CHANDIGARH, 16.04.25-The Research Centre of the Postgraduate Department of English at Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, Chandigarh, organised an interactive session with Prof. Sachidanand Mohanty, National Fellow at the Indian Institute of Advanced Studies, UGC member, Former Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Odisha, and Dr. Rachna Singh, former IRS officer, writer, and Founding Editor of The Wise Owl, a Literary and Art Magazine.

Prof. Sachidanand Mohanty delivered an insightful lecture on ‘Research Culture in English [Literary] Studies: Key Requisites’. He explored topics such as D.H. Lawrence and fascism, evolving trends in literary criticism, and the research process. He emphasised transparency in research and publication, adherence to the UGC 2025 regulations, and the importance of governance and editorial ethics. His lecture underscored the need for integrity and accountability in academic research while fostering a deeper understanding of critical methodologies in English literary studies.

Dr. Rachna Singh delivered a lecture on her new book, Flaunting Convention: The Art, Philosophy and Biography of Raghu Rai, which reflects her three-decade-long engagement with the legendary photographer's work. Dr. Singh provided the audience glimpses of her creative journey of writing the book as she shared that through free-flowing conversations over 18 months in Mehrauli, Delhi, she captured Rai's reflections on photography as a quest for divinity and his use of Hindi, Urdu, and Punjabi phrases to retain authenticity. Reading excerpts from the book, she highlighted that the book delves into Rai's philosophy, his portrayal of tragedies like the Bhopal Gas Tragedy as an archetype of corporate greed, his personal gallery of celebrity portraits, anecdotes about his sleepless nights photographing tragedies, and his belief in detachment to keep the heart pure. Featuring 300 retrospective photographs curated for a Delhi museum, the book concludes with Rai reliving his youth while maintaining his decision to exclude his photograph from the cover.

Officiating Principal Ms. Neena Sharma lauded the Research Centre for organising these insightful and contextual sessions that will widen the horizons of the students and researchers. She added that keeping in mind that a thriving research culture demands critical inquiry, sustained rigour, and a deep engagement with evolving texts, the Research Centre in English at the college is working dedicatedly to promote that culture.