Mala Renganathan

Prof. Mala Renganathan

0364 2307930 - 3509

9436732332

mrenganathan@nehu.ac.in

Faculty members

Prof. Mala Renganathan

Designation: Professor

Department: English

Qualifications:

MA (MK University, Madurai) , M.Phil (Pondicherry U), PhD (MKU, Madurai)

Teaching Experience:

Teaching Experience:

1994 - Present

  1. Lecturer / Lecturer (Senior Scale), Department of English, Assam University, Silchar from 22 September 1994 to 10 June 2003.
  2. Lecturer, Department of English, NEHU, Shillong from 11 June 2003 to 13 December 2005.
  3. Reader/ Associate Professor, Department of English, NEHU, Shillong from 14 December 2005 to 30 June 2012.
  4. Professor, Department of English, NEHU, Shillong from 1 July 2012 onwards.

Area of Interest

Drama /Theatre / Performance Studies, Indian Fiction, Tagore Studies, Terror Studies, Gender Studies.

Awards:

  • Fulbright Fellowship in the Department of Theatre, Film & Dance in Long Island University, CW Post, New York, USA, 1995-96.
  • Recipient of the UPIASI - Asia Fellowship for a project proposal on Women in Chinese Theatre in 1999.
  • Awarded the OUCIP (Osmania University Centre for International Programmes) Post-Doctoral Fellowship for 2010-11.
  • Received the IUC-IIAS (Shimla) Associateship for a research proposal on Women‘s Narratives on Terror and Sexual Violence, 2012-15.

PhD Awarded / Supervised:

  • PhD Awarded: Mala R. “Maria Irene Fornes’s Theater: A Study” in MKUniversity, Madurai, 1999.
  • PhD Supervised: 7 awarded; 5 ongoing; M.Phil – 3 awarded

Awarded (PhD):

  1. Dkhar, Jenneifer. “Re-inventing History: A Study of Amitav Ghosh’s Novels” (2011)
  2. Nameirakpam, Rita D.. “Woman’s Voice: A Study of the Poems of Emily Dickinson” (2012).
  3. Gupta, Soma. “Resistance to Oppression: A Study of Mahasweta Devi’s Select Works” (2013).
  4. Begum, Fathema. “Representation of Women in Girish Karnad’s Play: A Study”  (2014).
  5. Dkhar, Geeta Janet. “Contextualising the ‘Female Imagination’: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s Short Fiction (2017).
  6. Marbaniang, Evangeline L. “Contemporary Social Concerns in Mahesh Dattani’s Plays: A Critical Study” (2017).
  7. Goswami, Harajit. “Exploring the Personal, Social and Cultural Dynamics: Contemporary North Eastern Indian Women’s Short Fiction in English” (2017).
  8. Wungreiyon Moinao. “War,Violence, Memory: Politics of the Absurd in Samuel Beckett’s Plays”. (2023).
  9.  

Awarded (M.Phil)

  1. Nath, Saugata Kumar. “The Story and the Storyteller: A Study of Girish Karnad’s Select Plays” (2000).
  2. Brahma, Tamojoy. “Father Figure in Mahesh Dattani’s Plays: A Study of Where There’s A Will, Dance Like a Man and Final Solutions” (2001).
  3. Marbaniang, Evangeline L. “A Study of Women Characters in the Selected Plays of Mahesh Dattani” (2008).

Ongoing (PhD)

  1. Deboshree Bhattacharjee. “Representation of Women in Rabindranath Tagore’s Plays: A Semiotic Approach” (Regd 2016)
  2. Bornalisa Buragohain. City and the Spatialisation of Race in Contemporary Black British Drama (Regd 2019)
  3. Leitanthem Ricky Meitei. “The Second World War in Manipur: A Study of Representations from Select Texts from Manipur” (Regd. 2019).
  4. V. Rachel Touthang. “Women and Disability: A Select Study of Multi-Ethnic American Women Authors” (Regd. 2021)

Academic Affiliations

  1. Life Member, IACLALS (Indian Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies), New Delhi.
  2. Life Member, CLAI (Comparative Literature Association of India)

Awards:

  • Fulbright Fellowship in the Department of Theatre, Film & Dance in Long Island University, CW Post, New York, USA, 1995-96.
  • Recipient of the UPIASI - Asia Fellowship for a project proposal on Women in Chinese Theatre in 1999.
  • Awarded the OUCIP (Osmania University Centre for International Programmes) Post-Doctoral Fellowship for 2010-11.
  • Received the IUC-IIAS (Shimla) Associateship for a research proposal on Women‘s Narratives on Terror and Sexual Violence, 2012-15.

