Navigating Dystopias | Reflections on a Ph.D. Viva Voce ❤️

Delving into Dystopia: Reflections on a Ph.D. Viva Voce Examination

10th March 2026 | 11 am

@ Crescent University, Chennai

Today, 10th March 2026, marked a significant academic milestone for the research scholar Ms. M. Rabia, who successfully defended her thesis at the Ph.D. Public Viva-Voce Examination held at 11 am today.

I felt so happy to conduct the PhD viva-voce examination of Ms. Rabia. She presented her thesis on a highly compelling and relevant subject: “Identity Crisis and Trauma in the Select Young Adult Dystopian Novels of Scott Westerfeld and Suzanne Weyn.”

As someone deeply invested in exploring trauma, healing, and hermeneutics through literary interpretation, I found her research focus particularly striking. Young Adult dystopian literature serves as a fascinating mirror for contemporary anxieties.

Especially authors like Scott Westerfeld and Suzanne Weyn craft intricate narratives where young protagonists are forced to navigate profoundly oppressive systems. Analysing these texts through the lens of psychological trauma and identity fragmentation opens up crucial conversations about how literature helps us process systemic and individual crises.

The defence took place in the CSB Seminar Hall, guided by the scholar’s supervisor, Dr. H. Sofia from the Department of English.

There was thunderous applause from the audience, especially from the family members of Ms. Rabia, even as I presented Ms. Rabia as Dr. Rabia Begum. The very first time someone calls her with the reputed honorific Dr. Rabia Begum.

On a very heart-warming note, I could see her Research Supervisor Dr. Sofia getting emotional when she spoke so highly on her research scholar. Something that I so cherished during the Vote of Thanks today.

Academic gatherings like these are always a refreshing reminder of the rigorous, vibrant research happening in the humanities. Exploring how emotional identity is affected by external systems - whether futuristic dystopian regimes or modern technological advances - is indeed a vital critical pursuit.

Congratulations to Dr. Rabia Begum, her Supervisor, and to the Head of the Department and all faculty members in the Department of English at Crescent, on the successful culmination of this research endeavour! It is always inspiring to see fresh, critical perspectives added to the field of literary studies.

Scrapping the Mass Placement | MCC’s Three-Year Blueprint for Future-Ready Talent ❤️

“Hire for Attitude, Train for Skills” | MCC’s Industry-Academia Engagement

Industry-Academia Conclave

7th March 2026 | A Report

Today MCC woke up to a pioneering initiative - the Industry-Academia Engagement, wherein academic leaders including Principals, Vice-Chancellors, Deans and Heads of Departments from across the city and the state had a rewarding rendezvous with HR Professionals and Corporate Honchos, based on the theme, Creating Future-Ready Talent: The New Paradigm of Recruitment and Industry Readiness.

The traditional model of resume-building and mass placement drives is being replaced by a more targeted, digital approach.

Companies are moving towards evaluating students through digital portfolios and verified digital badges starting from their first year, rather than relying solely on final-year resumes.

Addressing the issue of students sitting for generic placements without the intent to join, there is a strategic pivot toward "pre-placements." For example, the ongoing experiments within the Commerce department (sending students to companies like EY for pre-placements) are expected to yield a 70% to 80% conversion rate into full-time roles.

The event was structured to bridge the gap between academic preparation and industry expectations, focusing on -

1. Establishing Global Capability Centres (GCCs) for employability skills.

2. Learning by Doing: Experiential talent pipelines for students and employers.

3. The Talent Marketplace: Building visibility, credibility, and career readiness.

To bridge the gap between academic life and industry expectations, the panel outlined a structured, multi-year approach to student development -

Year 1 (Discovery): Utilising psychometric assessments and tools like Gallup StrengthsFinder to help students identify their true aptitudes and create personalised career tracks early on, moving away from peer or family pressure.

Year 2 (Capacity Building): Focusing on practical, interpretive skills rather than just theoretical knowledge. For instance, moving beyond basic software knowledge to advanced tools and teaching students how to interpret data and utilise predictive analytics.

