Good day, Dr. Atul Kumar Singh. I'm Arjun. I've had a look through your background and your professional record. I'm interested in hearing more about your work and how you see yourself fitting in here with our faculty. Ready to start?

Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello.

Hello again, Professor. Please start by introducing your professional journey in academia.

Hi, I'm doctor Atul Kumar Singh.

I started my journey into English and Language studies by doing a Bachelor's in Banaras Hindu University.

In English Literature. Thereafter, I completed my Master of Arts in Linguistics from Jawaharlal Nehru University in New Delhi and there.

After I have worked, I have uh, been part of IIT Tirupathi doing my PhD there, uh, which I joined there in 2.

2018 and I passed from there in 2023. My area of research work.

Gender I.

Ideology and look in that in conjunction with linguistic ideologies.

Thank you for sharing that, Professor.

Yeah, I have been teaching in.

Uh, yeah.

Yeah, structuring.

Could you clarify how you would structure the syllabus? For instance, what themes, historical contexts, or authors would you focus on to give students a comprehensive view of Commonwealth Literature?

Yes, uh.

Can I answer?

Of course, Professor. Please go ahead.

Sure, thank you. So first of all, I'll be looking at, you know, literature in the post colonial context and I'll be looking at.

Example for the.

You know, relativity part. I'll be looking primarily at Indian authors such as.

Amitabh Ghosh or uh, someone like theoretically like, uh, Svivak.

And then I will.

Looking at other other writers and scholars from the post colonial context from the South Asian context such as.

And if Qureshi and someone like someone from Sri Lanka say, for example?

Uh.

Uh, the author who wrote China? Man, I'm completely forgetting his name.

And, uh, I'll be all that into account, uh, mixing literature with the theoretical aspects so that the students can.

Have some sort of a wholesome journey in their uh, educational, uh, in the within their educational journey, they can get some sort of a wholesome experience.

Understood, Professor. By integrating theoretical frameworks with key texts from post-colonial and South Asian contexts, it seems you're aiming to provide students with both depth and diversity. To refine this approach, how would you balance such regional specificity with the broader spectrum of Commonwealth Literature from other regions like Africa or the Caribbean?

Uh, yeah. So.

First of all, uh, reasons like.

Take your time, Professor.

Reasons like Africa.

Reasons like Africa or Caribbean, they all.

Certainly,

Colonialism as well as the post colonial aspects of it so someone like Fano and someone like Googie or Tiago when we.

Have this similarity that they also have experienced.

It bring all these, uh, people from African context as well as someone like Sam Sullivan, who's the writer of Lonely Londoners well.

When we look at these texts, we as a reader, we experience a similar sort of phenomena the way we experience when we are reading some Indian authors.

So bringing these people into account as a either as a separate text or as some sort of a discussion within the text or some kind of an activity.

You can give them to uh, read the synopsis of this text and come and compare the notes while reading with this uh, uh, the other.

Other literatures in the South Asian context and that way they'll be able to.

Understand their depth in entirety of the.

Subject matter which is common with literature.

Thank you.

Your approach showcases a thoughtful balance of regional specificity and thematic universality, combining texts and theories to promote comparative insights among students. Let’s now explore another area. Could you discuss your strategy or framework for teaching English Language Teaching (ELT) to non-native speakers, focusing on methods to enhance their proficiency in both spoken and written English?

Yes, thank you for asking. Sure. So.

I have been teaching for the past around.

For three years I have been teaching, uh, English language.

Go ahead,

And communication proficiency to students who are non-native speakers.

So first thing is to inculcate a technology alongside the pedagogical aspects.

You know you need to interconnect human and technology while imparting this communication. This helps on 2 levels. 1 is.

Students who are already into technological.

They are able to.

They're able to correlate their technological.

Knowledge with the language learning aspect.

Yes. Am I audible?

Yes.

Yes, Professor, you’re audible. Please continue.

Yes, so the students.

Feel free to continue whenever you're ready, Professor.

Students will be able to.

Use their technological knowledge to you.

Who's it for a language learning aspect? And the second thing that I understand is to bring it knowledge. Use culturally relevant pedagogy.

The Ant culturally relevant teaching approaches which were given by scholars like they in 20 in 2002 and.

I tried to come up with examples which are they're a part of their own surroundings and a part of what they are seeing around themselves, and then try to.

To use those contexts, to try to try to use that experience to to discuss and engage in English language.

Thank you.

It’s clear that you blend technology with culturally relevant pedagogy to make learning relatable and effective for students. To dig deeper, how would you address challenges like varying proficiency levels within a single classroom while maintaining consistent progress for all?

Yes, uh, I would like to answer that.

So.

Take your time, Professor.

Yes. So first thing that I would.

Like to do is to identify the students who are at, you know, the levels of the students. I would like to identify those I would.

I'd like to identify weaker students and.

And then I would like to uh.

Teach them.

