Good day, Dr. Saikat Majumdar. 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.

I am Doctor Srikak Mujumdar from West Bengal.

Hello.

I have.

Completed my schooling from West Bengal. I have graduated from.

Virat College, Chowdhury challenging University in 2007.

Securing first class degree and I have completed my master degree from Guru Ghashidas University, Bilaspur. Securing first class in English literature.

And I have completed my PhD from National Institute of Technology, Raipur.

My area of research is.

Representation of nation in diasporic novels of India.

Thanks for sharing that!

Dr. Majumdar, your profile indicates you hold a PhD in English Literature and have been actively engaged in research, academic activities, and teaching. I'll now evaluate several specific skills and aspects of your qualifications for the role of English Professor. Let’s begin with the skill verification process. How would you apply Digital Humanities methodologies to literary research or the classroom?

So I will apply the theoretical and practical methodology of digital humanities during reading of literature as the methodology of digital humanities I will apply during.

Different literary genres like novels, drama from the perspective of the digital humanities.

To clarify, Professor, are you suggesting employing digital tools and methodologies to analyze or interpret various literary works, such as novels and drama? Could you elaborate on the tools or approaches you would specifically use under Digital Humanities for such analysis?

Yes.

I will introduce to the students different video clips, YouTube lectures and different scenes of the drama that are that are nowadays are published through Youtubes and different video clips. When they will watch the video clips and the literary the very visualizations of the digitalization of the visualization of digitalization.

Through projector, projector etc. They will consume literature and the they will benefited from such kind of visualization because it is believed that it's always better to visualize a drama than to read it only.

So in this way by introducing this digital method.

The The students will be gonna fight.

Thank you, Professor. While your approach to using video clips, projected visuals, and online resources like YouTube is certainly engaging, Digital Humanities typically also involves more advanced methodologies—such as text analytics, computational tools, digital archiving, or even interactive platforms for literary exploration. Are you familiar with incorporating any of these advanced digital tools or techniques into your teaching or research?

Sorry I didn't get the question.

No issue, Professor. Let me rephrase: Beyond using videos and projectors, do you have experience with advanced Digital Humanities techniques—such as text analysis software, creating digital archives, or using online tools for collaborative literary research?

Yes, yes, during reading the computational computational technique is very much useful. Let me give an give an example that while reading Hamlet or while reading Macbeth.

We have collected.

By finding from or by running the text into the digital digital form or the digitalization that we can count the different terms that have that has been used by William Shakespeare. That for example in Hamlet, Shakespeare has used the term murder for 70 times in Macbeth.

Shakespeare has used the term murder for 23 times. So by analyzing these terms and the the terms that that has been used by the author as novelist or maybe the dramatist or something like that, we can we can gauge the very philosophy of the motto or the very motors modus operandi of the author.

By such techniques.

Understood, Professor. Your example of leveraging computational text analysis to assess term frequency in Shakespeare's works demonstrates an alignment with Digital Humanities methodologies. It’s valuable to see the usage extend to gauging authorial intent or thematic focus. Let’s proceed. Can you explain your approach to teaching Commonwealth Literature, particularly how you would highlight its historical or cultural significance to your students?

The Commonwealth Literature.

Is it Commonwealth literature? You said You asked.

Yes.

So I will approach Commonwealth literature from my perspective as I got very much in very much amazed when I read Tempest Shakespeare's play Tempest. So I will begin the class of reading Commonwealth literature before starting post colonialism in such a manner that.

I will introduce the very scene of Tempest of Act Act 2 scene one of the assertion various options. A very beautiful and very popular assertion given by the very protagonist, the Caliburn by Caliburn that I will not I will not abide abide by your. I will protest your activity to Prospero.

Then this islands he's saying that this islands is mine by Cyprus. My mother, who is thou takest from me when thou chemist first thou text me and made much of me which gives me water with berries in it. Then you teach me how to name the bigger light and the less that burned by day and night. Then I showed the all the qualities I loved the and showed the all the qualities of this idol, The Fresh Prince Brian Pitts.