Year 3 (Industry Readiness): Finalising the transition from student to professional by aligning their developed portfolios with specific industry needs.

A recurring theme among the industry panellists (GCCs and corporate leadership) was the mantra: “Hire for attitude, train for skills.”

Panelists felt that, technical skills can be taught after a student joins a company, but resilience, adaptability, and a positive attitude are prerequisites to combat high attrition rates.

Empathy and attitude must flow both ways. Mr. Mike Muralidharan, Chairman, Ethiraj College, Chennai shared an example illustrating how supportive, empathetic management naturally fosters intense loyalty and “reverse empathy” from employees during critical crunch times.

Successfully transitioning to this new model requires heavy involvement from the academic side.

Driving this change requires standard operating procedures (SOPs) developed directly from the lived experiences of faculty members and HODs, the panelists observed.

Faculty Development Programmes should evolve to include more case-study-oriented teaching methods to better prepare students for real-world industry scenarios. The traditional model of resume-building and mass placement drives is being replaced by a more targeted, digital approach.

Companies are moving toward evaluating students through digital portfolios and verified digital badges starting from their first year, rather than relying solely on final-year resumes.

Addressing the issue of students sitting for generic placements without the intent to join, there is a strategic pivot toward “pre-placements.” For example, the ongoing experiments within the Commerce department (sending students to companies like EY for pre-placements) are expected to yield a 70% to 80% conversion rate into full-time roles.

Session Breakdown

Panel 1 (10:25 AM to 11:45 AM)

This foundational panel focused on the shift from traditional mass recruitment to targeted talent acquisition, emphasizing digital portfolios, pre-placements, and the critical importance of hiring for attitude while training for skills.

Moderator: Dr. P. Wilson (Principal & Secretary, Madras Christian College)

Panellists

Mr. Mike Muralidharan (Chairman, Ethiraj College for Women)

Ms. J. Sabita (Global GCC Director HR, Zinnov)

Mr. Sathish Vaidyanathan (Vice President and Head - India, ACV Auctions)

Panel 2 (11:50 AM to 12:50 PM)

This session brought a strong governmental and systemic perspective to the discussion, exploring how state governance is engaging with academia and industry to facilitate skill development.

Moderator: Mr. Arun George Mathew (Vice President & GCC Lead, Guidance Tamil Nadu) & illustrious alumnus, MCC.

Panellists

Mr. Kranthi Kumar Pati, IAS (Managing Director, Tamil Nadu Skill Development Corporation)

Mr. Paul Arun (Chief of Staff & Senior Vice President, Guidance Tamil Nadu)

Mr. Kewyn George (Head of India GCC and AI Engineering, Expeditors International)

The Charter was then inaugurated as follows –

Bridging the gap between academia and industry has never been more critical. As academic leaders, we share a collective purpose: to nurture students who possess not only strong disciplinary knowledge but also the skills, character, and resilience required to thrive in the modern world.

To turn this commitment into action, we are adopting the Future-Ready Talent Charter. This framework ensures we align our teaching and institutional practices with the evolving expectations of the workplace through six key pillars.

Integrated Career Readiness: Embedding experiential learning directly within our academic design.

Discipline-Specific Pipelines: Mapping departmental competencies to real-world industry needs.

Early Skill Profiling: Introducing micro-credentials and skill tracking starting from Year 1.

Modern Talent Acquisition: Embracing emerging practices like hackathons and portfolio building.

Strategic Internships: Creating credit-based internship ecosystems that align perfectly with industry timelines.

Human Competencies: Strengthening essential soft skills and responsibility through service learning. 

Together, through deeper collaboration across institutions and industry, we pledge to build a generation of graduates who are confident, capable, and ready for the future of work. 

MCC’s Industry-Academia Engagement has indeed set a new benchmark for student employability. By adopting a structured three-year roadmap - from early aptitude discovery to advanced capability building - and shifting the focus to “hiring for attitude,” academia and industry are co-creating a much stronger talent pipeline.

