Head of Department: Dr Charanjeet Kaur

The 44-year old Department of English has been at the vanguard of academic, research, cultural and literary activities of the College since its inception. Today, it caters to a wide range of subjects at the undergraduate and postgraduate levels, is actively associated with the various administrative and outreach functions of the College and has been enhancing its research potential, with the establishment of the Research Centre for PhD affiliated to the University of Mumbai.

The Department grew to its present height under the guidance of the two previous Head of Departments: Principal K M Talreja (HOD – 1965 to 1991), who was also the Principal of the College and author of a number of books on Philosophy and Indian Political Systems and Prof R S Yadav (HOD – 1991 to 2002), who joined the College in 1967, and is a well known Satirist in Hindi Literature and Film and Music Critic.

The Department offers the following subjects in the Arts and Commerce faculties:

Undergraduate Level
Bachelor of Arts in English Literature
FYBA            –                   Communication Skills in English (CSE)
                                           English Literature (Optional) Paper I – Novel, Short Story and Drama
SYBA             –                  English Literature (Optional) Paper II – Reading Poetry
                                           English Literature (Optional) Paper III- 20th Century Indian Writing in English and Translation
                                           Mass Communication (Applied Component)
                                           Business Communication (Applied Component)
TYBA            –                 Specialisation in English Literature with the following Six Papers;
                                           English Literature from the Renaissance to the Reformation
                                           Literary Criticism
                                           Structure of the English Language and the Art of Writing
                                           English Literature in the Romantic and Victorian Ages
                                           English Literature in the Modern Age
                                          20th Century American Literature
FY BCom     –                  Business Communication

Postgraduate Level:
Master of Arts in English Literature
Papers Offered:
MA (Part I)
Paper I        -         Indian Literatures in English
Paper II       -         Linguistics and Stylistic Analysis of Texts
Paper III      -         Literature of the English Renaissance and the Restoration
Paper IV     -         19th and 20th Century American Literature
MA (Part II)
Paper V      -         Literary Theory and Criticism
Paper VI     -         Literature of the Romantic and Victorian Ages
Paper VII    -        Anglo-Irish Literature of the 20th Century
Paper VIII   -         Indian Literatures in English Translation

Brief Profile of the current Faculty:
Dr Charanjeet Kaur (MA, M Phil, PhD, DHE, PGCTE) – Reader and Head. Joined the College in 1977 as Lecturer in the Junior College and joined the Degree College in 1981.T ook over as Head of Department in 2002.

Currently Coordinator of the NAAC Steering Committee for Reaccreditation of the College in 2009-2010, along with Dr Suhasini Asokan of the Department of Chemistry

Research Activities:
PhD degree awarded in 2005 by SNDT Women’s University, Mumbai for Social Concerns in the Indian English Novel from 1981 to 1991 (Midnight’s Children to A Suitable Boy). Recipient of the Teacher Fellowship under the FIP of the UGC for her PhD
M Phil (1986) at University of Mumbai on Characterisation in the Novels of Khushwant Singh
Minor Research Project (University of Mumbai) on Rebellious Voices, Silenced Tongues – The Poetry of Imtiaz Dharkar

Publications:
Mirror Image and Other Poems (2009) Writers’ Workshop, Kolkatta
Business Communication (1983 with revised editions every year upto 2003), Vipul Prakashan, Mumbai
A Series of textbooks on Commercial Correspondence and Business Letter Writing, Vipul Prakashan, Mumbai
Research Articles, Poems, Short Stories and Reviews in leading Journals like The Journal of the School of Languages (JSL) of JNU, The Literary Half Yearly, Manushi, New Quest, Kavya Bharati, and Chandrabhaga.
Research papers in two anthologies on the Indian Novel in English

03 students have completed M Phil (YCMOU) under her guidance

Was Director of the UGC sponsored Women’s Studies Centre from 2006 to 2008, and Coordinator of the UGC Programme for Remedial Coaching in 2005-2006. Coordinator of M Phil Teaching Programme of YCMOU College Centre for the years 2006 to 2007. Editor of Chandi Magazine in for 2000-2002 and 2002-2004 issues, and associated with its publication every year. Actively involved in all the administrative, cultural and outreach programmes of the College.

Dr Pratima Das (MA, M Phil, PhD), Reader, joined the Department as Lecturer in degree College in 1995.

