New Delhi, August 2: The Department of English, Jamia Milia Islamia (JMI) hosted the eminent African and Canadian writer with Indian origins, MG Vassanji and Professor Harish C Narang for a special edition of Meet the Author talk.
The Head, Department of English, Professor Mukesh Ranjan welcomed Mr Vassanji and Professor Harish Narang with a warm opening note. The event was graced by the presence of Prof Iqtidar Mohammad Khan, Dean, Faculty of Humanities and Languages.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Mohammad Shakeel, Vice Chancellor, JMI exhorted students to engage with leading thinkers and gain insights into the transformative power of literature and learn from remarkable individuals who are shaping our understanding of the world.
The session started with Mr Vassanji reading from the Introduction of his book of essays, Nowhere, Exactly. Incorporating the epigraphs from The Upanishads and TS Eliot, he prefigures his argument of the Self as independent of fixed identities. Compelled by a sense of guilt and betrayal, he finally talked about finding peace through a multifaceted belongingness. Although he identifies with Toronto, he also recognises India and Daar es Salaam in Tanzania as his homecoming as well. Gaining invaluable insight from the harrowing experiences of his mother's identity, he concluded that claiming any particular identity is inconsequential. Mr Vassanji’s thematic concerns often interrogate the idea of home and belonging of the unmoored migrant citizen, deeply resonant of the crisis of understanding and empathy in modern times as evidenced in his speech.
Professor Harish C Narang took over the mic to read out a few passages from the translations of Mr. Vassanji’s books- Uhuru Street and The Assassin’s Song. Professor Narang reminisced his friendship with Mr. Vassanji over 30 years as a friend and a sounding board and regaled the attendees with humorous anecdotes from his personal and professional life. Professor Harish Narang then took over to elaborate on the personal and professional relationship with the renowned author and rendered a beautiful reading of one of the passages of his work.
The invigorating Question and Answer session that followed provided an enriching experience to the attendees. Mr. Vassanji answered questions on the ostensibly diverse natures of religion and theoretical physics with splendid grace. He commented on the difficult nature of creativity and literature and elaborated how the creative enterprise is fulfilling in its defiance of strict borders. Drawing upon the experience from personal encounters do not serve as a contention for bias and identity markers change face with the changing times. Citing an example from his first book The Gunny Sack, Mr. Vassanji elucidated on the complex nature of orality and how orature should strengthen material writing as a means of new historiography.
The program ended with a vote of thanks delivered by Dr. Roomy Naqvi expressing gratitude of the Department for an academically and intellectually stimulating afternoon.
At the end, the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor also announced that there should be a story telling session organized by the Department every month.