Ultimately, then, bridging the campus-to-corporate gap isn’t just about teaching new software; it’s about fostering resilience, empathy, and true industry-readiness. And for this, it is imperative on the part of academic leaders to drive this change by integrating real-world case studies and industry-aligned standard operating procedures into their teaching.

A rewarding day in every way!

"Easy for anyone to give a handful of food before eating | Easy for anyone to speak kind words to others." ❤️

Oru Kaippidi Thamizh | A Handful of Thamizh

ELA Valedictory | Loyola College

A Report

2nd March 2026

The Valedictory of the English Literary Association of the Department of English (Aided), was a memorable one with a lot of takeaways!

The programme started with an impressive rendering of the ‘Thamizh Thaai Vaalthu’ by the students of the Department of English, with two students playing so skilfully on the guitar and on the violin respectively.

My talk centred on the topic, “Literary” Agency: Navigating the Pathway to Literary Excellence, where I also emphasised on the importance of jotting down one’s thoughts for posterity.

I also had a special word of congratulations for the Head of the Department Dr. Porselvi, on releasing her second book of poetry today. By doing so, the HoD has set a noble trend to be emulated by all faculty members and students alike.

In her prefatorial to her book, Dr. Porselvi observes –

(just excerpts)

There are many reasons why I, an English professor, developed a passion for Tamil. From a young age, my father, also an English professor with a deep devotion to the Thirukkural, and my aunt, a Tamil professor who understood the glory of Bharathi, introduced me to the beauty and ethics of the Tamil language through their words and actions. My mother, a kind storyteller, would blend the nectar of Tamil with food and serve it to us every day.

One day, amidst my daily chores, a beautiful Tamil phrase fell upon my ears: “Oru Kaippidi” (A Handful). Simplicity, humility, modesty, neatness, and truth - all are contained within this phrase.

At the same time, in the vast treasure trove of the Tamil language, what I have learned and understood is merely a “handful,” while what remains to be learned is the size of the world! This book is the first step in that Tamil quest.

While conducting doctoral research on the topic of Ecofeminism in Indian Literature, I gained a deep understanding of Sangam literature - specifically concerning Thinai (landscapes), Akam-Puram (inner and outer life), and the various categories of poetic elements (Mutharporul, Karupporul, Uripporul).

Similarly, while researching folk literature, I gained clarity regarding the natural traditional wisdom of simple people.

Some aspects of Ecofeminism can be seen below –

This ideology celebrates the value of the relationship between women and nature on one hand, and the connection between nature and culture on the other. It recognizes the inner connection between marginalized groups; it proclaims the rights of Mother Earth and her oppressed children, and guides us toward understanding the benefits of establishing gender equality and sustainable development for human beings.

It awakens all human minds to understand the spiritual dimension of all living beings with fresh vigor. It questions the contemporary problems faced by women and nature due to exploitation, destruction, and indifference. Furthermore, it urges human beings to gather their collective strength.

I see Poetry as a noble tool that gives shape to the deep thoughts and broad inner reflections born from our faith. The word "Poetry" (Kavithai) can be broken down to mean: Kalvi (Education) + Vidhai (Seed), Karpanai (Imagination) + Vidhai, or Karuthu (Thought) + Vidhai.

My beloved child born of this process is this small poetry collection, Oru Kaippidi Thamizh.

These poems were born from the values I learned from Sangam and Folk literature, such as ethics, love, affection, romance, separation, compassion, bravery, knowledge, encouragement, silence, language, prosperity, simplicity, strength, truth, hard work, relationships, nature, faith, and duty,

she signs off.

Dr. Prema, Recipient of the Mahakavi Bharathiyar Award by the Government of Tamil Nadu, (who has also written the foreword to the book) did an impressive book review of ‘Oru Kaipidi Thamizh’. Dr. Prema was formerly Professor at Ethiraj College for Women in Chennai and later held the position of Principal at Bhaktavatsalam Memorial College for Women. She is the author of over 20 books and has published hundreds of research papers at both the national and international levels.

Excerpts from her book review –

Dr. Prema, while elucidating on the significance of the title, ‘Oru Kaippidi Thamizh’, alluded to Thirumoolar’s Thirumandhiram (Song 252), where he talks about offering “a handful of food while eating” to the poor.

