LAGATAR24 NETWORK
Ranchi, April 28: The Department of International Relations, Central University of Jharkhand (CUJ), Brambe, Ranchi, organised a two-day national seminar on “India’s Freedom Movement and Untold Stories of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands” on April 28, co-sponsored by the Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi.
The seminar was opened by the lighting of the lamp by all dignitaries present. Dr. Bibhuti Bhushan Biswas, the convener of the seminar, gave an insight into the history of the Andaman and Nicobar Islands.
The welcome remarks were given by Dr. Alok Kumar Gupta (Dean of social science, CUJ). The inaugural address was given by Dr. Rajkumar Kothari (Professor, Department of Political Science Diamond Harbour Womens’ University, West Bengal) who spoke about Rabindra Nath Tagore and his concept of nationalism connecting it to the “Azadi ka Amrit Mahotsav”.
Prof. Manoj Kumar (Dean of Academics, CUJ) gave the Presidential Address and emphasised the need for such seminars to bring together academic ideas and minds. Dr. Alok Gupta highlighted the atrocities conducted on the prisoners in cellular jails and how all the people, in general, know only this about the Andaman and Nicobar islands. Savarkar was also jailed there for ten years, and in his book, he has mentioned the level of pain he and other inmates went through during the term. He also mentioned the relevance of this topic to contemporary maritime security in the Indo-Pacific region.
Various professors and research scholars from all over India also presented their insightful and interesting papers on various topics related to Andaman and Nicobar. Some of the topics were “Battle of Aberdeen: The Untold Story of Andamanese”; “Deep Pluralism of Andaman & Nicobar Islands and the Shadow of Extra-regional Powers”; ” etc. The researchers talked about the Japanese rule in the Andaman Islands, the history of the islands, the current strategic importance of the islands, and the politics in and around the islands. On this occasion, Dr. Debasish Nandy (Associate Professor & Head, Department of Political Science, Kazi Nazrul University),
Asansol, West Bengal and Prof. Utham Kumar Jamadhagni(Professor & Head, Department of Defence and Strategic Studies, University of Madras, Chennai, Tamil Nadu), and Dr. K. M. Parivelan (Associate Professor, Centre for Statelessness and Refugee Studies, School of Law, Rights and Constitutional Governance, Tata Institute of Social Science Research, Mumbai, ) chaired three sessions each and praised the ideas brought forward in the seminar. The third session was an online one.
A formal note of thanks was delivered by Prof. Nitesh Bhatia which led to the successful end of day one of the seminars.
