Voices, Texts and Transformations: Seminar at University of Jammu highlights evolving representation of women in Indian literature

JAMMU: The two-day National Seminar on Re/Presentation of Women in Indian Literature, organised by the Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), University of Jammu as part of its Golden Jubilee celebrations, concluded today with meaningful reflections on women’s representation across Indian literary traditions. The valedictory session brought together scholars, faculty members and participants to review the key insights that emerged over the course of the seminar.

The event was graced by Prof Neelu Rohmetra, Dean Research Studies as the Chief Guest and Prof. Jitendra Kumar Srivastava, Registrar IGNOU delivered the Valedictory address. Prof. Neelu Rohmetra highlighted how the seminar successfully brought together diverse literary traditions to reflect on women’s representation across languages. She noted that writers often weave their lived experiences into literature, turning creative expression into a powerful historical archive. Such work, she observed, not only deepens research but also shapes thought, inspires social change and expands cultural consciousness. She stressed that languages carry the emotional memory of societies, and literature allows us to understand how people evolve, question and respond to their times.

She emphasised that the conference created an important space to revisit societal progress while reaffirming the need to nurture language, culture and heritage in everyday life. Drawing parallels with the National Education Policy’s call for equality across disciplines, she reiterated that every field holds equal academic value. Speaking as both an academic and an administrator, she encouraged scholars—especially women—to recognise their inner strength, convert challenges into opportunities and move forward with confidence. She also appreciated the CDOE faculty, staff and organisers for their committed efforts in making the seminar a meaningful and enriching experience.

“Advancing rigorous, gender-sensitive research is the need of the hour,” stated Prof. Jitendra Kumar Srivastava, Registrar, IGNOU, while addressing the two-day National Seminar on Re-Presentation of Women in Indian Literature, organised by the Centre for Distance and Online Education (CDOE), University of Jammu, as part of its 50^th Foundation Day celebrations. He urged the academic community to meaningfully engage with contemporary concerns affecting women and ensure their integration into mainstream scholarly discourse. Reflecting on the evolving representation of women in Indian literature—across traditions including Hindi, Urdu, Kannada, and Sanskrit—he highlighted how portrayals have changed over time, supported by references to seminal women-centric writings throughout Indian history.

Earlier, the conference commenced with a Plenary Session chaired by Prof. Sushma Devi, Dean, Faculty of Arts, University of Jammu. The distinguished panel included Prof. Lalit Magotra, eminent Dogri writer and Professor of Physics; Prof. Jasbir Singh, Head, Department of Philosophy; Prof. Anupama Vohra, Department of English; Prof. Kashmata Choudhary, Department of English, Vardhman Mahaveer Open University, Kota; and Dr. T. R. Raina, Retired Principal, Higher Education, Jammu. Their enriching deliberations provided valuable scholarly perspectives aligned with the core themes of the seminar.

The academic engagement continued through six parallel technical sessions chaired by senior faculty and literary experts, including Prof. Ravinder Singh, Dr. Parshotam Kumar, Prof. Savita Nayyer, Prof. Monika Chadha, and Ms. Vijaya Thakur. The sessions featured diverse research presentations examining women’s representation across literary forms, languages and cultural contexts, fostering a rich exchange of ideas.

Earlier Prof. Pankaj Kumar Shrivastava, Director, CDOE, welcomed dignitaries, scholars and participants, and expressed appreciation to the organising team for their exemplary efforts. Prof. Anju Sharma, Convenor of the Seminar, presented a detailed report summarising key themes and outcomes of the two-day proceedings. Dr. Hina Abrol introduced the keynote speaker, Prof. Jitendra Kumar Srivastava, acknowledging his distinguished contributions to academia. Dr. Neelam Choudhary delivered the formal vote of thanks, expressing gratitude to all contributors for making the seminar a success.