Department of English Organises a Symposium and Release of The Aligarh Journal of English Studies

Aligarh : The Aligarh Journal of English Studies, started in 1976 by the distinguished literary critic, bilingual author and editor Prof Asloob Ahmad Ansari, former professor of English at Aligarh Muslim University (AMU) was relaunched after a gap of 14 years, in a ceremony at the Department of English, AMU, where renowned litterateurs paid tributes to Prof Ansari and discussed the “role of university journals in institutionalization of English Studies in India”. As a part of the revival, more than 45 previous volumes of the journal were digitized and two volumes of the journal – a retrospective issue carrying selected articles from the older volumes and a current issue carrying fresh articles and book reviews- were released on the occasion.

Highlighting Prof Ansari’s contributions in the field of English literature, criticism and editing, Professor Akhshaya Kumar, Department of English, Panjab University, Chandigarh, recollected his early memories of the Aligarh Journal of English Studies and remarked that a journal offers a different space of exploration. “Good journals shy away from becoming UGC CARE listed and earn praise for maintaining high standards, creating a niche for themselves. Hence, only University journals now offer that space for critical learning and critical discourse and still remain indifferent to the grading system of journals”.As an editor of a very reputed peer reviewed journal Dialog, Prof. Kumar highlighted as to how the work of an editor often goes unnoticed and comes at the cost of one’s own publication and other academic achievements. He said that a good journal always needs someone like Prof. Ansari, who persuaded critics including Wilson Knight, and F.R. Leavis to write for The Aligarh Journal of English Studies.He congratulated the Chairperson, Department of English, Prof. Mohammad Asim Siddiqui, for passionately carrying out this mammoth task of archiving and reviving such a reputed journal.

Earlier, Prof Mohammad Asim Siddiqui, Chairperson, Department of English, AMU welcomed the dignitaries and attendees. He discussed the contents of the journal and their relevance in the English Studies. He briefly mentioned the contributions of previous editors of the journal including Prof Asloob Ansari’s scholarship and editorial acumen. Referring to Ramayana’s theme of the victory of the good over evil and the motif of 14-year exile, he hoped that the Journal’s revival after 14 long years will rekindle the same spirit for the journal as used to be, thanks to the dedicated efforts of the younger faculty members of the Department.

Prof Sumanyu Satpathy, (Retd.) Department of English, University of Delhi, emphasised that institutional histories are very important and institutionalization of our own vernaculars is the need of the day. He also emphasized the value of archival resources and praised the Department’s effort in documenting and digitizing all previous volumes of the journal. “This revival would certainly serve as an inspiration for me to preserve articles and reviews from my journal The Yearly Review.”

Prof Iffat Ara, retired professor of English at Women’s College, AMU, and daughter of Prof Asloob Ansari talked about Prof Ansari’s lifelong literary passions, his education at Oxford University and friendship with several literary figures of his time including his association with his tutor and famous literary critic F.W. Bateson.

Prof Arif Nazir, Dean, Faculty of Arts, AMU said that a good journal educates, informs and sometimes entertains its readers. Quoting goddess Saraswati he said accuracy, brevity and clarity are the hallmarks of good creative writing. He praised the efforts of the department of English, AMU for reviving such a significant journal and wished them all success for the forthcoming volumes.

In his presidential remarks, Prof. A. R. Kidwai, Director, KANC for Quranic Studies, AMU (Former Director, HRDC and Professor, Department of English, AMU) shed more light on the evolution, development and the glorious history of the Aligarh Journal of English Studies. Reflecting upon Prof. Ansari’s book Letters from Abroad, he praised his efforts for discreetly working for the Aligarh journal right from the beginning and earnestly building correspondence with Northrop Frye, F.R. Leavis, Wilson Knight, Kenneth Muir, Laurence Lerner, Kathleen Raine etc.for the same. Prof. Kidwai also informed the house about the presence of The Aligarh Journal of English Studies in the libraries of prestigious Universities and colleges such as Trinity College, England.

The journal was re-launched in the presence of retired faculty members, senior faculties, all young faculty members, research scholars and students of the Department and Women’s college. Prof. Asmer M. Beg, Dean, Faculty of Social Science, AMU, Prof. Imtiaz Hasnain, TMA Chair, MANUU, Hyderabad (Former Dean, Faculty of Arts, AMU) and Chairpersons and faculty members of other disciplines were present on the occasion. The digital version of all the volumes of the journal till date was released by former Dean, Faculty of Arts and former Chairperson, Department of English, AMU, Prof. Syeda Nuzhat Zeba who fondly cherished her association with the journal since her student days to her Chairmanship to the present.

The event conducted by Dr. Muneer Aram Kuzhiyan came to an end with a vote of thanks by Dr. Md. Sajidul Islam.