Research Activities:
PhD awarded in 2007 by University of Mumbai for her thesis, Double Marginalization and Strategies of Resistance in the works of Jamaica Kincaid. Recipient of the Teacher Fellowship under the FIP of the UGC for her PhD
M Phil on Nature in Robert Frost’s Poetry
Minor Research Projects:
Psychological probing and Moral Ambiguity in the Short Stories by Pakistani Women, University of Mumbai (Completed)
Lapping Sound of Tender Coconut Water – Fluid Expressions in the Novels of Anita Nair – Ladies Coupe, Mistress and Better Man, University of Mumbai (Ongoing)
02 students have completed M Phil (Madurai Kamaraj University) under her guidance

Others:
Coordinator of M Phil Teaching Programme of YCMOU College Centre for the years 2007 to 2009
Has been a panel member for M.A. syllabus drafting committee for American Literature Paper IV and VIII for the year 2007-2008

Dr Deepa Mishra (MA, M Phil, PhD), Reader, joined the College as Lecturer in Degree College in 1996.

Research Activities:
PhD awarded in for her thesis, Nathaniel Hawthorne and the Question of Femininity: a Study of his Major Fiction by Utkal University, Bhuvaneshwar
M Phil awarded in for her dissertation, The Study of Feminism in Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlett Letter and The House of the Seven Gables by Utkal University, Bhuvaneshwar
Currently registered guide for PhD at Utkal University and University of Mumbai. 01 student has completed PhD and 04 have completed M Phil under her guidance.
Has been appointed as an Examiner for PhD by Babasaheb Ambedkar Marathwada University, Aurangabad
Awarded a Minor Research Project by the UGC on The Cultural Landscape of Orissa in the Novels of Surendra Mohanty

Publications:
A Critical Commentary on Vijay Tendulkar’s Silence! The Court is in Session!. Vipul Prakashan, Mumbai.
Research Articles on American and Indian Writing in English in reputed academic journals.

Others:
Advanced Diploma Course in Indian Aesthetics from University of Mumbai in 2006
Attended a Summer School Course in Criticism and Theory at Cornell University, Ithaca, New York in 2008
Coordinator for the workshop on General Semantics organized by the University of Mumbai in May 2007
Has been a panel member for MA syllabus drafting committee for American Literature Paper IV and VIII for the year 2007-2008

Editor of 02 issues of Chandi Magazine of the College

Prof Kailas Aute (MA, M Phil, NET, SET), joined the Department as Lecturer in the Degree College in 2006.

Research Activities:
M Phil degree awarded by YCMOU (2009) for dissertation on History and Myth in Three Plays of Girish Karnad

Others:
Coordinator for the Remedial Coaching Programme in English
Appointed NSS Programme Officer in August 2009
Actively involved in College Cultural Activities

Select Significant Academic Initiatives:
The Department has been involved in literary activities consistently since its inception, promoting theatre activities, elocution skills, creative writing skills and reading habits among the students through the various co-curricular wings of the College. Some post 2000- highlights follow:

• A One day Seminar for Students and Teachers of neighbouring Colleges on American Literature organised in February 2008 in association with the American Centre, Mumbai. Paul Theroux, the eminent novelist and travel writer was the Chief Guest and Keynote Speaker.
• A 10-Certificate Course in Indian Literature and Creative Writing for students of BMM and BA (English Literature) in May 2007
• A three day Theatre Workshop in English, Hindi and Marathi for students of the University of Mumbai organised in association with the Department of Students’ Welfare, University of Mumbai in January 2009.
• Course in Spoken English and Presentation Skills designed and organised in 2006 for the students of H and GH Institute of Management Studies, Smt CHM Campus
  A One day workshop in Creative Writing for students of BMM in Creative Writing in 2004
• Establishment of the Language Laboratory with financial assistance from the UGC
  Proficiency Test in English for all students seeking admission to the College at the XI Standard and FY levels, with a view to improving their language skills, with follow up Remedial coaching in the academic years 2005 to 2007
• Training Sessions and Campus Placement for students, in collaboration with Zenta Call Centre, Powai, in 2006
• Organised a Soliloquy Reading Intercollegiate Competition in 2008
• Antigone (Jean Anouilh) presented by our student Team won the First Prize at the Play reading competition organised as part of the literary Week at K C College, Mumbai, in 2007

Significant Contribution of the Faculty and the students of the Department in the following activities and initiatives of the College:

UGC sponsored Women’s Studies Centre, Gandhian Studies Centre, Remedial Coaching programme; CHM-UMC initiatives like the Foundation Course surveys and Project Reports; Human Rights Week; Environment Week; International Women’s Week; Chandi Utsav; College Annual Day; Chandi – the College Magazine; Gaurav Diwas and all other cultural programmes.