodehouse so special for me. A real master-blaster when it comes to an impish linguistic playfulness, written in such beautiful comic prose, offering an idealised world for his readers.

Be it his use of witty classical mythology, or those quaint Latin phrases, or that odd contemporary slang – he has them all woven into his pages, so much that, eminent English writer Evelyn Waugh famously observed that,

Wodehouse produced an average of three uniquely brilliant and entirely original similes on each page.

Of all his amazing novels that form part of his oeuvre, there are quite a few that have fascinated me lots. One among them is titled, Leave It to Psmith (1923) – a novel that holds a distinct place in the Wodehouse-ian universe.

The novel is all about Psmith, an urban, sharp-witted hero, who steps out of his own universe and directly into Blandings Castle - the idyllic, pastoral realm of Lord Emsworth.

Ronald Psmith endears himself to us more because of the fact that he is a kinda intellectual protagonist, someone who is brilliant, self-aware and at the same time tries to make the entire place around him happy in every way! 😊

He addresses everyone – right from aristocrats to valet impersonators - as “Comrades” with mock-socialist warmth, stunning everyone he meets with elaborate, polite rhetoric, not once losing his cool or calm or composure during the entire course of the novel.

2004 Edition 😊

And for this exact reason, way back in time - almost 24 years ago, when I had just joined the Dept of English, MCC has Lecturer, I had decided to abridge a few such novels of the legend, at the pace of one novel a month, by retaining his razor-sharp dialogue, in its original aura, but still, making it an easy read for the lay reader, reducing the novel’s size from 350 pages to 25 pages in the process! 😊

Apart from the dialogue, the plot is yet another aspect of the novel that’s got such an unputdownable, joyous pace to it – something that you must feel in order to experience it.

Just giving us all some snippets from the abridged novel – a purely out-and-out self-publication – that I had done using my personal computer and printer, in my own quirky raw and rugged style. 😊

15 more pages to go! to be continued... when time permits... 😊

Reflections on a PhD Defence | Climate Positionalities and Malayalam Cultural Mediations ❤️

Localising the Climate Crisis Through Kerala’s Flood Imaginaries

#PhD-Defence #IITM

29th July 2026 | 4 pm

Today, I was happy to be a part of the PhD Viva Voce Examination of Mr. Achuth Balakrishnan, IIT Madras, whose thesis titled, “Climate Positionalities - The Kerala Floods Imaginaries and Malayalam Cultural Mediations”, was a real eye-opener of sorts.

There are two things in particular that I loved the most about his thesis.

Firstly, while standard ecological imaginaries and climate narratives typically depict distant dystopian end-of-the-world scenarios, Achuth has analysed the depictions of real, localised climate events – grounded in the region - specifically the 2018 Kerala floods - within Malayalam literature.

By analysing such regional fictional and non-fictional texts, the researcher has skilfully explored micro-level cultural responses for macro-level climate issues.

Secondly, the researcher’s study of children’s literature is something that I found highly laudable.

The research specifically analyses three Malayalam children’s novels that deal with the 2018 Kerala floods, namely, Priya’s Perumazhayathe Kunjithalukal, Veerankutty’s Parannu Parannu Chekkuttyppava and Sethu’s Chekkutty. In fact, one of the main research questions investigates how children’s agency is represented in flood-related climate fiction.

Through the thesis, the researcher has studied how child characters exercise agency through their capacity for imagination, social bonding, and active participation in rebuilding society after a disaster, moving away from older, purely moralistic models of children’s stories.

Moreover, the study uses children’s literature to examine gender praxis, specifically looking at how these texts might intervene in conventional gender discourse through models of gender subversion, affirmation, and parity.

Added, the research looks into the specific stylistic aspects deployed in children’s literature to explain complex ecological disasters. It analyses how techniques like episodic formatting, oral narratives (resembling “grandmother’s tales”), fantasy, and magic realism are used to convey climate lessons and resilience to young readers. Most importantly, the thesis examines how the child figure is sensitised to the spatial nature of ecology and their environment when their habitation gets disturbed by the floodwaters.

