A Two-Day National Conference Narratives in English & Foreign Languages: Stories across Time, Space and Cultures

The 17th Annual National Conference on Narratives in English and Foreign Languages: Stories Across Time, Space, and Cultures was a resounding success, drawing faculty, scholars, students, and language enthusiasts from across India. The conference served as a vibrant forum for exploring how narratives shape culture, identity, and history.

This year, 441 abstracts were received, with 350 accepted and 249 presented. The event opened on April 3 with the release of the Conference Abstract Proceedings.

Ms. Vaishna Roy, Editor of Frontline, delivered the inaugural lecture, addressing the ethical challenges of journalism in a post-truth era. Her talk set a thought-provoking tone for the conference. Prof. Zameerpal Kaur Sandu Bajwa (Central University of Punjab) followed with a keynote on Suggestive Meaning in Literature, offering insights into Indian Poetics and the dhvani theory. Paper presentations began on April 3 across 27 parallel sessions—21 virtual and 6 physical—featuring 204 papers. Presentations were organised under seven themes: traditional narratives, memory and war, identity/disability studies, environmental and scientific narratives, medical humanities, pedagogy, and interdisciplinary approaches.

On April 4, Dr. Varalakshmi Anandkumar delivered a keynote on foreign language teaching, emphasising context-based instruction and India’s plurilingual landscape. Mr. Shreekumar Verma spoke on Deformalisation and Creativity, urging writers to take risks. Dr. Ganesh’s talk, Framing Realities, explored evolving narrative paradigms. The second day saw 48 more presentations (44 virtual, 4 physical), and discussions ranged from ethics in journalism to the transformative power of storytelling.

The conference concluded with appreciation for all participants and a commitment to sustaining dialogue and collaboration in literary and interdisciplinary research.