Reflecting on “New Narratives” | A Series of Firsts for Mannar College
20th February 2026 | Madurai
A Report
Today, the PG & Research Centre of English at Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College in Madurai hosted a highly relevant One-Day National Conference on the theme, “New Narratives: Voices, Visions and Transformations in the New Millennium.”
The Conference had a series of towering, pioneering initiatives that needs to be acknowledged and celebrated.
For once, there wasn’t any ceremonial introductions or ceremonial formalities that are prone to take away considerable prime time.
There were no elaborate introductions of the Key-Note speakers or Plenary Speakers as well.
By 10 am the auditorium was packed to capacity.
So I turned to my right, and gently whispered in the ears of my brother Dr. Subbu (Principal of the College), ‘Annan, I guess the Hall is packed to capacity. We can proceed now, ain’t we?”
He smiled and replied, ‘Thambi, I am not satisfied. I need the Hall to overflow. I want participants to literally throng the place’.
I guess, this is the indomitable spirit and vibrancy that is literally taking Mannar College to top-notch positions! Indeed, it is not only about organising a Conference, but also about ensuring a large turn-out, to enable an impactful cross-pollination of ideas to a large section of lovely literary beings!
In this regard, I was so happy to see the sense of vibrancy in the way Dr. Subbu had organised the Conference. Students and staff were coming in buses and vans from far and wide – from Virudhunagar, Sivakasi, Tirunelveli, Sattur, and other neighbouring places as well. This apart, there was a huge presence of around 150 participants online as well.
And the Regn Fee? Quite nominal for everyone to afford. [For Paper Presentation: Rs. 500 for PG Students and Research Scholars, which includes Conference Kit, Conference Proceedings and Lunch]. And for many who could not, he gracefully waived the registration as well.
And the net impact? Yes, I am so happy to note that, Mannar College has achieved a record of sorts in participation. More than 400 participants had registered for the offline sessions, and 150 participants for the online sessions.
The Conference indeed provided a crucial platform for unpacking how contemporary literature and cultural discourse are rapidly evolving. I was happy to know that Dr. Marx from Pondicherry University had chosen the theme for the Conference.
For those of us deeply invested in literary theory and the ongoing shifts within postcolonial and cultural narratives, this theme is incredibly timely, offering fresh lenses through which to view the multifaceted stories defining our current era.
The conference carried additional weight as the host institution - Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College, an autonomous and NAAC A+ re-accredited institution in Pasumalai - is currently celebrating its 50th anniversary. Added, Mannar College has now climbed to fourth spot in the rankings amongst the Colleges in Madurai.
The occasion also saw the release of the Conference Proceedings by the eminent guests.
Full credits to Dr. Rama Subbiah, Principal, MTN College, for leaving no stone unturned in making the event a grand success. Appreciation and congratulations to the organising team, led by HOD Dr. R. Dhanalakshmi and Organising Secretary Dr. V.P. Rathi, for convening such an impressive intellectual gathering at the Moorthy Naidu Andalammal Seminar Hall-I.
A major highlight of the day’s agenda was the remarkable calibre of the resource persons, who brought diverse academic perspectives from across the region.
Dr. S. Prabahar, Professor and Head of the Department of English, and Dean of the Faculty of Indian & Other Languages at Manonmaniam Sundaranar University, Tirunelveli, spoke on the importance of the Madurai Meenakshi Amman Temple from a New Historicist Perspective.
Dr. J. John Sekar, Former Associate Professor of English & Head at The American College, Madurai, then spoke on ‘Looking Past the Grand Narratives’.
Dr. T. Marx, Professor of English & Head, and Dean of the School of Performing Arts at Pondicherry University, spoke on Human Rights and Literature.
This blogger, Dr. Rufus, Associate Professor of English, Madras Christian College, Chennai, spoke on “Trajectories in Multiliteracies and Multimodal Pedagogies.”
It is always a joy and pride to see academics of all hues, congregating at such meaningful conclaves, for enhancing our literary quotient.
These vital dialogues are the cornerstones for shaping society through literary transformations.
In fact, conferences like these remain essential to our pedagogy and research, pushing forward our understanding of how emerging narratives both shape and reflect the complex realities of the new millennium.
On a personal aside,
Madurai is world-renowned as the cultural heart of Tamil Nadu. Often affectionately called Thoonga Nagaram! (the city that never sleeps)
Its true soul lies not only in its grand and monumental ancient temples, but also in the boundless love and legendary hospitality of its people.
The way they host you is indeed awe-inspiring.
In fact, the concept of Virunthombal (hospitality) is deeply embedded in Tamil culture, but in Madurai, it is practiced with an unmatched, earthy fervour.
In Madurai, feeding a guest is considered a sacred duty. You will rarely leave a local’s home - without being urged to eat just a little more. The city’s legendary culinary offerings, from the cooling Jigarthanda and Paruthi Paal to the spicy Kari Dosa and fluffy midnight idlis, are served with generous portions of affection.
We have discussed at length in our past posts on how the people of Madurai go out of their way to offer directions to strangers.