Easy for anyone to offer a green leaf to the Lord,

Easy for anyone to give a mouthful of grass to a cow,

Easy for anyone to give a handful of food before eating,

Easy for anyone to speak kind words to others.

Historically, in many Tamil households, the women in the family would usually set aside one “handful of rice” (Pidi-Arisi) into a separate pot before cooking the family meal. This accumulated rice was eventually given to the poor and the needy.

Just as the “handful of food” is a daily practice of physical charity, “A Handful of Tamil” represents a daily practice of cultural and linguistic “giving” – by cherishing the joys of the language - through one’s reading and writing.

On an aside, one is also reminded of Kamala Markandaya’s A Handful of Rice (1966) which is also set in Chennai. However, while in Thirumoolar’s verse, the “handful” assumes that the giver has a surplus, in Markandaya’s Madras (now Chennai), the protagonist Ravi experiences the “handful”  as a lack!

A lovely takeaway for the day!

Dr. Christina Sagaya Mary, President of ELA presented the Annual Report. The events that were conducted throughout the year, is testament to the unbridled talent of the students, and the encouragement and support they receive from their professors.

Prizes and awards were distributed to the winners of competitions in various categories. I was so happy to know that, students of Loyola had participated regularly in the literary festivals organised by our Department of English in MCC, and in turn, our students have also been regularly participating in paper presentations and competitions in Loyola College, all through the year.

Hearty congratulations to Dr. Christina Sagaya Mary, and Dr. Ashwin on successfully completing their stint as President and Vice-President of the ELA on a highly victorious note. So happy to meet with Dr. Kannan, Dr. Sebastiraj and a host of other lovely faculty members and students of the Dept of English.

A memorable day in every way!

The ELA Valedictory 2026 | @ Loyola ❤️

The ELA Valedictory 2026 | Loyola College, Chennai

The PG & Research Department of English

Loyola College (Autonomous), Chennai

Monday, 2nd March 2026, 11:30 AM

Venue: De Nobili Hall (Old LIBA Block)

The event will feature a special session titled, “Literary” Agency: Navigating the Pathway to Literary Excellence.

‘Thambi, I am not satisfied. I need the Auditorium to overflow. I want participants to literally throng the place’ ❤️

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.

Cordially Inviting You... ❤️

 

Mannar National Conference 2026

A One-day National Conference on 

New Narratives: Voices, Visions and Transformations 

in the New Millennium

Organised by 

PG & Research Centre of English, 

Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College (Autonomous), Pasumalai, Madurai

20th February 2026

Tattvamala Diaries – Part II ❤️

Tattvamala Diaries – Part II

Day Two of Tattvamala 2026 was an absolute powerhouse of vibrant intellectual and creative energy!

It was indeed a masterclass of sorts on how academic inquiry and creative performance can take our breath away in every way! 😊

The morning was dedicated to rigorous intellectual exchange, featuring three distinct perspectives on the evolving world of drama.

Dr. Prabhanjan Mane (Shivaji University, Kolhapur) opened the sessions by exploring the boundaries of modern performance, through his talk on “Experimentation in Contemporary Theatre”.  His insights into how theatre continues to reinvent itself set a high bar for the day.

Dr. Isabel Santa Rita Vas, a titan of Goan English Theatre, followed with a compelling talk titled, “Deconstructing the Circular Wall”, that challenged our traditional perceptions of theatrical space and narrative.

I had the privilege of presenting my own plenary, on the topic, “Textual Transformations & Multimodal Pedagogies”,  focusing on how we can use multimodal approaches to make the drama classroom more dynamic and inclusive for today’s students.

What made these sessions truly special was indeed the post-plenary interactions that we had! -  participants and faculty members were seen engaging in a spirited dialogue that lasted long after the microphones were turned off.

At 1:15 pm, the momentum shifted to the College Auditorium in the BBA Building. The Mustard Seed Art Company (Goa) presented “Tongue-Tied,” a docudrama directed by Dr. Isabel Santa Rita Vas.

