XPSA

Xavier’s Political Science Association

The Xavier’s Political Science Association is a platform for hosting a variety of events to ignite the young curious minds. The department of Political Science was established in 1954-55 and soon the departmental activities started with young enthusiasts coming up with creative ideas to make the activities socially and politically relevant. The open parliament debate was one of the biggest attractions, generally held in the canteen foyer.

With time the activities of the department have also changed, but the motto remains the same, ie to keep socio-political relevance in mind and to provide a platform to the young minds, form across India to express themselves and participate.

Currently the XPSA, an elected body of student’s representatives, organizes a number of events under the guidance of the professors form Political Science department. The events organized by XPSA range from International and National Seminars and Conferences to Parimal Shroff National Essay Writing Competition, the Youth Parliament is the flagship event in which students from across Mumbai participate. To make the activities of department socially relevant a fund raiser for a cause or awareness campaigns are also organized on regular basis. The Ghoolam Vahanvati talk is another annual event, through which students get to hear and interactwith s prominent personality. One of the most significant activity of the department is annualmagazine Samvad, which provides the students from different streams to write articles and research papers. We also interview people who have made significant contributions in their respective fields, so that the young readers get inspired by them. To name a few personalities interviewed so far, Anna Hazare (Social Activist and Gandhian), Mr Prakash Singh (former DGP- UP, DGP BSF), Smt Hansa Jaidev (International Yog Guru), Mr. Gopal Subramaniam (Sr Counsel, Former Solicitor General of India) , Ms Sharmila Irom (Social Activist-AFSPA), Mr Wilson Bezwada (Social Activist- SAfai Karmacharo Andolan), Ms Ranjana Kumari (Social Activist- Women’s Rights), Dr Suman Sahai (Activist- G M Foods), FR. Walter Fernandes (Researcher, author, activist- Tribal rights and environment), Mr. Vincent Darlong (International Fund for Agricultural Development), Mr. Ashley Tellis (Specialist International Security and senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace specializing in international security, defense, and Asian strategic issues),

Besides these, XPSA organizes workshops, discussions, interactive sessions and talks by various scholars, academicians, defense and security experts etc.