Look Back in Wonder
The English Department, which was established in 1869, is fortunate to have had a rich heritage. A quick perusal of the college archives will tell you that English (along with Latin) was the very first language to have been taught at our institution. In 1918, English is reported to have been one of the most popular subjects offered for the BA exams, and its popularity has continued to grow, over the years. One of the first of three female graduates of the college was also an English graduate – Miss Violet Leeks – who graduated with second class honours.
Women Students of the College
Photo from the 1914 photo-album
Found in the Photo album of 1914 - the B.A. Literature class - at this point, the final year class is all male!
The BA Literature Class featured in the 1928 Photo Album - now many girls are part of the cohort!
This Department has been home to numerous exemplary professors who have kindled the flame of inquiry and enthusiasm in their students. Some of them, such as Dr. Eunice de Souza and Mr. Adil Jussawalla have become household names worldwide owing to their mastery of the written word. Dr. de Souza, possibly the most illustrious academic and poet of her generation was the Head of the Department and taught from 1969 - 2000. To this day, she also remains a celebrated poet, literary critic and novelist. Some of her best poetry collections are Women in Dutch painting (1988), Ways of Belonging (1990), Nine Indian Women Poets (Ed.) (1997), and Learn From The Almond Leaf (2016). She had an international reputation as poet but never let any of it show in an excess of vaunting.
The Department has always believed in spreading enthusiasm for literature and the arts for the benefit of all, within and outside College. In the 1950s, Prof T. Aguiar from our department, used to host discussions broadcast on All India Radio, in which several staff and students participated. The Department also made a foray into publishing in the 1990s, with titles including Bequest, an anthology of Xavierite poets, past and present, and a book of critical essays titled Of Sweetness and Light: Essays on Popular Culture. In January 2020, the Department hosted a National Conference on the Indigenous Literatures of India, open to students and academics across the country. We were graced with the presence and expertise of leading scholars in this field, including Dr Desmond Kharmawphlang, Mr Kacho Asfandiyar Khan, and Ms. Janice Pariat.
The World's A Stage
Ithaka, our annual department festival, was started in 1991 by Dr Eunice de Souza. This fest sees the confluence of the theoretical and practical aspects of the subject - for it includes the staging of plays (original and adaptations) as well as the hosting of versatile literary events by the students.
The Department has always ensured that students are given as broad an intellectual platform as possible. Extra-curricular research finds a space in the Ithaka Journal, our annual research publication. We have hosted a wide range of courses under the aegis of the Honours Programme, ever since its inception. We have also been active participants in the prestigious Stuttgart program - a collaborative initiative between select international universities.
The 2020 pandemic brought new challenges, but our staff and students adapted quickly. The Xavier's English Association took birth during the lockdown, in May 2020. It has since conducted several discussions, readings, contests, and other activities - all online. It continues to keep pace, in the vicissitudes of the times, ensuring that the celebration of literature remains unhindered.
