Need for comprehensive research on Partition: VC

Patiala, February 7

Punjabi University Vice Chancellor Arvind has said that Partition is always a major topic for Punjab and there is a need to do more comprehensive research on this topic.

This seminar, “More than a line drawn on a paper map — Partition stories from Canada”, was organised by English department. Dr Nandi Bhatia, a renowned postcolonial theorist, author and professor at the University of Western Ontario. delivered the lecture on the topic.

In her lecture, Prof Bhatia discussed themes of memory, loss, nostalgia, diaspora and identity politics with reference to the selected writings of three major authors, namely Anita Rau Badami, Rahul Varma and Anushree Roy.

“It is important for us to study, how Partition memories are represented and negotiated in literature written by diasporic writers, and how political events in the subcontinent impact the socio-cultural relations of diasporic communities in Canada,” she said.

Prof Arvind said Partition was a primary and Independence was a secondary issue for Punjab. Therefore, research should be brought out in an objective and analytical manner in relation to this subject.

The Vice-Chancellor said that the wounds of Partition are very deep for Punjabis. The meaning of independence for Punjab is not the same as for the rest of the country. In 1947, when the entire country was celebrating Independence, at the same time deep wounds of Partition were visible in the villages of Punjab.