It was nice to get back to listen to the Madurai dialect of Tamil, which is in high renown for its raw, unabashed warmth. I was all ears to the locals frequently address their friends, colleagues in such familial terms like Mappillai (brother-in-law/friend), Pangali (kin/brother), or Ayya (sir/father). 😊
Sounds a kinda linguistic quirk but it helps in instantly breaking the ice and dissolving the barrier between the “insider” and “outsider.”
On that note, a heartfelt note of thanks to Dr. Dhayalakrishnan, my good friend and HoD, English, Madurai Kamaraj University, and Dr. Veerasamy, Professor, Pondicherry and Prof. Balakrishnan among a host of other friends, who made my stay memorable in Madurai.
This is yet another beauty that I witnessed
during my morning walk along the streets of Madurai for my dawn cuppa. 😊 Wherever I went, I could see people flocking to the newspaper
stall, to read their daily quota of the news. This is one such memorable snap
clicked this morn.
PS: You may want to read a past Report on yet another International Conference in Mannar College, Madurai, on our past post HERE.
சிறப்பு. அனைவருக்கும் நன்றி
ReplyDeleteI am truly and genuinely happy to have met you. Your presence itself was inspiring, but what truly stole the show was the way you explained linear and non-linear storytelling through such a simple yet brilliant example ....the handkerchief. It was an unforgettable moment of clarity and creativity. I honestly wished the session had been extended for another hour. It was highly insightful, engaging, and intellectually enriching. Thank you for such a thought-provoking experience sir. And Personally, I am truly delighted to have met you in person. It feels incredibly special to stand before the very person who once helped construct the outline of my thesis. What began as your guidance has now grown into something deeply meaningful in my academic journey. Meeting the one who gently planted that seed is a moment I will always cherish sirrrrr.
ReplyDeleteDear Thambi,
ReplyDeleteI remain ever grateful to you for many reasons, both personal and academic.
About a month ago in our departmental meeting, it was decided that we should organize yet another conference as we do every year. As always, the department entrusted me with the responsibility of identifying the resource persons. When quality is the foremost priority, who else could I think of except you and our revered station masters Prof. Prabhakaran, Prof. Baskaran, Prof. Armstrong, Prof. Marx, Dr. Johnsekar and Dr. Rufus who have long been the intellectual anchors of Mannar College.
This has been a cherished tradition of the Department of English ever since Dr. Arjunan assumed office as Head of the department. After his retirement, we remain committed to preserving and continuing that rich legacy with the invaluable support of our station masters who are the true think tanks of literature and language across the nation. Many raised their eyebrows when they saw the same names in the conference circular. But only those who truly understand scholarship can appreciate the depth, experience and intellectual nourishment that such resource persons bring. As you rightly observed, while many conferences dwell on theories, digital humanities, and the impact of AI on literature, we chose, with conviction and audacity, the theme “New Narratives in Literature.”
I must personally thank Prof. Marx and Dr. Johnsekar for shaping and appreciating the title respectively. You will be glad to know that the conference attracted more than 550 participants both online and offline. Mannar is known for its academic grandeur. This year, we staged Antony and Cleopatra drawing nearly 7000 participants from institutions across the state. Many hesitated fearing the financial burden as it involved lakhs of rupees. We invested nearly ten lakhs and incurred a loss of about four lakhs yet we never regret it because we never compromise on quality. Similarly, we kept the conference fee minimal equal to the tuition fee of our self-financing students and even waived it for many deserving participants.
Money can be earned at any time but reputation, respect and appreciation from scholars like you are priceless. _One student remarked that the resource persons must have devoured books as their breakfast. What greater compliment could we ask for? I have never believed in filling the hall with students merely for appearance. We wanted genuine literary aspirants and scholars. Many participants travelled from distant places and arrived around 10:15 a.m. and some even without breakfast. Noticing this, I requested 62 students and scholars from St. John’s College, Palayamkottai, to occupy the hall so that the session could begin with dignity. At the same time, I arranged food from our hostel where free meals were being prepared for our students. They were served quietly in a nearby classroom, one by one, without disturbing the proceedings. Their patience and understanding were truly admirable.
contd...
The most touching aspect is that I never formally sought permission from our station masters. In fact, I spoke to you only a week before. Yet you travelled all the way from Chennai by car. Marx Annan left his car at Villupuram and came by Vande Bharat. Prof. Prabhakaran arrived the previous day with his scholars and a colleague as though attending a sacred function. Truly, all roads led to Mannar College. This conference became a grand success because of the unwavering support of our station masters, our academic well-wishers, our committed teachers and students and above all, the blessings of our management.
ReplyDeleteWe are deeply satisfied that we offered the best to literary aspirants through the finest literary exponents. Yet, like a mother who prepares a feast but never pauses to taste it. We could not fully listen to your session as we were immersed in ensuring every detail of the conference.
Thank you, Thambi, for your unconditional love and enduring support for our institution. I look forward to welcoming you again for yet another new narrative.
With gratitude and affection,
Always yours.