It is rare to see an academic crowd completely spellbound, but “Tongue-Tied” did exactly that. The performance was, intense, engaging and unforgettable.

“Tongue-Tied” is a docudrama that explores the complex, often volatile intersection of language, power, and identity.

Written and directed by Dr. Isabel Santa Rita Vas and performed by the Mustard Seed Art Company, the play is a “docudrama” because it blends fictional storytelling with real-world linguistic tensions, particularly those relevant to the Indian and Goan contexts.

The title itself refers to the struggle of those who find it difficult to speak out - either due to personal vulnerability or due to social suppression. As Dr. Vas rightly pointed out, the play examines how we can be “tongue-tied” or hesitant when it comes to respecting different languages.

The play addresses how multilingualism can be a source of joy but also a tool for exclusion, judgment, or dominance. It explores the “language wars” and controversies that often arise when people become intolerant of the “unfamiliar.”

A central figure in the play, Carmen, embodies this struggle. She loves languages passionately but find herself unable to voice her own dreams, while those around her remain oblivious to the "silence layered with longing."

In the context of the conference, the play served as a live application of the morning’s theoretical discussions.

The show concluded with a spontaneous, thunderous standing ovation - the ultimate testament to the cast and director’s involvement in the play.

Reflecting on the day, it’s clear that Tattvamala is more than just a conference; it’s a lovely space where “texts” interact with other “texts” for an intertextual treat of sorts!

A special round of applause to the organisers, especially to Dr. Shanthi, the ever-vibrant, ever-amiable and spirited Vice Principal of the College, who led from the front, steering the two-day Seminar to a grand success. A big shout-out to Prof. Subhash for his endearing love and hospitality right from the time we stepped into Goa, till the time we bid adieu to our lovely Goan friends. 

In short, a rewarding day in every way, today! 😊

Tattvamala Diaries - Part I ❤️

Of Lush Green Roads and Living Newspapers

A Vibrant Goan Academic Sojourn

30th January 2026 

The road from Bangalore to Mapusa is less of a highway and more of a green tunnel carved exclusively for the nature lover - yes! I hazard a wild guess! 😊

I began the journey at noon from Bangalore, surrendering myself in toto for a ten-hour drive through the winding roads, flanked by lush green forests. And yes! there is this one particular stretch - a dense jungle road spanning 40 kilometres - where the drive became a rhythm of thrill and lubtub, the heartbeat too accelerating with every curve of the wild terrain. 😊

I arrived in Goa to a warm welcome by Prof. Subhash. My Sahridaya (kindred spirit), Dr. Ganesh, had already reached two hours earlier.

The next morning – 30th January - began with a ‘ceremonial ritual’ that Dr. Ganesh and I hold sacred for more than two decades now, whenever we travel on academic pursuits – our early morning’s long literary walks. 

En route to our delight, we also found a small, local tea jaunt, the kind that served special Goan tea that was a joy for the tastebuds.

What followed was a discussion on literature so spirited and consuming that we committed the cardinal sin of academia: yes! we both lost track of time - as usual! 😊

Well, we had promised Dr. Shanthi, the Vice-Principal of DMC College, that we would depart by 9:00 AM. But the discussions were too good to end. We eventually rushed downstairs, guilt in tow, to find our good friend Dr. Bishnupriya Dutt from JNU waiting for us.

We arrived at the beautiful Dnyanprassarak Mandal’s College (DMC) campus just in time. 

The atmosphere was electric, set by an inaugural song composed by a student just two days prior - a lovely testament to such raw and vibrant talent. You may want to listen to that traditional welcome song HERE on our YouTube Channel.

The Composer of the Welcome Song

Following the traditional lighting of the lamp (kuthuvilakku) and the warm welcome by Principal Prof. D. B. Arolkar, the stage was set for a deep dive into culture. This was followed by the release of the Book of Abstracts and the Conference Proceedings. 

The Chief Guest, Shri Tomazinho Cardozo, spoke next. 