PhD Awarded / Supervised:

  • PhD Awarded: Mala R. “Maria Irene Fornes’s Theater: A Study” in MKUniversity, Madurai, 1999.
  • PhD Supervised: 7 awarded; 5 ongoing; M.Phil – 3 awarded

Awarded (PhD):

  1. Dkhar, Jenneifer. “Re-inventing History: A Study of Amitav Ghosh’s Novels” (2011)
  2. Nameirakpam, Rita D.. “Woman’s Voice: A Study of the Poems of Emily Dickinson” (2012).
  3. Gupta, Soma. “Resistance to Oppression: A Study of Mahasweta Devi’s Select Works” (2013).
  4. Begum, Fathema. “Representation of Women in Girish Karnad’s Play: A Study”  (2014).
  5. Dkhar, Geeta Janet. “Contextualising the ‘Female Imagination’: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s Short Fiction (2017).
  6. Marbaniang, Evangeline L. “Contemporary Social Concerns in Mahesh Dattani’s Plays: A Critical Study” (2017).
  7. Goswami, Harajit. “Exploring the Personal, Social and Cultural Dynamics: Contemporary North Eastern Indian Women’s Short Fiction in English” (2017).

Awarded (M.Phil)

  1. Nath, Saugata Kumar. “The Story and the Storyteller: A Study of Girish Karnad’s Select Plays” (2000).
  2. Brahma, Tamojoy. “Father Figure in Mahesh Dattani’s Plays: A Study of Where There’s A Will, Dance Like a Man and Final Solutions” (2001).
  3. Marbaniang, Evangeline L. “A Study of Women Characters in the Selected Plays of Mahesh Dattani” (2008).
  4. Bipradip Saha. “Sexual Violence on Women in Modern Indian Drama: A Select Study” (Regd 2013).
  5. Wungreiyon Moinao. “War,Violence, Memory: Politics of the Absurd in Samuel Beckett’s Plays”. (Regd 2014).
  6. Deboshree Bhattacharjee. “Representation of Women in Rabindranath Tagore’s Plays: A Semiotic Approach” (Regd 2016)

Ongoing (PhD)

  1. Bipradip Saha. “Sexual Violence on Women in Modern Indian Drama: A Select Study” (Regd 2013).
  2. Wungreiyon Moinao. “War,Violence, Memory: Politics of the Absurd in Samuel Beckett’s Plays”. (Regd 2014).
  3. Deboshree Bhattacharjee. “Representation of Women in Rabindranath Tagore’s Plays: A Semiotic Approach” (Regd 2016)
  4. Bornalisa Buragohain. On Black British Drama (Regd 2020)
  5. Leitanthem Ricky Meitei. “The Second World War in Manipur: A Study of Representations from Select Texts from Manipur” (Regd. 2020).

Administrative Responsibilities Undertaken:

  1. Currently the Head, Department of English from 1 August 2018.
  2. Served as both Member and Convener of the Cultural Committee for the University Foundation Day Celebrations in Assam University, Silchar from 1994 to 2003.
  3. Member, University Disciplinary Council, NEHU, Shillong.
  4. Campus Fulbright Representative, NEHU, Shillong.

