Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, July 25: One-day national seminar on `Aesthetics and Theory in Contemporary Appreciation of Literature: Convergences and Contestations’ was organised here this morning by the Department of English, University of Jammu, in collaboration with Prof D K Rampal Memorial Trust.
Prof Anju Bhasin, Vice Chancellor, Jammu Cluster University was the chief guest in the inaugural function whereas outgoing Vice Chancellor JU, Prof R D Sharma presided over the event.
In her inaugural address Prof Anju Bhasin observed that Literature is not everyone’s field but it is wrong to assume that literature and scientific temperament are antagonistic to each other. “Infact they complement each other,” she added.
Prof R D Sharma described Late D K Rampal a towering personality as a teacher and also as an able administrator whose contribution can never be forgotten.
Prof Anup Beniwal from Guru Gobind Singh, Inderprastha University, New Delhi, delivered the keynote address in which he touched upon the theme of the seminar and brought out the convergences between the aesthetics and literary theory. He also demonstrated how the current pedagogy needs to speak of theory in the context of the location of the learners.
Former Vice Chancellor of Jammu University and Chairman of Prof D K Rampal Trust, Prof Y R Malhotra also spoke on the occasion and highlighted the vision and activities of the Trust and also of the relevance of literature in any social renaissance.
Earlier, Prof Sucheta Pathania, Head, Dept. of English and Convener of the Seminar, outlined the purpose and structure of the seminar. Prof. Satnam Kour, Professor, English Department of English, proposed the vote of thanks. Swati Vijay conducted the proceedings.
Around sixty research papers were presented by the scholars of literature from across the country in six parallel technical sessions that were followed with intensive deliberations on the theme.