A former Speaker of the Goa Legislative Assembly, a playwright, and a teacher, Cardozo is a titan of Goan culture, who also has a road in Candolim bearing his name. However, his true legacy lies in his mastery of Tiatr – a unique theatrical art form of Goa.

Shri Cardozo’s address on ‘Tiatr in Goan Culture’ was a revelation of sorts. Tiatr is not merely musical theatre; it is a rigid, unique format specific to Goa, acting as a vehicle for socio-political dissent, he observed. 

What follows - is taken from the PPTs that Mr. Cardozo had shared with us on screen.

Tiatr is a unique form of musical theatre specific to the state of Goa, India. It has a rigid structural format and a socio-political role that make it distinct from any other dramatic form in the world.

In between the acts of the serious play, singers appear on stage to perform songs called Cantaram. Interestingly, these songs have absolutely no connection to the plot of the play.

While in all other musical theatre traditions (like Broadway or Bollywood), songs are used to advance the plot or express a character’s inner feelings, in Tiatr, the songs are standalone interludes that break the tension of the drama.

One reason they are called, the “Living Newspaper” of Goa, since it is not just entertainment; but also a primary vehicle for political and social dissent.

Like for example, if a political scandal happens in Goa this week, it will likely be referenced in a Tiatr next week. The songs (Kantaram) are almost always satirical. They openly mock corrupt politicians, criticize government policies, and expose social hypocrisy. Tiatrists (performers) are known for their fearlessness in naming and shaming public figures on stage.

The story is divided into six or seven acts, called Podd’dde. Each Podd’ddo has a canto related to the story. Comedy is interwoven in the story.

Kantaram (side-show) – is totally unrelated to the story. While the story deals with one subject, each Kantar highlights different subjects.

17th April 1892 - The first Tiatr ‘Italian Bhurgo’ in Bombay.

It was an adaptation of English drama – ‘Italian Boy’.

Lucanzinho Ribeiro is the pioneer of Tiatr.

Joao Agostinho Fernandesis is the Father of Tiatr.

He produced the first Konkani gramophone record in 1910.

Zagor and Khell were dramatic forms before Tiatr took birth in 1892.

They were folk dramas.

The songs – Kantaram – sung between the Pordhes of the tiatr are equally responsible for the success of the tiatr.

The songs presented in the tiatr should also be of varied nature, i.e., Solos, Duets, Trios, Quartets, and so on.

If you analyse the songs composed by Kid Boxer, Alexinho de Candolim, M. Boyer, C. Alvares, Minguel Rod to name a few, you will find rich lyrical value in their songs. Such compositions will always remain for posterity.

The singer, lyricist and musician who made Konkani Kantar popular throughout the world was Alfred Rose.

The only musician and lyricist who had taken the Konkani songs to the highest level is Chris Perry. He created Lorna – the singer.

The other musician who has given excellent music to Konkani songs is Frank Fernand in the Konjani films, ‘Amchem Noxib’ and ‘Nirmonn’.

Other singers – Minguel Rod, Dioginho D’Mello, Mohana, Cecilia, Robin Vaz, Star of Arossim etc.

In modern times, Lawrie Travasso, Anthony San, Sharon Mazarello are well known singers.

Types of Tiatr

Any drama in any language in any state or country can be categorised into -

a) Historical b) Social c) Political d) Religious

These tiatr highlights different aspects of our lives.

Woman on Tiatr stage

On the tiatr stage, it was Regina Fernandes who acted first, way back in 1904, in the Tiatr Bhatkara. Regina also could act on the stage because she was the wife of Joao Agostinho Fernandes who wrote and directed the tiatr Bhatkara.

Formation of Tiatr Academy

Boosted all round development of tiatr.

During the first three years of TAG’s existence, it formulated 34 schemes in order to develop every aspect of tiatr.

Besides research work in tiatr and academic study of tiatr was also undertaken.

Tiatr literature was published.

Children’s tiatr was organised.

Popularity of Tiatr

It is the most popular dramatic form of Goa.

Each is performed over a hundred times that too without tickets.

There are about 20 commercial troupes some of which produce two tiatrs a year.