Uh, first I would like to teach a regular class.

First, I would like to teach a regular class and based on.

Please continue,

What I experience regarding who are the slow learners or who are the people who need some extra attention, I would like to.

Encourage them to come for additional classes after the class hours within the class curriculum. I would like to design a course which.

Especially takes care of people, uh, which helps them practice more and uh, you know, experience first.

And how to become better. And once I have done that I think I'll be able to improve. So for example if I am allowing.

The students to come for presentations, uh, multiple on multiple times during the semester. I think first time the weaker students might not do that well, but.

Over a period of time, while doing it again and again, they'll be able to get better with it and maybe the students who are doing a.

Much better initially we can give them some sort of, uh, high order, uh, skill problems.

Uh, to to engage with in the class.

Thank you.

Your method of differentiated instruction, offering extra support for weaker students while challenging advanced learners, is a balanced approach to ensuring progress for all. Let's move on to another area. Could you elaborate on your experience in guiding student projects and research, particularly how you ensure rigor and relevance in their work?

Yes, thank you.

So, uh, as.

And this has been I have been working with her for the past 6.

Please continue,

Now I have only guided 1 recess scholar.

Months.

Initially I didn't rush her into going with some sort of a research pro.

I have.

Proposal immediately. I wanted her to take some time and explore the areas considering what could be the possible possible.

Feels that she might be interested in in the research and we have we have come up with this eco proposal on eco feminism where.

On this aspect, looking at an Iranian author from eco-centric perspective.

Suspect a week of families perspective and we are trying to look at how her works you know bring into bring to the fore some kind of.

The perspective combined with the gender aspects and what could be analyzed from that, seeing from that perspective alongside.

Said I am offering her a number of uh, coursework, such as, uh, a coursework in critical theory. So we are discussing structuralism, post structuralism.

Feminism, eco feminism, post columnism and I'm also offering her a course called Studying gender through Literature where we are looking at.

The how we can understand gender from the literary perspective. Yes, thank you.

Your approach of allowing students the time to explore their interests while guiding them through foundational coursework demonstrates a dedication to building both academic curiosity and methodological rigor. Let us now discuss your experience with research publications. Could you summarize the themes or areas of your published research and highlight their contributions to the field?

So thank you. So I work in an interdisciplinary area and therefore us.

All of my research is.

Cater to slightly different aspects of, uh, linguistic ideology itself. So one research paper that I wrote.

And which was published in AQ1 Journal, Q1 Scopus Index Journal in Sage, that was about trying.

And the ideological formulations of gender as a part of the linguistic ideologies that existed in the 20th century India.

So within this discourse of Hindi and Urdu, as well as the discourse of minor languages which were mostly censored or silent or somewhere March.

Realized, uh, I tried to al, I tried to assess the gender aspects of these kind of discourses. My another paper is.

Uh, with.

My supervisor from my PhD who actually was, which was about.

OK, and highlighting the contributions of Pardon me to the modern linguistics.

Please

I have also written a paper. I have some.

Method which is accepted, which is about trying to understand the gender ideologies in the media representations, trying specifically to see.

The formation Gender formation of gender. Nation state within the framework of linguistic ideologies.

And currently I'm working on a paper which.

Tries which tries to see why.

Understood, Professor.

Indian students and why Indian uh linguistic classrooms should focus on general Indian English that is NDE.

Rather than going for Received Pronunciation which is barely spoken by 2% people in London. So I work in all.

These kind of areas, areas related to language and gender interest me and I try to look at the correlations as well as.

Sometimes separately, sometimes I see them separately within various fields of life.

Thank you, Professor. Your interdisciplinary research, particularly addressing linguistic ideologies, gender, and education, demonstrates a significant contribution to the academic field. Next, let’s discuss your ability to teach both theoretical and laboratory courses. Could you describe your approach to balancing abstract theory with practical application, ensuring students understand both concepts thoroughly?

Uh, yes, uh.

The combination of laboratory and theoretical approach gets very crucial in the modern times.

Uh, especially because you want students to not just take lecture notes and try to, uh, study.

Things with a rote learning perspective. You want them to, you want them to engage on their own. Where lab lab softwares come very high.

And, and I I have taught uh students on various lab softwares such as.

Such as?

Please go on, Professor.

A study, uh.

Study skills success road to Iots.

As well as Tense Buster and.

In practical writing, I have used all these softwares to teach my students and then after they have done their exercise that is where the teachers intervention with.

Become important where you cannot just let them do the exercise on their own and then not do anything after that after that.

You need to provide them with a thorough review of the work that they have done, and that is what I have been doing for the past three years.

Thank you.

Your integration of technology with hands-on teacher feedback ensures a rounded educational experience for students, bridging the gap between theory and application effectively. Let us now focus on your experience with student evaluation and exam duties. Could you detail any innovative approaches you employ to create fair and comprehensive assessments?

Sorry, can you repeat the question again?

