As a tribute to Gurudev Rabindranath Tagore on his 150^th Birth Anniversary, the Department of Bangla, St. Xavier’s College, Kolkata introduced the 3-year Honours course from the academic session 2012-2013. Since then the growth of this department has been consistent. The department has a rich past even when it offered only General and Ancillary courses. The activities of this department were prominent also for the illuminated existence of the Bengali Literary Society.

The faculty members of Bangla Department work truly with the team-spirit to deliver a course in Bangla Language & Literature that is rated as one of the bests at the undergraduate level. We feel proud, when we look back at our previous syllabus, framed for the session 2015 which seemed almost prepared to be offered as a CBCS type of modern one. It could take a meaningful shape only because of the constant support & encouragement from the College authority, the dedication of our teachers, hard work and determination of our students.

The aim of the Bangla Honours course is to give a holistic idea of the subject as well as to develop and to have the analytical abilities of the students, empowering them to address issues on language and literature with the contemporary points of view. The course and the teaching-learning procedure help to increase academic or scholastic abilities in them, and also to enhance the skill of a book-maker or book-designer or to establish themselves as translators or interpreters. Department of Bangla offers not only the Honours Course, but also a unique Generic Elective course under CBCS mode that is Comparative Bengali. Students from the own department and other departments can avail this course that gives an introduction to the wide range of Indian literature and World literature.

With immense hope and success the department has started its PG course in Raghabpur Campus from 2019. The students from the UG department feel comfortable to continue their higher studies under the same atmosphere. The Department is also planning to offer Ph.D. programme with great support from the authority, especially our respected Principal.

Prof. Rajib Choudhury has edited thirteen books published by Bhashabandhan Prakashani, Dey’s Publisher, Pascimbanga Rajya Pustak Parshad and Spark Books. Choudhury authored his book on literary historiography and Bangla literature, published by Jadavpur University. He also wrote a monograph on Bangla Literary translations of 20^th century, published by Spark books. He has delivered several invited lectures in Paschimbanga Bangla Academy, Sahitya Academy, Dept. of Comparative Indian Literature, CU and Dept. of Bengali, JU. More than fifty articles were published in newspapers, literary journals, as chapters of books: focusing mainly on different authors and their literary works, intertextuality, Literary Historiography, linguistics and structural analysis of Bangla literature. He also contributed chapters in text book published by Govt. of West Bengal. He taught as a visiting faculty in: 1. Department of Comparative Literature, Jadavpur University,2. Department of Bangla, P.G Evening, Jadavpur University,3. P.G Bangla, Lady Brabourn College. 4. P.G Bangla, Ashutosh College. 5.Dept. of Comparative Indian Literature, Calcutta University. He was a member of publishing committee of Pascimbanga Rajya Pustak Parshad and was a subject expert of the BOS of Bangla Department of Ramakrishna Mission, Narendrapur. He is serving as a professor in the Department since 1998.

Dr. Madhumita Bhattacharya Roy is the seniormost professor of this department. She has attended innumerable seminars, conferences and workshops and has presented papers in national symposiums. She completed UGC Minor Research Project with the title ‘Smriti Srutir Katha Album: Sekal Ekaler Sat Kahan’ in 2012. She has taken lecture classes in Jadavpur University as a part of research Programme (UGC NET) during 1987-1992. She has also taken PG classes in Presidency College in 2009 and in Jogmaya Devi College in March 2017-June 2018.

Dr. Shruti Goswami is in this Department since 2014. She has been awarded her Ph.D. thesis on November 2019. She has contributed fifteen research articles in ISSN journals, fourteen chapters in different ISBN books, edited a book and authored a book till date. She served as a visiting faculty in the PG distance course in offered by Kalyani University. She has been invited by the Raghabpur Campus of St. Xavier’s College to present a lecture demonstration to the PG class. She has completed a 4-week Faculty Induction Programme from Ramanujan College, University of Delhi and MHRD in June 2020. She has also completed a 2-week Interdisciplinary Refresher Course from Comparative Indian Language & Literature, University of Calcutta in February 2021. She has given a number of lectures as a Resource-person invited by some reputed organizations and institutions like Berhampore Girls’ College, Ramkrishna Mission Shikshanmandira, AIR or Akashbani Kolkata, Tagore Research Institute, and Alumni Association, University of Delhi. Dr. Goswami has keen interest in Women’s Literature, Women’s Studies, Comics and Graphic Novels, Musicology. She herself is a performer in vocal music; she has appeared on numerous stages and web-stages nationwide.