Academic Affiliations

  1. Life Member, IACLALS (Indian Association for Commonwealth Literature and Language Studies), New Delhi.
  2. Life Member, CLAI (Comparative Literature Association of India)

Research Projects

Completed Project: as the Principal Investigator, of a sanctioned UGC Major Research Project (2015-18) for a proposal entitled “Gendering Terrorism in South Asian Narratives in the post 9/11 Era: A Select Study of Indian-Pakistani-Afghan and Srilankan Writings in English.” (Amount sanctioned – Rs. 12,79,800/-)

Download Report    List of publications on the Project Area

Publications

Books

  1. International. Renganathan, Mala & Arnab Bhattacharya. Eds. Rabindranath Tagore’s Drama in the Perspective of Indian Theatre. London: Anthem Press, 2020. ISBN 9781785273940.
  2. Renganathan, Mala. Ed. Violence and Terror: Narratives from North East India. New Delhi & Guwahati: DVS Publishers. 2020. ISBN: 9789385839351.
  3. International. Bhattacharya, Arnab & Mala Renganathan. Eds. The Politics and Reception of Rabindranath Tagore’s Drama: The Bard on the Stage. New York and London: Routledge (Taylor & Francis), 2015. ISBN: 978-1-138-80462-3.
  4. International Renganathan, Mala. Maria Irene Fornes' Theatre: A Study. Illinois: CG Publishers, 2010. ISBN. 1863357491 / 9781863357494.

Edited Books

  1. Joint Editor. (Editorial Board: Forum for English Studies, Shillong).Time's Inscriptions: NEHU Anthology for Literature. New Delhi: Orient BlackSwan, 2010.
  2. Joint Editor. (Editorial Board: Forum for English Studies, Shillong). The Looking Glass: NEHU Anthology of Poetry for BA Pass and Major. New Delhi: CUP Foundation Books, 2010.
  3. Joint Editor. (Editorial Board: Forum for English Studies, Shillong). NEHU Anthology of Prose and Drama; For BA Pass Course. New Delhi: CUP Foundation Books, 2010.
  4. Joint Editor. (Editorial Board: Forum for English Studies, Shillong). NEHU Anthology of Short Plays and Biographies: For BA Pass, B.Com, BBA, BCA, B.Sc., and B.Sc Home Science. New Delhi: Orient BlackSwan, 2010.
  5. Joint editor.  PRISM: English Course Book for BCom Students. CUP Foundation Books, New Delhi. 2017.

Articles in Peer-reviewed Journals:

  1. Mala R. “The Sexual Predicament and Shashi Deshpande’s Women,” Indian Women Novelists, Vol. 5. New Delhi, Prestige Books, 1991: 50-59.
  2. Renganathan, Mala. “Tragedy and Women: Perspectives on American Feminist Theater,” Journal of Assam University, 1,1(January 1996): 44-45.
  3. "The Absurd Professor: Maria Irene Fornes’ Dr. Kheal,” Indian Journal of American Studies, 26, 2(Summer 1996): 86-90.
  4. “Meetings with a Dramaturge,” College English Review, 3, 2(April-June 1990); 13-17.
  5. “Family and Female Paralysis: Shashi Deshpande’s That Long Silence” Families – A Journal of Representations. 1,2(August 2002): 78-87.
  6. “Women as Director: Re-reading The Fire and the Rain.” Girish Karnad's Plays: Performance and Critical Perspectives. Tutun Mukherjee. ed. Delhi: Pencraft International, 2005: 264-71
  7. “Translation & Indian Drama: A Critical Perspective” Abstract of this paper included as part of the Proceedings of UGC sponsored National Seminar on Indian Writing in English Translation organized by the Department of English, Thiagarajar College, Madurai on 4/5 August 2005.
  8. “Poetry from Shillong.” Rev. Anjum Hasan’s Street on the Hill. Kavya Bharati. 19 (2007): 168-75.
  9. “Exploring the Canon.” Rev. Jaydeep Sarangi’s New Explorations in Indian English Poetry. Kavya Bharati, 19 (2007): 176-8
  10. Reflections of Terror in Contemporary Women’s Writing in India - Bengal and North East. Journal of North East Researches,  III (3) March 2012: 1-25
  11. Women’s Theatre in America: A Historical Critical Study. Literary Miscellany. 1(1) Jan-July 2012: 15-26
  12. “Indian Woman at the Crossroads: A Study of Shashi Deshpande’s Heroines” Journal of Literature, Culture & Media Studies – Contemporary Women Writings (Multidisciplinary Referred International Journal. (Summer June 2009). Issue No. 1: 71-8.
  13. “Reflections of Terror in Contemporary Women’s Writing in India - Bengal and North East.” Journal of North East Researches, III (3) March 2012: 1-25.
  14. “Women’s Theatre in America: A Historical Critical Study”. Literary Miscellany. 1(1) Jan-July 2012: 15-26.
  15. “Articulations of Terror from Contemporary Literary Texts – A Gender Perspective” English Forum: Journal of Department of English (Gauhati University). Vol. 5 (2016-17):  ISSN 2279 0446.
  16. “Theorizing stage, staging theory: Understanding the poetics of Indian drama through a directorial exploration of Girish Karnad’s Nagamandala.” Roots: International Journal of Multidisciplinary Researches, Special Issue, 5.2 (2016): 127-31.
  17. Renganathan, Mala & Geeta Janet Dkhar. Book Review. “Kanaklata Baruah by Sheila Bora” Journal of North East Researches, Vol X (March 2019): 97-8.
  18. Renganathan, Mala & Deboshree Bhattacharjee. Book Review. New Postcolonial Dialectics: An Intercultural Comparison of Indian and Nigerian English Plays. By Sarbani Sen Vengadasalam. Cambridge Scholars Publishing: 2018. In IACLALS Journal. V. 6 (2020-23): 239-42.