Baroness and foretiding and covers behind that did so, and all the charms of cyclorex toward brittles that light on you that all that I have, that it is your Kingdom now. Now Calibrans protest is the very beginning of the post colonial literature, making the very foundation and the foundational aspect of the common of the very series of the Commonwealth literature.

So by giving by giving this example first I will take the entry into the post colonial literature and its features will understand make them understand the very feature.

The Philippines.

And everything of the post colonial literature. Then I will take my students into the larger terrain of.

The Commonwealth literature by making them understand the theorization given by Franz Fanon.

It was said obviously Orientalism and different Gayatri Chakraborty and different other post colonial author and the Commonwealth writers.

Thank you, Professor. It seems your methodology effectively grounds students in foundational texts like *The Tempest*, using it as a lens to explore themes of colonialism and dispossession. By integrating postcolonial theorists such as Frantz Fanon, Edward Said, and Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak, you bridge the literary texts with critical frameworks, enriching the understanding of Commonwealth Literature. Let us now shift our focus. Could you outline your approach to English Language Teaching, particularly how you balance theoretical concepts with practical language skills in a classroom?

My academic foundation is strongly ground grounded on my academic teaching, my teaching of literary theory and literary language, especially the linguistics.

Yes.

So I will interconnect and make a bridge by which they will understand. Students will understand the literature through through language and language through literature.

So beside make them aware about the OR teaching beside the literature, I will make them aware and make them understand the very function of linguistic and the play of language. How do the language play? What is the main role that language plays that language is not? Far fetched or far above our day-to-day or society?

It is very much interconnected with our society and literature as well. So for this I will make them understand the phrase structure rule.

First, make them understand free structure rule and their communicative English.

Apart from this, I will teach.

Phonology, phonetics, morphology and along with transformational generative grammar.

From Noam Chomsky to Ferdinand Ferdinand, this issue in Transformational Generative Grammar, I will make them understand the very generative process of language and the function of language.

And the tree diagram, the tree rule. I will teach them the tree diagram and how these understanding.

This nuance understanding of very fundamental linguistic theorization to enhance their communicative skill.

Whether it is business communication or literary communication or any other field of communication. So I will make them understand and I will increase their ability for commutative level to withstand the global challenges.

Thank you, Professor. Your approach demonstrates a thoughtful integration of linguistic theories, from foundational frameworks like Chomsky’s transformational grammar to applied concepts like communicative English. By connecting phonetics, morphology, and syntactic structures to real-world communication, you aim to equip students with not only theoretical knowledge but also practical skills to navigate various communicative contexts. Let us move forward. Can you outline how you approach guiding student research projects, particularly what strategies you use to encourage independent thinking and academic rigor?

Yes.

My academic skill and my candidacy is always grounded on academia and research.

So for research purpose I will make them encourage. I will make my students encourage for research more and more as my I have published many journals also including Q1 journals and Scopus indexed book chapters and peer reviewed journals both from literature and language also. So I will make them encourage for. Research purpose writing papers and for PhD.

Partial PhD program in different fields, especially interdisciplinary approach that I will make them encourage that particular research area or the research that will bridge up the gap between interdisciplinary team.

So as my research area is diaspora Nishan.

Representation of Nishan diaspora, migration, cultural studies and feminist theory.

Within this field, I will make them encourage to make or to conduct research interdisciplinary maintaining interdisciplinarity.

Thank you for the detailed response, Professor. It is commendable that your own research accomplishments in high-ranking journals and your focus areas—diaspora studies, migration, cultural studies, and feminist theory—serve as the foundation to inspire students. Encouraging an interdisciplinary approach is indeed critical for fostering innovative and impactful research. Let’s continue. Could you share how you ensure effective evaluation of students in exams or coursework? Specifically, how do you balance fairness while assessing creativity and analytical depth?

So I will focus on during PhD, supervising PhD, I will focus on their methodology that what the methodology they are basically using. So I will make them encourage to to indulge in the methodology that are very much linked with current or at the present situation research, present day research. I will make them encourage to engage them.

