The Bhawanipur Education Society College to host a two-day International Seminar on 7-8 November

The Department of Journalism and Mass Communication of The Bhawanipur Education Society College will organise a two-day international seminar exploring the evolution of the Indian communication tradition from prehistoric times to the digital age. The seminar is funded by the Indian Council of Social Science Research (ICSSR), the Government of India, and academically supported by the Indian Communication Congress.

The seminar will bring together eminent communication and media educators, researchers, professionals, and students to deliberate on the various aspects of the remarkable journey of the Bhāratavarṣiya communication tradition which has witnessed and withstood numerous challenges of time and grappled with the complexities of diversity and conflict that accompany such a long period of thousands of years through the spirit of assimilation, acceptance, and integration.

Veteran media educator and communication researcher of India, Prof. K. V. Nagaraj shall be the Keynote Speaker for the seminar. The seminar shall also include nine plenary sessions comprising twenty-three plenary speakers. The seminar shall host many well-known media academicians and professionals like Prof. Partha Chatterjee, Prof. K. V. Nagaraj, Prof. Biplab LohaChoudhury, Prof. Om Prakash Singh, Prof. B. K. Ravi, Prof. K. G. Suresh, Prof. Upendra Padhi, Prof. Subir Ghosh, Prof. Jaishri Jethwaney, Prof. Kiran Prasad, Prof. Kripashankar Chaubey, Prof. Pramod Kumar, Prof. Sanjay Mukhopadhyay, Prof. Abhijit Roy, Prof. Dev Vrat Singh, Prof. Shuchi Yadav, Prof. Sukhnandan Singh, Dr. Vedabhyas Kundu, as also, eminent scholars from other disciplines like Prof. Gauri Mahulikar, Prof. Sunil Sondhi, Prof. Projit Kumar Palit, Prof. Jyotirmaya Tripathy, Prof. Md. Sirajul Islam, Dr. Harekrushna Mishra, and Dr. Kanad Sinha.

The international speakers for the seminar include Prof. Mark Pearson from Griffith University, Australia, Prof. Keith Lloyd from Kent State University, USA, Prof. Ramesh N. Rao from Columbus State University, USA, Dr. Nirmala Mani Adhikary from Kathmandu University, Nepal, and Dr. Kalinga Seneviratne from Shinawatra International University, Thailand. The plenary lectures are expected to throw light on a wide range of issues such as the current state of communication and media education in India and its future challenges and prospects, the role and importance of the indigenous Indian communication concepts and practices in contemporary Indian communication and media scenario, and the potential of the Bhāratavarṣiya communication tradition to contribute to the fulfilment of the vision of a “Viksit Bharat” (Developed India).

Besides, the seminar shall also include six technical sessions where more than thirty speakers shall throw light on various facets of the Bhāratavarṣiya communication tradition from various historical timelines (ancient, medieval, and modern). These deliberations are expected to contribute to a better understanding of the communication ecology of India, its multifaceted philosophical underpinnings, and historical and ongoing transformations in consonance with the transforming nature of Indian society with time.

In today’s world plagued by a wide range of issues such as relationship management, mental health conditions, cultural barriers, societal disharmony, and global conflicts, communication has an important role to play in both individual and collective well-being. In accomplishing the same, the indigenous communication concepts and practices of India can serve as a beacon for the world, thereby, positioning India as the vishvaguru (world leader) of global communication discourse. Thus, it is high time that we dive deep into the communication wisdom of Indian civilization. The International Seminar on “Bhāratavarṣiya Communication Tradition: From the Prehistoric Ages to the New Millenium” is an attempt in that direction.