Articles in Books

  1. Renganathan, Mala (International). Contribution of Entries on Arambam, Deboo, Dossa, Krishnamoorthy, Raju and Thiyyam in Who’s Who in World Theatre. Ed. Daniel Meyer-Dinkgrafe, London & New York: Routledge, 2000.
  2. (International). Contribution of entry “Dramatists of India” to South Asian Literature in English – An Encyclopedia. Ed. Jaina C. Sangha. Connecticut, London: Greenwood P, 2004: 88-91.
  3. “To Keep My Light Burning': Representation of Women in Shashi Deshpande's Intrusion and Other Stories.” ed. Arnab Bhattacharya. Understanding India: Studies in Indian English Fiction. Kolkata: Books Way (January 2010): 108-23.
  4. “Contemporary Indian Drama: Trends, Perspectives and Problems.” Gitali Saikia & Subrat Jyoti Neog. Eds. Indian Drama: Tradition and Transition. Jorhat: Bedakantha, 2013: 17-36.
  5. “Contemporary Indian Drama: Trends, Perspectives and Problems of Transition. Eds. Gitali Saikia & Subrat Jyoti Neog. Indian Drama: Tradition and Transition. Kolkata: Books Way, 2015 (1st edn, 2014): 17-29.
  6. “Translation & Indian Drama: A Postcolonial Perspective.” Eds. Dipendu Das, Anup Kumar Dey & Saugata Kumar Nath. Drama: Theory, Text and Performance. New Delhi: Jnanada Prakashan (P&D), 2015: 229-46.
  7. (International) “Drama as Pedagogy: Rabindranath Tagore’s The Post Office.” Eds. Arnab Bhattacharya & Mala Renganathan. The Politics and Reception of Rabindranath Tagore’s Drama: The Bard on the Stage. New York and London: Routledge (Taylor & Francis), 2015: 157-64. (International).
  8. Bhattacharya, Arnab & Mala Renganathan. (International). (Joint Article) “Introduction: The Drama of Rabindranath Tagore (1861 – 1941).” Eds. Arnab Bhattacharya & Mala Renganathan. The Politics and Reception of Rabindranath Tagore’s Drama: The Bard on the Stage. New York and London: Routledge (Taylor & Francis), 2015: 1-17.
  9. “Narrating Violence and Memory: Contemporary Indian Women’s Plays.” Indian Writing in English: A Reassessment. Eds. Rumpa Das & Madhumita Biswas. Kolkata: Avenel P, 2015: 25-34.

