The Department of Foreign Languages, Jamia Millia Islamia (JMI), organised a National Young Researchers’ Seminar 2026 on April 30, 2026, at the India-Arab Cultural Centre (IACC), JMI. The seminar brought together over 48 young researchers from various prestigious institutions, including Jawaharlal Nehru University, the University of Delhi, Panjab University, Amity University, SRM University, and others, to deliberate on a wide range of themes, including translation studies, cultural mediation, language politics, intercultural communication, literature, and global cultural exchange.
The inaugural session featured a welcome address by Prof. Md. Faizullah Khan, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages. In his address, Prof. Khan emphasised students’ perspectives on cross-cultural communication in the globalised, digitalised world and looked forward to an interactive session in the hours ahead. The session was graced by Prof. Anisur Rahman, former professor from the Department of English, JMI, as the Chief Guest. In his inaugural address, Prof. Rahman noted that “no platform is more enriching than engaging with young researchers and learning from them,” while also underscoring the importance of interdisciplinary research and a multilingual approach.
The Guest of Honour, Prof. Kiran Chaudhry, highlighted the relevance and timeliness of the seminar’s theme, noting the growing frequency of cultural encounters in today’s world and the urgent need to reflect on pluralism. She further discussed the transition in foreign language teaching from a “monocultural” to a “pluralistic” approach, sharing valuable insights into contemporary foreign language pedagogy.
In her keynote address, Prof. Sonya Surabhi Gupta (Retd.), Department of Foreign Languages, Jamia Millia Islamia, remarked that identity has a lexical foundation, namely, language. She elaborated on the nexus between language and power, and emphasised the role of foreign languages “in defence of cultural humanism.” She also identified the 1970s as a turning point for the indigenisation of foreign languages in India.
Prof. Simi Malhotra, Department of English, Jamia Millia Islamia, delivered the Chair’s remarks, highlighting the significance of organising a seminar on such a pertinent theme and emphasising that cultural understanding is the need of the hour.
The seminar included multiple parallel technical sessions covering interdisciplinary themes such as Translation, Language & Cultural Mediation, chaired by Prof Kiran Chaudhry (Retd), JNU; Society, History & Interdisciplinary Perspectives, chaired by Prof. Ramesh Kumar, University of Delhi. While Prof. Anul K. Dhingra (Retd.), JNU, chaired the session, Cultural Diplomacy & International Relations, another parallel session, Literature, Identity & Self–Other, was chaired by Prof. Simi Malhotra, JMI. The following session, Language, Education & Politics, was chaired by Prof. Shahid Tasleem, DFL, JMI, and Prof. Sanjay K. Bhardwaj, JNU, who also chaired the final session, Media, Popular Culture & Representation. While participants presented research papers that engaged with diverse global contexts, reflecting the vibrant academic engagement of young scholars, the event also witnessed active participation from students, research scholars, and faculty members. It concluded with a valedictory session and distribution of certificates.
The seminar was coordinated by Prof. Md. Faizullah Khan, Head of the Department of Foreign Languages, and Dr. Rohit Bajaj, Assistant Professor in the same department at Jamia Millia Islamia. The proceedings of the inaugural session were conducted by Prof. Noorin Khan of the Department of Foreign Languages at JMI. Ms Divya Shukla, vice president of the subject association of DFL, concluded the seminar with a vote of thanks.
