4th CHANDIGARH FESTIVAL OF LETTERS
&
12TH MELOW CONFERENCE
8-10 FEB 2013
CHANDIGARH SAHITYA
AKADEMI has, over the
last five years, tried to make an impact in the city. Regular Literary Programs
have been held – poetry symposia, meet-the-writer sessions, book launches,
readings, seminars and invited lectures. Publication work has been going on out
like never before. Awards have been instituted for senior writers of the city.
Competitions are held for youngsters. There is no doubt that CSA is now a has
an unignorable presence in Chandigarh. It is on Facebook and blog, thus keeping
its members informed of its activities.
This Festival of
Letters began four years ago in the city as an annual three-day event in which
we invite selected writers from other parts of the country to interact with our
audience. Whereas this event takes place early in the year, we continue with
such activity the rest of the year, too, with at least two major events taking
place every month. In the past few years we have had distinguished poets,
playwrights and novelists participating in our events. We cater to the
interests of all age groups, the senior citizens, the middle rung, as well as
young students, involving them in diverse activities.
In the present Festival
of Letters there are sessions with invited speakers who will present their
works and interact with the audience. There are two sessions devoted to the
annual awards for 2012: in the inaugural session we present awards of
recognition to senior writers and in the concluding session there are prizes
for students who have been participating in competitions organized by the
Akademi.
MELOW, or the Society for the Study of the
Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the World began in 1998 as MELUS-India, the India
Chapter of MELUS, a US body devoted to the study of Multi-Ethnic Literature of
the US. MELUS-India comprised a group of scholars interested in American Literature.
Within a few years the organization broadened its scope and extended its
concerns into World Literatures. At present it has a membership of
approximately 300 from universities across the country. This is an association
governed by representatives from all over India. It also has an International
advisory body. The aim is to establish a global network of scholars engaged in
common pursuits. MELOW believes in academic grooming, initiating
younger scholars into serious research work, writing proposals and papers,
competing for awards of excellence. It has a blog and a google group so the
members stay connected.
The Society is
serious about its work; it works according to deadlines. Over the years it has
established a certain credibility in the country and abroad. So far it has held
eleven international conferences. Whenever its conference is held in Chandigarh
the Panjab University has very generously extended its support. This is the twelfth
international conference. On this occasion we have about 150 delegates
including about 15 from outside India. There will be more than 100 paper-presenters
in parallel sessions, over a span of three days.
Prof Cheryl Johnson
from the University of Ohio at Miami will deliver the keynote address and Prof
Sushila Singh, President of the Society, will deliver the special Isaac
Sequeira Memorial lecture in a session that awards the a prize for the best
paper presented by a young scholar (below 40).
The three-day event is
being jointly organized by the Chandigarh Sahitya Akademi and the Society for
the Study of the Multi-Ethnic Literatures of the World in collaboration with
the Panjab University. An Organizing Committee of 12 members from various
departments is overseeing the arrangements in the Panjab University.