Papers presented in Conferences / Seminars:

Conferences (Recent):

  1. Participated in a National Webinar on “Acting Systems in Theatre –II” held from 1 to 10 Oct 2020 organized by Chennai Theatre Academy, Chennai in partnership with some other theatre groups in Chennai.
  2. Participated in a National Webinar on Script and Acting held from 27 Nov to 6 Dec 2020 organized by Chennai Theatre Academy, Chennai in partnership with some other theatre groups in Chennai.
  3. Convenor, National Symposium/Seminar on “Translating Contemporary Indian Drama”on 30th September, 2017 organized by Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi in collaboration with Department of English, NEHU, Shillong.
  4. Convenor / Coordinator, International Seminar on “Narratives of Violence and Terror in South Asia” from 16th to 18th of November 2017 sponsored by NEC, Shillong, ICSSR-NERC, Shillong, NEHU, Shillong and Shillong Forum for English Studies, Shillong and organized by the Department of English, NEHU, Shillong.
  5. Participant, Two-day National Workshop on Massive Open Online Courses (MOOCs) on the 28th and 29th May 2019 organized by NEHU, Shillong.

Invited Lectures (Past 5 years):

  1. Resource Person, Online Refresher Course in English (from 2nd to 17th November 2022) organized by UGC-HRDC Osmania University, Hyderabad, and delivered a lecture on “Relevance of Folk Drama in the Modern World" on 15th November, 2022 at 1.40-1.10 pm.
  2. Resource Person, Online Refresher Course in English (from December 1st to 14th, 2021) on “Indian Writing in English and in Translation” organized by Department of English, Pondicherry University, Puducherry and delivered a lecture on “Explorations into the Vast Arena of Indian Drama” on 8th December, 2021 at 10-11.30 am
  3. Guest Lecture (offline) as Chief Guest on “Literature for the Millennium Youth” organized by the Department of English, Mannar Thirumalai Naicker College (Autonomous), Madurai, on 23rd October 2021.
  4. Lecture as Resource Person in a National Webinar on “The Times’ Plague:: Reflection of Plague in Shakespeare’s Dramas” organized by the Department of English, V.O. Chidambaram College, Thoothukudi, Tamil Nadu on 29th October, 2021 at 5 pm.
  5. Resource Person, Online Refresher Course in English (from December 1st to 14th, 2021) on “Indian Writing in English and in Translation” organized by Department of English, Pondicherry University, Puducherry and delivered a lecture on" Explorations into the Vast Arena of Indian Drama” on 8th December, 2021 at 10 - 11.30am.
  6. International: Delivered a lecture on “Drama Teaching in Pandemic Situation” as Resource person in the International Webinar on “Pandemic Pedagogy: Issues and Challenges” held on 24th July 2020 organinzed by Department of English, Maharaja Bir Bikram University, Agartala, Tripura.
  7. Delivered a lecture on “Women and Violence: A Comparative Discussion of a Few Indian Plays” on 16 March 2021, in the Refresher Course in “Comparative Literature and Cultural Studies” held online, organized by the Department of English, Tura Campus, NEHU, Tura and the UGC-HRDC, NEHU, Shillong
  8. Delivered two lectures on “Folk Theatre and Indian Drama” in the Refresher Course on “Folkloristics and Semiotics” organized by the Department of Creative & Cultural Arts, NEHU, Shillong on 4th April 2019.
  9. Participated in the Interactive Round Table Discussion on “India USA partnership for a Prosperous Indo Pacific: Perspectives in the Third Space from Meghalaya and North East India” organized by the Asian Confluence Center, Laitimukhrah,  Shillong on 28th February 2019.
  10. Plenary lecture delivered on “Conceptualising and Understanding Literary / Critical Cosmopolitanism” and also Chaired the second Technical Session on 20th April 2018 in the two-day National Seminar on “The Challenges of Cosmopolitanism in English Literature” organized by the Department of English, University of Science and Technology, Meghalaya, on 20th– 21st April, 2018.
  11. International: Invited as delegate to present a paper on “The Question of Academic Integrity and Plagiarism: An Analysis” in the International Seminar on “Ethical Challenges and Contemporary Issues in Creative Research: Uniformity Vs Creativity” organized by Lady Keane College, Shillong on 19-20 March 2018.

Courses Taught:  

  1. English / British Drama (Medieval to Modern); Indian Drama in English & Translation; American Literature; Indian Fiction in English Translation; Modern Indian Drama.

