About the Department
The Department of History, Raiganj University, was established on 3rd February, 2015, with the establishment of Raiganj University. The Department was also in existence in the erstwhile Raiganj College (University College). At present, the Department of History has six substantive faculty members; one government approved Part-Time Teacher, one Guest Teacher and one non-teaching staff. The Department offers both Under-graduate (including Hons. and Programme Course) and Post -Graduate Courses, in three shifts viz. Morning, Day and Evening. Programme Course classes are held during the Morning shift. In the Evening shift, UG (Hons. and Programme Course) and PG Courses are offered as Self-financed Courses. As an institution of higher education per excellence, especially in research, the Department also offers M.Phil and Ph.D Courses in History. Both M.Phil and Ph.D works of the Department are chiefly pursued in the temporal area of Modern History with varied thematic treatments.
As a mark of well-designed Department, the Department of History boasts of a well-stocked Departmental Library complete with newspapers and its reading table. It also has a Smart Class Room and a separate class room fitted with audio system. It has temperature controlled, hygienic water dispenser for clean drinking water and separate hygiene facilities for students. The Department, has also been publishing, an annual peer -reviewed journal titled ‘Raiganj University Journal of History’, since 2019. The faculty members encourage the students to appear in the NET/SET Examinations and often provide necessary guidance. A number of students of this Department came out successful in such and other different competitive examinations. The Department envisions to provide holistic ideas to the students regarding the recent trends in history and scientific researches.
Vision & Mission
Vision(s) of the Department:
● To abide by the values of the Indian Constitution as stated in the Preamble.
● To promote the values for which Raiganj University stands for.
● The Department is keen to evolve new pedagogical tools. In that process, the Department of History is using audio-visual materials. The Department is also promoting participatory method of learning, through organising students’ seminars, quiz competitions, group discussions, exhibitions, writing articles for magazines/journals, and prepare the reports based on the field studies, reviews of literatures etc.
● In view of connecting history with the contemporary world to enhance the historical consciousness among the students and other target groups and to promote escalated job opportunities, a new age syllabi have been formulated with inter-related themes. The local, national and global histories have, also, been incorporated in the syllabi.
● The Department is keen in developing interdisciplinary inquiry and knowledge with other departments of Raiganj University. The Faculty members of the Department take up different research areas. They are innovatively engaged in the research which employs new research methods with different approaches like gender history, environmentalism, local history, intellectual history, biographical history, subaltern history and history of the movements.
● The Department is planning to sign MoUs with Indian Universities/Institutions to establish cooperation in the areas of teaching, research and training. The Department also plans to publish a book of M.Phil./Ph.D. dissertations abstract. Against these backdrops, the Department envisions to provide holistic ideas to the students regarding the recent trends in history and scientific researches.
Mission(s) of the Department:
In keeping with the Motto of our University Sā vidya ya vimuktaye, which means education results in liberation, our Mission is to enrich the numerical graph of higher education amongst the youth of the region and abroad and to create sound research background, to create human resources, par excellence, with versatile personality and thereby to support all round regional progress and development.
● To promote cohesiveness by breaking down barriers based on sex, caste, religion etc.
● To promote inter-disciplinary teaching.
● To promote appreciation of culture from local to global.
Academic Programs
| Level & Nature of the Programs | Degrees Approved/Offered |
| Bachelors | B.A.(H)-History
B.A.(H)-History
(Evening/ Self Financed) |
| Masters (Taught) | M.A.-History
M.A.-History
(Evening/ Self Financed) |
| Masters (Research) | MPhil-History |
| Doctoral | Ph.D. (Arts)-History |
✱ BA (Programme Course) also offered by this Department as aided & self financed basis.
Objective of the UG Program:
To help students to gain knowledge about the topics mentioned in the syllabus with historiographical context; at the same time to prepare them to take up such extra-curricular activities that carries social responsibilities through their participation.
Objective of the PG Program:
To help the students to have in depth look into the various topics/themes of the syllabus and to give them research orientation.
Specialization of the UG Program:
Formally no specialization is offered following the guideline of UGC
Specialization of the PG Program:
● History of Modern India
● Reading Social and New Social History
● History of Science and Technology in Modern India
● Economic History of Modern India
● Social History of Modern India: Twentieth Century
● History of Medicine and Public Health in Colonial India
Future Program/ Planning:
● The Department plans to sign MoUs with Universities/Institutions located in India and abroad to establish cooperation in the areas of teaching, research and training.
● The Department plans to publish a book of M.Phil./Ph.D. dissertations abstract.
● The Department plans to expand its library and accommodate Reading Room with separate internet enabled computers.
