MSU assistant professor awarded Shastri Mobility Programme

Dr. Rajesh Bharvad, Assistant Professor, Department of English, Faculty of Arts, The Maharaja Sayajirao University of Baroda, has been awarded “Shastri Mobility Programme (2020-21)” which is a prestigious research fellowship. This research fellowship has been awarded to him by Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, New Delhi, funded by the Ministry of Education, Government of India.

“Shastri Mobility Programme (SMP)” is meant for the faculty members / educational administrators from its Canadian and Indian Member Institutions of good standing to study and learn best practices of partner country. This programme is for SICI’s Members, who wish to bring about a change in his/her university by understanding the Canadian/Indian education system.

Every year, applications from all the disciplines across India are invited and only one or two fellowships are awarded to the deserving candidates belonging to the fields of Humanities and Social Sciences. The Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute is a reputed Binational organization that promotes research and academic activities between India and Canada. The Institute aims to achieve gender equality and reduce poverty by focusing programming on sustainable development and other United Nations Millennium Development Goals.

Under this fellowship, Dr. Rajesh Bharvad will undertake a research project titled, “Gendering Diaspora: Dualities in Indo-Canadian Women’s Fiction” under the supervision and guidance of Prof. Nandi Bhatia, Professor, Department of English and Writing Studies, Faculty of Arts and Humanities, Western University, Canada. The project will address the altered contemporary migratory experiences keeping in mind the gender roles/gender politics along with the experiences of the later generations and their voices in the novels by Indo-Canadian writers. This research project will give him an opportunity to collaborate with colleagues abroad, share professional experiences, hone expertise and diversify academic curricula.

The project is also in line with National Education Policy 2020 as it endorses multidisciplinary aspects across various streams of humanity and social sciences. Dr Bharvad has published many research papers in the area of Canadian Studies, he is also a life member of Indian Institute of Canadian Studies (IACS), and being a life member he actively participates and contributes in the world-class scholarly activities and innovative practices in the field of Canadian Studies in universities of all countries.

The Department of English is proud to have a young and aspiring scholar who carry-forwads the legacy of Canadian Studies of the Department of English wherein the likes of Prof. Farook Salat, Prof. Nanavati, Prof. Sudha Pandya, and Prof. O. P. Juneja earned their names in the field of Canadian Studies. It is noteworthy to note that Dr. Bharvad pursued his Ph.D. under the guidance of Prof. Farook Salat, Former Head, DOE, who was a renowned scholar in the field of Canadian Studies.

It is also worth mentioning that the Department receives such a fellowship from Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute, New Delhi after a gap of around 10 years. The credit also goes to Prof. Hitesh Raviya for promoting research and providing the right platform to the faculty members of the department.