Deshbandhu College For Girls

Introduction:

The Bengali Department started with the inception of the college in 1955. Eminent litterateur and Principal of the college Dr. Suddhasattwa Bose was one of the pioneers who tried his best to enrich the department. Later, poet Dr. Palash Mitra, eminent critic and writer Dr. Pallab Sengupta , Vice Principal Nakshatra Kumar Roy Chowdhury , Parimal Dutta , Rekha Ghosh and Uma Chattopadhyay strengthened the department with their strong literary conceptions and ideas.
The prime objective of introducing the Honours Course, from the very beginning, was to provide opportunities to girls of poor and middle class families to improve their quality of life through education. The department is resolved in its commitment to continue the tradition, honouring strong literary value of the pioneers.

Objectives: 

      Since literature is very much textbook oriented, importance is given to the history of language and how in our case vernacular literature has evolved over the years, scope for outside-class learning is very limited. So, the traditional chalk and talk method is the most adopted one.

        Since their syllabus significantly focuses on drama, we realize that a theoretical knowledge of the same although is very important cannot give them a wholesome experience. Thus, to ensure that their knowledge gain is wholesome, they have not only been taken to watch plays but also, they have been taught its practical nitty gritty by making them perform in plays organized for various college programs.

       We organize and encourage students to participate in a plethora of seminars and workshops on topics both integral to the syllabus as well as beyond. These not only help them to gain a deeper understanding of their syllabus content but the participation along with their fellow classmates and their teachers help them to learn the essence of sharing, accommodation and cooperation with each other.

Academic Activities

• The department organized a departmental seminar on 15.03.2019 titled ‘Tarasankar bykti o sroshta’. The speaker was Dr. Ananya Barua. She is a renowned Professor of Jadavpur University. 
• The department also organized a special lecture & workshop on 17.09.2019 on “Sahitya o Chalchitrer Samparko o chitranatya nirman”. The speaker was Sri Kantiranjan Dey. It was a special lecture based on the syllabus of CBCS system students.
• The theme for International Mother Language Day, 2019 was “Indigenous Languages Matter for Development, Peacebuilding and Reconciliation”. Each year it is celebrated in Deshbandhu College for Girls with full efforts and with respect towards the cause. On 13^th March, 2019 Prof. Tapan Mondal. Professor and Dean of Arts of Diamond Harbour Women’s University delivered a special lecture which was organized by Department of Bengali &IQAC. He spoke about the contribution of women’s struggle in the Language Movement. His enthusiastic lecture enriched both students and teachers alike. Principal Dr. Anita Chattopadhyay Gupta also gave an enlightening speech on the significance of the International Mother Language Day.
• The Bengali Department of Deshbandhu College for Girls in collaboration with IQAC, organized a seminar on 25^th February,2022 to celebrate the International Mother Language Day which falls on 21^st of February to commemorate the victory, struggle and sacrifice of thousands of Bengalis in order to preserve their identity, culture and language. Prof. Abhijit Banerjee, Asst. Professor, Dept. of Bengali, Diamond Harbor Women’s University, was the honorable speaker, who delivered an enlightening and thought-provoking speech on the significance of preserving and nurturing one’s mother tongue. After the session, a small program was organized for the students, where pupils from different departments recited poems authored by them.
• A special lecture was organized by the department on 08.12.2022 on “Bangla Sahityer Epar Opar”. The topic was discussed on the basis of semester students’ syllabus. The speaker was Dr. Sohini Ghosh, Associate Professor, Vidyasagar College.
• International Mother Language Day was observed on 24.02.2023 titled “Matri Bhasha- Ei Muhurter Sankat”. The Speaker was Eminent Professor Dr. Gopa Datta Bhowmick, Former VC, Gour Banga Vishwavidyalaya.
• Like every year the Department of Bengali celebrated the “International Mother Language Day” on 21^st February 2024. The first part of the program was inaugurated by a special lecture given by Dr. Nirmalya Ghosh. And in second part of the celebration was on 200^th Birth Anniversary of the great Bengali Poet “Michel Madhusudan Dutta” and the said occasion was commemorated by all the students and faculty members of the department of Bengali through a well-crafted cultural program based on the life of the great Poet “Michel Madhusudan Dutta “named “ASHAR CHALANE BHULI “written by Mr. Sandipan Biswas.

Educational Tour:  The Bengali Department of Deshbandhu College for Girls organized an educational tour in ‘Sri Chaitanya Mahaprabhu Museum’ (Bagbazar). The teachers and twenty-nine students of 3^rd and 5^th semester visited the museum. After visiting the museum, the discussion on the syllabus related topic ‘Mahaprabhu Sri Chaitanyadeb’ and ‘Vaishnavism’ was spoken by the Monk Sripat Bhaktihari Harijan Maharaj in the Museum Seminar Hall. The tour ended with lots of colorful experiences and learnings.

Departmental Reunions: It was organized by the department on 19.06.2023. The day was celebrated with lots of joy and the program was followed by cultural activities. 

Cultural Activities: 

For students’ overall improvement, development and education, it is imperative that they are actively involved in various related cultural and vocational activities and programs, other than the routine curriculum- primarily because this affinity towards cultural heritage is the foundation of our Indian traditions and history. The Department of Bengali puts every effort towards this fulfilment. 

                        It is pertinent to note that one particular production by the Department of Bengali, ‘Kabar’ by Munir Chowdhury on the occasion of International Mother Language Day, 2023, caught the imagination of the faculty and other eminent guests present at the occasion to such an extent, that Drama Club was requested to stage a second show under its banner.

On Baishe Shrabon 1431 (7^th August 2023) the Department of Bengali at Deshbandhu College for Girls commemorated the 83^rd death anniversary of Rabindranath Tagore. We had organized two different cultural programs titled “OGO SABAR OGO AMAR” presented by the students of the Department of Bengali reminisced the great philosopher through their own paintings which portrayed the great creation of Tagore’s poem “HAAT” by launching the departmental magazine “SRADDHA”. This was inaugurated by our respected Principal Dr. Anita Chattopadhyay Gupta.

                       The second cultural program entitled “TOTA KAHINI” (BAISHE SHRABON: TOTA KAHINI) a famous story written by Tagore was staged jointly by present as well as ex-students of the college. The entire program was highly appreciated by all.

Students of 6^th semester, Ankita Chakraborty and Mir Rehanuma Khatun participated in external college competition in Drama and won two prizes by performing their act.

                       Arunima Dey and Moumita pal participated in creative writing competition and got the certificates for their performances.