We lead to to to engage them, to incorporate the literary theories, basically literary theories and present the criticism.

Now in their research methodology.

Thank you, Professor. Your emphasis on guiding students towards contemporary and relevant research methodologies, integrating literary theories and criticism, is clear. However, my question focused on evaluating students' performance in exams or coursework. Could you clarify your approach to ensuring fair and balanced assessment of their creativity, analytical depth, and overall academic rigor?

Yes, for coursework design for the coursework of the of the students, I will make them encourage to read research methodology.

It's the different aspect of different aspect of research methodology, the foundations of research methodology, foundations of research, What is the meaning of research? What is the steps of research? What are the types of research with examples and the quantitative research, qualitative research including different aspect of the sampling like data sampling, random sampling etcetera. I will make them encouraged to learn about.

Different factors of research.

Uh, etcetera.

For their coursework, A coursework examination.

Understood, Professor. Your emphasis on grounding students in research methodologies, from foundational concepts like research types to advanced topics like sampling methods, is certainly vital. However, I would further probe: how do you ensure that coursework examinations assess not just their theoretical understanding, but also their ability to apply these research methodologies practically or critically?

So it is only. It is only possible when their research aligns their interest and the and aligns their scope.

Their research, their research techniques and their proceedings that way that must be aligned with their subject matter, with the scope and their interest.

Etcetera.

Understood, Professor. Aligning students' research with their interests and subject scope is indeed a critical step to ensure that assessments reflect both practical application and meaningful engagement. Let’s move ahead. How do you approach structuring your teaching style to ensure clarity and engagement while addressing a diverse student audience?

I will. I'm very much prone to involve in my teaching the innovative teaching style that must be included. That must include teaching style like the first of all I will avoid.

Yes, I will.

Lecturing lecturing method rather I will involve myself into. To inculcate interest of the student regarding the subject.

What I'm going to teach them, uh, I will, uh, for the innovative, uh, methodology, I will involve video lecturing, uh, PowerPoint present presentations, video clips from YouTube and different platforms.

I will make them understand the very application of particular reading that what I'm going to teach the practical problems of the world and the practical application in their reality.

So I will also inculcate incorporate different literary theories and present day criticism. And not only that, I will include the very cultural studies of present present day period. Not only that, during during reading attacks, during teaching attacks, I will also apply the intersectional approach. New critical approach, that is new criticism.

That is close reading of text.

From the perspective of society, from the perspective of different layers of the society and the intersectional perspectives, that is very much important to read a text.

And reading the text from different perspective, that is from gender perspective.

Your commitment to fostering student engagement using innovative teaching methods—such as video resources, interdisciplinary perspectives, and applying intersectional approaches—is admirable, Professor. By emphasizing critical frameworks like close reading, cultural studies, and gender analysis, you create an inclusive and robust learning environment. Let's proceed. Can you briefly describe how your research publications contribute to advancing your teaching expertise, specifically in connecting theory with practical classroom application?

My publications, my thesis and my research publications are closely aligned with my scope, my PhD research which are representation of nation, reading of nation.

Diaspora Studies.

Through Indian diasporic novels.

So all of my thesis and my publications are related with the problem of diaspora nowadays, diaspora and migration, migration problem and migration studies that I have incorporated in my research and my publications.

So, uh.

In my research, I have showed how the first generation the differences of the feelings difference of feelings of the first generation migrants with the second generation migrants and the problem of identity in multiple diasporas in the diasporic space. Diaspora space of multiple diaspora and the identity problem in.

Cultural continuum using the theory of hybridity and cultural studies.

And the complex theory of Complex theory of.

Hybridity, etcetera.

So I my research obviously.

Make a very a very knowledgeable contribution towards the reading of diaspora studies which problematize not only that which solve the problematizing situation of the differences of feelings from first generation diaspora characters with the second generation diaspora characters.

And it resolves the problem of it. It basically disseminate the problem of cultural problem and cultural cultural problem and the problem of cultural identity that relating with the.