In short, an impactful micro-response to a macro-issue of alarming proportions.

Hearty congratulations to Dr. Achuth, and to Dr. Divya, his vibrant Research Supervisor for coming up with such an impactful thesis that has a great importance for society.

Friends for Friends: Building a Peer-Led Mental Wellness Ecosystem on Campus ❤️

Report on Today’s Think Tank Session 

By the Think Tank Team [Ms. Lekhaa & Rakshaya]

29th July 2026 | Writer’s Nook, MMIP

The Weekly Think Tank Session of the College was conducted on 29 July 2026 with the objective of discussing key student development initiatives. The event was coordinated by the Event Managers - Ms. Aarthi and Ms. Vishnupriya and was attended by Dr. Samuel Rufus, Dean IP, Dr. Tabitha Durai, Dean of Research and Development (R&D), Ms. Benita, Head of the Placement Cell, Academic Deans, faculty members, Members of the College Union Society (CUS), and students.

The agenda of the session invited the College Union Society (CUS) to deliberate on three action plans: (1) Campaign and Community Movement for Student Mental Wellness in association with Student Counselling Services; (2) Enhancing 10% Core Placements in every department through Department Representatives and Class Representatives in association with the Placement Cell; and (3) Popularising purpose-driven Part IV, Part V, and value-added NPTEL courses aligned with career planning in collaboration with Academic Coordinators and the Department of Extension Programme (DEP).

However, owing to time constraints, the session focused primarily on the first item on the agenda, namely, “Campaign for Student Mental Wellness,” and the discussion centred on suggestions and action plans to strengthen mental wellness support for students on campus.

The session commenced with an introduction by Dr. Samuel Rufus, who welcomed the participants and outlined the purpose of the Think Tank session.

The discussion was led by Dr. Tabitha Durai, Dean of Research and Development (R&D), who invited students to share their perspectives on their needs and the measures the institution could adopt to further strengthen student mental wellness. She also highlighted the role of the Research and Development (R&D) Cell and expressed its interest in collaborating with the College Union Society. Students requested an overview of the initiatives already in place before offering further suggestions.

The discussion brought attention to the fact that the institution already has two student counsellors, although many students were unaware of their identities and the support services available. Participants discussed the establishment of a Student Mental Wellness Forum involving experts and raised points regarding certification and the age gap between students and counsellors.

A key proposal discussed was the “Friends for Friends” initiative. It was suggested that selected students be trained as peer ambassadors rather than being referred to as student counsellors. The proposed training would include Psychological First Aid, enabling peer volunteers to provide initial support and connect students with professional counsellors whenever necessary.

The session also highlighted the availability of NPTEL SWAYAM Psychology courses and emphasized strengthening the existing mental wellness framework. Participants discussed the importance of balancing academic competitiveness with personal well-being and suggested promoting activities such as nature walks and spiritual well-being.

Further discussions on the “Friends for Friends” initiative proposed the use of confidential and anonymous online forms and social media platforms to facilitate peer support throughout the academic year. Suggestions also included collaboration with various student units, careful selection of peer volunteers, and promoting group-based support systems.

Participants proposed the formation of a Mental Wellness Club to conduct programmes on conflict resolution, burnout, health and fitness, stress management, and promoting joy on campus.

The discussion concluded with recommendations on ensuring the sustainability of mental wellness initiatives by addressing counsellors’ workload, building trust and rapport between students and counsellors, involving pro bono counsellors where possible, reducing the stigma associated with seeking help, ensuring confidentiality, providing structured training for selected peer volunteers, and creating awareness about the stages of counselling. The importance of encouraging students to seek support without fear of judgement was also emphasized.

The session ended with a Vote of Thanks delivered by Ms. Swarna Rekha, who expressed her sincere gratitude to Dr. Paul Wilson, Principal and Secretary, the speakers, faculty members, academic deans, members of the College Union Society (CUS), and all the participants for their valuable contributions. The Think Tank session came to a close with valuable suggestions and recommendations for strengthening student mental wellness initiatives within the institution.