● The Department aspires to install vending machines of sanitary napkins for female students.
● The Department plans to initiate a programme for creating consciousness among students in regard to clean waste management and environmental well being.
Facilities
The Department has following facilities for its students, researchers and teachers---
● Departmental Library with 315 texts and reference books
● Computers with internet facilities, WiFi connection
● Two daily newspapers with newspaper reading table
● Wall magazine
● Water cooler cum purifier
● Smart class room
● A separate class room with audio system,
● Journal displaying racks
● Separate washrooms for
students of both the gender
● Departmental Journal (Raiganj University Journal of History)
Research Areas
Faculties are innovatively engaged in researches which employ new research methods with different approaches. The faculty members have diverse specialisations and research interests ranging from—
● Roman & Brahmi Scripts of Ancient History
● Social History of Modern India
● Political History of India
● Cultural History
● Gender History
● Environmental History
● Regional History
● Intellectual History
● Economic History
● Biographical History
● History of Science & Technology,
● History of the United States
● European History
● Subaltern History
● Students’ History and History of Movements.
Journal published or continuing by the Department:
The first issue of the Journal titled Raiganj University Journal of History has been published in 2019.
Research Scholars
Research Programmes: M.Phil & Ph.D
Specialization of the Research Programmes: Modern History
Thrust area of Research Programme: Ancient History, Social History of Modern India, Political History of India, Cultural History, Gender History, Environmental History, Regional History, Intellectual History, Economic History, Biographical History, History of Science & Technology, History of the United States, European History, Subaltern History, Students’ History and History of Movements.
Number of M.Phil. Candidate received their Degrees: 04
Number of Ph.D. Candidate received their Degrees: 03
Number of M.Phil. Candidates Registered and Awarded (if any) (from 2015):
Dr. A. Das – Awarded – 1, Ongoing – 2
Dr. B. Bala –Awarded -1, Ongoing- 1
Dr. S. K. Pain –Awarded -1, Ongoing- 1
Dr. K. Ghose –Awarded -1, Ongoing-2
Number of Ph.D. Candidate Registered (if any) (from 2015):
Dr. A. Das: Awarded- 1
Registered – 5
Dr. B. Bala: Registered - 1
Dr. S. K. Pain: Awarded – 1 (with Prof. Anil Bhuimali, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, RGU, as the Co-Supervisor)
Registered - 3
Dr. K. Ghose: Registered – 3
Few Publications
Research Publication Details (by the faculties):
Number of Journal Paper Published (from 2015 to 2020):
Mr. B. N. Giri - 3
Dr. A. Das – 4 (in addition Book Review-1)
Dr. B. Bala - 9
Dr. S. K. Pain – 10
Dr. K. Ghose –2
Dr. K. Hasan- 8
Mr. A. Dutta - 1
Number of Conference Paper Published (from 2015 to 2020):
Dr. A. Das - 2
Dr. B. Bala – 4
Dr. S. K. Pain -1
Dr. K. Ghose -1
Number of Book chapter Published (from 2015 to 2020):
Dr. A. Das - 1
Dr. B. Bala – 3
Dr. S. K. Pain -1
Dr. K. Ghose -2
Dr. K. Hasan- 2
Number of Books Published (from 2015 to 2020):
Dr. K. Hasan - 1
Self- Learning Materials for PG:
Dr. A. Das (for Directorate of Distance Education, Vidyasagar University) (SLM)
– 3 chapters.
Number of Research Project completed:
Research Project completed- 01. (Dr. Aniruddha Das completed UGC- Minor Research Project in 2016).