Dr. Tapas Saha joined this department in 2015. Having 5 years of experience in the publication industry he has expertise in Book Making, History of Printing, editing & style. He has attended an Orientation Programme organized by University of Burdwan in March 2018 and a refresher course, organized by Dept. of Bengali, CU in September 2018. His book, ‘Bangla Sahitya Granthachitran: Tattwa, Prakaran O Itihas’ was published by Dia Publication in 2015. He has published six research articles and book chapters in different journals and books. He has completed a UGC funded Minor Research Programme in 2014. Dr. Saha is also conducting M.A Class & Ph.D Course Work Programme at Ramakrishna Mission Vidyamandira, Belur Math consistently.

Dr. Bodhisatwa Gupta joined this department in 2017. He was invited as a Guest Lecturer in the PG section of Bengali Department at Behala College, Kolkata and Nabagram Hiralal Paul College in 2019. He has published a few research papers as book chapters and articles in reputed journals. He has completed a 4-week Faculty Induction Programme from Ramanujan College, University of Delhi and MHRD in July 2020. He has also participated in several national and international seminars and webinars till date.

The students of this department always engage themselves in academic and non-academic activities.

In the session 2019-20 and 2020-21, above 35 students have been enrolled to pursue M.A. in Bangla, Linguistics, Comparative Literature, Film Studies and Mass Communication. 8-9 students have started B.Ed. course. Some students like Utsav Chowdhury, Mitu Roy, Shubhadip Biswas, Saberee Mondal, Purbasha Maity have cracked the NET, SET examinations. Mitu & Purbasha have joined in Ph.D. programme from Jadavpur University and University of Burdwan. Wasim Imroz and Utsav Chowdhury have completed their M.Phil from JU. Wasim Imroz and George Halder have completed B.Ed. programme too. Some students are already established in media houses, banking and civil service sectors.

Not only academic career options, our students reach excellence in the non-academic fields too. An ex-student named Subham Sarkar has established himself as a professional cricketer; he is associated with CAB, ABP Sports Club, Kalighat Club. Tiyasha Chatterjee is a professional badminton player. One of our ex-students, Malyaban Ash has made two documentary films– ‘KHELA JAKHON’ on endangered and extinct species of Folklore Games of Bengal and ‘AMAR SHAHOR’ on Kolkata. These have got official selection and have been screened in several National and International film festivals. Another ex-student, Sujay Pal is also a budding filmmaker. Shiladitya Sarkar, Pronoy Chakraborty, Sravan Bhattacharya, these students are working successfully as composer, musician and sound engineer in national level. Rishika Mandal, another ex-student is a member of the acclaimed musical group called ‘Maa-dol’. Sayan Bhattacharya has become a well-known face as a theatre practitioner and actor.

As a part of the curriculum, the students of third year, both from Park St. and Raghabpur campus, visited Saraswati Press, Kolkata in 2019. This press is one of the finest amongst Asian countries. The students were accompanied by the concerned professors from both campuses. They were helped to have a practical and thorough knowledge with the printing technology. As the pandemic era came, it has been difficult to continue the field study right now. But it was a regular practice to take the students to witness live theatre, stage performances and cinemas which are closely associated with the disciplinary studies.

The echoes of memory of a teacher were recollected with emotion when we paid our homage to late Moitrayee Sarkar, who passed away on 17/02/2019. The Department of Bangla introduced a memorial lecture after her name, on 10/08/2019. The first lecture was delivered by Dr. Pabitra Sarkar, the eminent linguist and husband of late Moitrayee Sarkar. The programme was the first of its kind, organised successfully by the teachers and the students. The department is also planning vigorously to organize students’ workshop and inter-college students’ seminars/webinars.