That relating with the theory of hybridity, The theory of thought, Space of homicide. Bhava.

Sorry I didn't get the question properly.

Thank you, Professor. Your discussion highlights the depth of your research in diaspora studies, including complex themes like identity, cultural hybridity, and generational shifts. It’s evident that your work allows you to bring advanced theoretical insights into your teaching, enriching literary discussions for your students. Let us move further. Can you elaborate on how your experience with industry projects or consultancy, if any, enhances your pedagogical strategies or student learning outcomes?

No problem, Professor. Let me rephrase. Do you have any experience with industry projects or consultancy? If yes, can you explain how that experience has contributed to improving your teaching methods or benefitting your students?

Yes I I worked as project fellow in UGC majority research project on Shakespeare criticism on pre independence Bengal during this work during my work.

As a project fellow, I have.

Gained a solid foundation on.

The reading of Shakespeare and Shakespeare's play of Shakespeare Shakespeare's drama including four tragedies hamlet, Macbeth, Othello, King Lear and different aspect of different aspect and different unearthed sections of Shakespearean plays.

Like sex videos, sex videos influence on different fields, different different influencing different parts of human life etc. And after that I have worked as as an organizer of UGC. UGC sponsored workshop.

Of the women's manager, Women's manager in higher education, capacity building of women's manager in higher education. So by this workshop I got the knowledge, got the knowledge regarding the different aspect of the feminism and the feminist discourses that surely become conducive maintaining my knowledge and enhancing my knowledge on feminism and women's studies.

Thank you, Professor. Your experience as a Project Fellow in UGC-sponsored research on Shakespeare, along with your involvement in organizing a UGC workshop on women's leadership in higher education, evidently adds depth to both your expertise and teaching. These engagements, particularly their focus on Shakespearean criticism and feminist discourses, provide additional perspectives that would surely benefit your students. Now, I would like to confirm whether you have any final points you wish to share before concluding our skill assessment?

So I have presented papers in national and international conferences, the total number as expected 2020. In between 8:00 to 8:00 to six conferences I have presented my papers and rest of the conferences and seminars I have attended as the participants.

So apart from this I have completed different.

Improvement programs in my present university of present. Presently I'm working here in University of Kulani where I have completed different faculty development. I attended faculty development programs.

And apart from this I am pursuing.

Nptel as Swam swam sponsored course.

In forensic linguistics.

Thank you for sharing those additional details, Professor. Your active participation in national and international conferences, involvement in faculty development programs, and ongoing learning through SWAYAM-sponsored courses like Forensic Linguistics further highlight your dedication to professional growth and academic contribution. That concludes the skill verification process. Let me take a moment to complete the final checks.

Professor Majumdar, to begin, could you share a bit about your teaching methodology? Specifically, how do you approach making complex literary concepts accessible to your students?

I'm sorry I didn't get the question.

Of course, let me rephrase. Professor Majumdar, how do you typically help students understand complex ideas in literature during your classes?

Uh, during reading a classic or the classical literature.

I will focus.

Particularly on the text or the textual reading that I will involve myself in close reading of the text side by side. I will contextual contextualize the very literary text.

And after that I will theorize it.

Apart from beside this, I will make them understand the very little make them understand the students, make the make the students understand about the very literary Ness of the text that makes it literature first.

I will try to find out.

For of the classics for which it becomes a classic or for which it is a stand as classics or as it tells the level of the classicism, because classicism means the very close to the perfection.

The very facets.

So while teaching a classic or classical text, I will try to bring out the particular reasons, particular areas for which the particular text becomes a classic.

Thank you, Professor Majumdar. With that in mind, let's delve deeper. Your PhD research seems to be centered on English Literature and it includes contributions like participating in a UGC-sponsored major research project on "Shakespeare Criticism in Pre-Independence Bengal." Could you elaborate on how this research bridges into your teaching, specifically how themes from this work could be incorporated into a literature classroom to engage students effectively?

Time is up! Ending the interview now.