Few Facts/ Achievements
Awards and Achievement of the Faculty Members/ Students:
● NET – 09 (WITH JRF - 02)
● SET – 10
● Students received award for other activities like -SHH, ABTA, YP, MUSIC, NSS ETC.-04
Events
Number of Events
● In 2015: Nil
● In 2016: 01
● In 2017: 01
● In 2018: 06
● In 2019: 03
In 2020: 02 (up to March)
Details of the Academic Events:
● Organised a National Seminar on “Socio-Economic Challenges of West Bengal After Partition of India” on 17th - 18th March 2016. Organising Convener was Mr. Swapan Kumar Pain, Assistant Professor, Department of History; Smt. P.C Bhutia Assistant Professor and Head, Deptt. of History, and B.N Giri Associate Professor in History, RGU were the Joint Organising Secretaries. This seminar was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised a National Seminar on “Peasants and Tribes in Indian History: Colonial Experiences” on March 16, 2017, organised by the Department of History, Raiganj University. The Organising Secretaries were Mr. Swapan Kumar Pain and Ms. Tahiti Sarkar; and Joint Conveners were Dr. Aniruddha Das and Mr. Babulal Bala. This seminar was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Maiden Lecture of the Raiganj University Department of History Lecture Series on ‘Reading William Dalrymple and the Historiography of the Revolt of 1857’ on 02/01/2018, delivered by Professor Ranjan Chakraborty, Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Vidyasagar University, organised By the Department of History, RGU. Dr. Aniruddha Das, Associate Professor and Head, Dept. of History spoke on the objective of the Lecture Series. This Programme was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised an International Seminar on “Ideology, Law and Environment: Ideas of Social Justice in India Through the Ages” on 22nd& 23rd March, 2018 organised by the Department of History, Raiganj University, Joint Convener of the said programme were Mr. Barendra Nath Giri, Associate Professor, Department of History, and Dr. Aniruddha Das, Head & Associate Professor, Department of History, RGU. This seminar was sponsored by the Government of West Bengal.
● Organised a Symposium on ‘Philosophies of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’on 23rd April 2018, organised by Raiganj University, with the initiatives of the Dept. of History, Raiganj University, Jt. Secretary of the Symposium were Mr. Barendra Nath Giri, Associate Professor, & Head Department of History, and Mr. Babulal Bala, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU. This was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised a Colloquium on “The NRC (National Register of Citizens) Question of Assam in Historical Perspectives” on 19/09/2018, Organised by Raiganj University with the initiatives of the Department of History, RGU. Conveners were Mr. Babulal Bala, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU, & Mr. Barendra Nath Giri, Associate Professor, & Head Department of History, RGU. This was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised a National Seminar on ‘Research Methodology in History and Social Sciences in the light of New Sources and Research Scholars’ Seminar” on 27/11/2018, Organised by the Department of History, Programme Coordinators, Workshop and Seminar Organising Committee were Dr. Swapan Kr. Pain, Assistant Professor of History, Raiganj University, and Dr Kasturi Ghose, Assistant Professor of History, Raiganj University. This seminar was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised Special Talk (International) on 24/12/2018, on the Topic “Adivasi and Dalit Issues” delivered by Prof. Mesbah Kamal, Department of History, University of Dhaka, and ‘Bangladesher Mukti Juddhe Raiganj: Ekti Bishleshan’, delivered by Dr. S. M. Sarwar Morshed, Lecturer, Deptt. of Bangladesh Studies, Stanford University, Bangladesh. Mr. Barendra Nath Giri, Associate Professor, and and Head, Department of History, Raiganj University was Convener. This was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised a National Seminar on “Re-Reading Vidyasagar: Humanism, Reforms and Beyond” Organised by the Department of History, Dr. Meghnad Saha College in Collaboration with the Department of History, Raiganj University on 29th March 2019, Organising convener was Mr. Babulal Bala, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU and organising secretary was Dr. Kasturi Ghose, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU.
● Organised a Discussion Session on ‘Observing of 100-years Jallianwalla Bagh Massacre’ on 23/04/2019. Organising convener was Mr. Babulal Bala, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU and Organising Secretary was Dr. Kasturi Ghose, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU. This was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised a Symposium on ‘Life and Messages of Dr. B. R. Ambedkar’on 24th April 2019, Organised by Raiganj University, with the initiatives of the Dept. of History, Raiganj University.Convener was Mr. Babulal Bala, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU and Organising Secretaries were Dr. Kasturi Ghose, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU, and Mr. Barendra Nath Giri, Associate Professor, & Head, Department of History, RGU. This was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised the 2nd Lecture of the Raiganj University Department of History Lecture Series on 02/03/2020, on ‘Sufism in South Asia: A New Perspective’ delivered by Prof. Amit Dey, Professor of History, Calcutta University. This was sponsored by Raiganj University.
● Organised special lecture session on the‘I. N. A. & Azad Hind Government’ on 02.03.2020. Speakers for the programme – Dr. Aniruddha Das, Associate Professor, Dept. of History, Raiganj University and Dr. Babulal Bala, Assistant Professor, Dept. of History, Raiganj University. Organising secretaries were Dr. Kasturi Ghose, Assistant Professor, Department of History, RGU, and Mr. Barendra Nath Giri, Associate Professor & Head, Department of History, RGU.
Contact
Department of History
First Floor,
Main Building Annex, Right Wing
Raiganj University
West Bengal-733 134, India
Email:
Departmental:
Head/ Coordinator: draniruddhadas@gmail.com (Dr.Aniruddha Das)
