The North Bengal St Xavier’s College in Rajganj block of Jalpaiguri organised a lecture by Virginius Xaxa, an acclaimed sociologist and former professor at Delhi School of Economics, on college campus on Wednesday.

The event was a part of the faculty development programme taken up by the college. Xaxa, who is a visiting professor at the Institute for Human Development (IHD) in Delhi, spoke on “Extended Academic Practices: Scope and Support”.

The sociologist, originally from north Bengal, researches on contemporary issues concerning tribal life, culture, community and the politics of identity.

In his keynote address, Xaxa stressed on ingenuity as the key factor in research and said that the varied and rich cultures and communities of north Bengal could create a vibrant academic space for research.

Father Lalit P Tirkey, SJ, the college principal, reaffirmed that one of the chief aims of this institution is to contribute to social change by including students from the marginalised communities.