Religious tiatrs in Lent season are also a great success.

No feast in the village or wards is complete without staging a tiatr,

signed off Dr. Tomazinho Cardozo. 

It was a very informative talk for all of us on Tiatr.

Following the group photos, the keynote address was delivered by Prof. Bishnupriya Dutt on “Theatre in the Streets, amidst Protests and New Modes of Feminist ‘Artivism’.”

During our interactions, in the Principal’s room, we were delightfully surprised to discover she is the daughter of the legendary Utpal Dutt.

He revolutionized Jatra (Bengali folk theatre), taking it from open fields to political weaponisation. Much like the Tiatr artists of Goa, he used the stage to challenge the establishment, proving that comedy and revolution often walk hand in hand.

The day concluded with Dr. Ganesh’s talk on “Shifting Shapes: Texts, Spaces and Cultures”. 

This was followed by a brilliant solo performance titled “The Other Half” by Mr. Prasad Kalangutkar. The piece was so witty and observant about relationships that during dinner, Dr. Bishnupriya couldn’t help but ask, “Prasad, are you married?”

He nodded a solemn “Yes”, and the table erupted in laughter.

Dr. N. S. Gundur (Senior Professor and Chairman, Department of Studies and Research in English, Tumkur University, Tumakuru, Karnataka) spoke next on the topic, “Doing the Right Action: Theatre & Yajna”.

In the afternoons we had the technical sessions.

Dr. Ganesh and myself, we chaired one technical session each in the Conference Hall. We were so delighted to see lots of discussions and interactions from audience and chairpersons alike.

The Paper Presenters for Dr. Ganesh were –

1. Ms. Urvashi Mohinani & Dr. Jolly Puthussery: Reimagining Maricha: Mythic Textual Transformation through  Autoethnographic Choreographic Practice.

2. Prof. M. Shanthi & Dr. Deepa Prajith: Relishing Secular Verse in Sanskrit Drama: A Rasika’s Interpretation.

3. Dr. Tanvi Bambolkar & Ms. Sanchika Almeida Sharma: Aesthetic Variations of Angika Abhinaya in Classical, Folk and Modern Performances: An Insight

4. Dr. Shantanu Shivajirao Patil: Voice and Agency in Classical Sanskrit Drama: A Feminist Socio-Cultural Study of Gender and Power in Abhijnanashakuntalam.

5. Dr. Rajashri Barvekar: Decolonising the Epic: Indigenous Folk Theatre and Subaltern Voice in Mareech The Legend.

I was happy to Chair the session for the following delegates.

1. Dr. Reetika Negi: From Ritual to Performance: A Sociocultural Evolution of the Jāgar Ritual of Kumaon.

2. Priyanka Raju Verekar: Rereading Rasa Theory in Kathak Theatrical Performances.

3. Ms. V. Sharon Susannah: Beyond Adornment: Bangles and Bells in Tamil Theatrical Narration.

4. Ms. Mishail Sharma & Ms. Barkha: History in Performance: Delhi’s Mandi House as a Repository of Culture and History.

5. Mr. Niranjan Prabhakar Arondekar: Dashavtar (folk drama) of Sindhudurg as a Beacon of Moral Education and Ethics: A Study.

Later in the evening, we had a lovely time of fellowship over dinner at the Chairman’s hotel. The Chairman and the Vice Principal joined us for dinner. We had a hearty time of discussions over dinner that lasted for upto three hours, and little did we realise time flitting us by.

Then, while dropping back Dr. Bishupriya and her daughter back to our hotel, I exhorted her to publish a biography of her father. 

She said, “Yes, personally I’d love to. But I am a wee bit afraid that the personal / emotional element of being his daughter might subtly come in the way and have a sway over my writing”.

Valid observations at that!

From the lush jungles of the long drive to the intellectual precincts of theatre at DMC College, it was indeed a rewarding day in every way - truly Sahridaya.

And the evening and the morning were the first day! 😊

So happy to note that, like last year, the Organising Committee gave us all, lovely potted plants as souvenirs for the occasion. A beautiful thought, worth emulating!