Sorry, can you repeat the question again?

Of course, Professor. Could you detail the innovative approaches you use to create fair and comprehensive assessments for student evaluation and exams?

Yeah, umm.

Innovatively, first thing that I would I like to do is to not just make students.

Speak to a certain kind of a fixed syllabi. I would rather go and introduce them to various other resources which are part.

Part of uh, uh, you know, a global level institute such as Harvard and MIT, and I would like them to go.

And engage with those contents on their own and then experience that the kind of level they are supposed to target while they are learning.

Understood,

I try to uh on spot. I try to, uh, ask students some question.

English language, uh, alongside that.

And and engage in some kind of discussion among themselves Why I give them some kind of a free hand during those discussions to come up with innovative.

Discussions and arguments and see and then I asked them to analyze the arguments made by other others.

Students themselves and then say why they think those those arguments were valid or invalid.

Your strategy of incorporating global resources and promoting critical peer analysis fosters both higher-level thinking and adaptability in students. Now, could you share how you maintain a structured teaching approach, ensuring clarity and consistency in your lectures or course delivery?

Yes, I think the first, uh, consistency wise first approach is.

To arrive in the class right on time or before time as as well as, uh, make sure that students follow the suit and.

They also arrive in the class one time. This helps you to structure the classroom as well the time allotted to you for that lecture. The second thing is to do.

A homework, uh, before every class and make your lecture notes very, uh, precise and so that you do not go, uh.

So much into one area and leave out about other aspects as well as the since the class participation is a very important part.

Of teaching students these days, you need to prepare a keep 10 to 15 minutes always there so that they can ask.

Questions. Or you can ask them questions and engage into some sort of a fruitful discussion. One thing is I also try to do is to keep the first file.

5 minutes to ask to give some sort of a recapitulation for what happened in the last class, or to ask students whether they were able to answer something.

Uh, whether, whether they were able to understand a lot of what happened in the previous lecture, if they are somewhere not feeling that much.

It's confident regarding that. Then I go at a slower pace in my correction.

Thank you.

Your meticulous preparation, time management, and student engagement strategies clearly reflect a structured and student-centric teaching approach. Let's address another area. Could you discuss your experiences, if any, with industry projects or consultancy, and how they support your teaching and research?

I have not been in.

Engaged with a lot of industry projects. However, during my final years of PhD I got the opportunity to work with.

Oxford Languages, which is a subject subset of Oxford University Press, where I was working on a monolith.

Single uh Hindi dictionary project where we will be working in teams. Although we were freelance but we'll be working in teams.

To, uh, in order to, uh, provide the suitable amount of uh, words that were required by our.

Clients which was like 10,000 words in a year. We needed to provide with full-fledged definitions as well as examples.

Thank you for sharing. Your experience working with Oxford Languages demonstrates valuable expertise in language-focused projects. Let's move on. Given your achievements in academia, could you outline the significance of completing a PhD in Linguistics and how it has influenced your teaching or research approach?

Yeah, because I did a PhD in linguistics and allied areas like.

Sociology of language. I am able to, uh, many times I'm able to see things critically dissociating my own.

Own position or liking from what? What will be on the subject so I I am able to maintain some kind of a detached perspective.

As well as uh, I'm I'm able to see things more clearly and more.

On this, on those fronts, as well as, uh, I think I, I'm able to bring a lot of things together and not just look at it from a single lens, but bring.

Uh, critically, uh.

Triple lenses while looking at different kind of research themes.

Thank

It’s evident that your PhD has instilled a critical, multi-perspective approach, enriching both your research and pedagogy. Since we're nearing the conclusion—do you feel there’s anything specific about your qualifications or experiences I haven’t touched upon that you would like to highlight?

Uh, let me let me think for just a few seconds.

Take your time, Professor.

Yes, I think the.

The only thing that is left for me to tell you is that I always form. I'm always able to form some sort of a cordial relationship with.

My students and although I do not I am a slightly reserved person outside the classroom, I always keep.

Open for students if they want to engage on some fruitful discussion, and I think I have.

Being part of some students journey and their growth and I am really, I really feel good about that, that that's it.

Thank you, Professor. Your commitment to fostering meaningful connections and contributing to students' growth is commendable. I believe we've covered all necessary aspects. Would you like to conclude the interview here, or is there anything further you'd like to discuss or ask?

Uh, I have, uh, one more thing to add. I, I am a PhD coordinator, uh, in my department.

Thanks For the past one years, so I have been able to see the growth of students, uh, very closely, especially in.

Like the research scholars I mean. And I am able to see how disciplines align together in researches much more clearly.

I did after my PhD. Yeah, that will be it. And thank you. Thank you so much.

Thank you for sharing, Professor. Your role as a PhD coordinator highlights your leadership and mentorship within the academic community. With all key aspects covered, can I confirm that you're ready to conclude the interview?

Yes, thank you. Yes, I'm ready to conclude.