Courses Designed:

  1. All canonical Drama Courses in general; Modern Indian Drama, Modern Canadian Drama; Drama in Performance.

Theatre Experience:       

  1. Directed the following plays: 1) two Children’s plays ‘The Boy Comes Home’ VilaiyaattuNatakam’ as part of the Children’s Theatre Project (Dept of Theatre, MKU and TVS Lakshmi Hr. Sec. School, Madurai, 1992); 2)’She and Shakespeare’ (Assam University, Silchar, May 3, 2000); 3) Eugene O’Neill’s ‘Before Breakfast’ ( Dept of English, Assam University, Silchar, March 28, 2001).
  2. Conducted 3 theatre workshops: a) National Seminar-cum-Workshop on Drama, March 2008 sponsored by NEHU, Shillong and ICSSR, Shillong b) Drama Leading to a Play in the Department of English, NEHU, Shillong, in August – September 2010 c) One day Theatre Workshop in Omna Theatre & Dance Academy, Brooklyn, New York City, in 2010.
  3. Convener of the National Theatre Workshop “Drama in Performance” organized by the Department of English, NEHU, Shillong in collaboration with ICSSR-NERC, Shillong from 24 August to 17 September 2010.
  4. Participated in a National Webinar on “Acting Systems in Theatre –II” held from 1 to 10 Oct 2020 organized by Chennai Theatre Academy, Chennai in partnership with some other theatre groups in Chennai.
  5. Participated in a National Webinar on Script and Acting held from 27 Nov to 6 Dec 2020 organized by Chennai Theatre Academy, Chennai in partnership with some other theatre groups in Chennai.

Academic Assignments:

  1. Content Editor for the Course ‘Folk Performances of the North East’ for the Certificate Course on North East Folk Performance of IGNOU, New Delhi.
  2. Content writer for the Module “Women’s Theatre of India” Course on Performance Studies under Comparative Literature for the E-PG Pathshala Project of the UGC under MHRD’s National Mission for Education.
  3. Member, Jury Committee, Sahitya Akademi, 2022.

UGC Assignments

  1. Member, UGC Expert Committee, a) for the consideration of applications for the award of Ishan Uday” Special Scholarship Scheme for North Eastern Region scholarship for the year 2017-18 on 17th May 2018 in UGC, New Delhi.
  2. Member, UGC Expert Committee, for grant of PG affiliation to various assigned colleges.
  3. Member, UGC Committee as part of a UGC Team for visit to colleges on hostel buildings matters
  4. d) Member, UGC Review Committee for SAP Program in the Department of English, Mizoram University
  5. Member, Various Selection Committees appointed by Central Agricultural University, Imphal and NIT Arunachal.
  6. Member of various UGC appointed Expert Committees, including Expert Committee for evaluation of Project Proposals, Conference Financial Assistance held by UGC-ERO, Kolkata.

Administrative Responsibilities Undertaken:

  1. Served as the Head, Department of English from 1 August 2018 to 4th May 2020, from 7th July 2021 to 25th October 2021.
  2. Served as both Member and Convener of the Cultural Committee for the University Foundation Day Celebrations in Assam University, Silchar from 1994 to 2003.
  3. Member, University Disciplinary Council for 3 years, NEHU, Shillong.
  4. Served as Campus Fulbright Representative from 2013 to 2021, NEHU, Shillong.
  5. Served as Member, Editorial Board, NEHU Annual Report Committee from 2021-22, and currently serving from 2022-23.
  6. Currently Coordinator, Editorial Board, NEHU Compendium.

Member of Statutory Bodies

  • As the senior most Lecturer in Assam University, served as Member of Academic Council, University Purchase Committee for 3 years.
  • Member, Governing Body, BBS College, Shillong for 3 years w.e.f. 18.08.2017.
  • Member, Academic Council, NEHU, Shillong w.e.f 2014.
  • Member, University Court, NEHU, Shillong w.e.f. 2014.
  • Member, Committee on Consultancy Services, NEHU, Shillong.
  • External Expert, BPGS (English), Assam University, Silchar.
  • Currently External Expert, School Board, (English), Assam University, Silchar.

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