Special Lecture by Professor Michael Hutt

Chandigarh, July 21, 2016: The ICSSR (NWRC) Panjab University (PU), Chandigarh today organized a Lecture of Professor Michael Hutt, Director, SOAS South Asia Institute, London on the theme Social Science at SOAS: Work and Vision of the South Asia Institute. Professor Pam Rajput, Professor Emeritus, Department-cum-Centre for Women’s Studies and Development presided over the Lecture.
Deputy Director, ICSSR NWRC) Dr. P.K. Saini welcomed the guests and the participants and introduced the theme of the lecture. During his well attended lecture, Professor Hutt deliberated in details about the various study programmes at the School of Oriental and African Studies (SOAS) at London. He told that 62 South Asian experts have been working on South Asia Studies in SOAS. Social Science studies are closely integrated
with the teaching of languages at SOAS, which is larger than any British and European University.
Professor Hutt lecture was in the background of prospective academic exchange programme between PU and SOAS. SOAS Specializes in the study of Asia, Africa, the Near and Middle East. 5500 students, of over 100 nationalities are being taught by three faculties in 18 academic departments of Humanities, social sciences, languages. The teaching and research at SOAS is distinguished by its regional vision, which put more focus on providing opportunities for discussions of contentious issues and cross-border commonalities and continuities in a space that is academically and politically neutral. It aims at to be the foremost UK centre for multi-disciplinary research and research training on India and South Asia; the first point of contact for government departments, NGOs, business and the media seeking training, policy guidance, analysis and expert comment on South Asia; and the UK centre with the richest and most productive relationship with institutions of higher learning in the region. It has a MA intensive South Asia Studies with special focus on ˜Politics of Culture in Contemporary South Asia and Course in Bengali, Hindi, Nepali and Sanskrit. The lecture was followed by a discussion session.