The history of the Department of English begins along with the inception of the college, since the study of the English language was mandatory for students of all degree programmes. The Department, in real sense of the term, came into being in 1957 with the introduction of English as a Special subject at graduation. The Post- Graduate programme was started in the year 1962. Since then the department is recognized as a premier Post – Graduate Center in the Vidarbha region of Maharashtra. The Department has been catering to the needs of the students from mofussil area. At present, the department runs the academic programmes at B.A. (Compulsory & English Literature), B.Sc. I (Compulsory English) M.A., M.Phil. & Ph.D. The department has following vision and mission to run the academic programmes:

VISION

• To envision the department as a center for academic excellence, professional expertise, and contextual research in English Studies.

MISSION

Undergraduate Programme

• To introduce students to the tools of literary scholarship.
• To strengthen their ability to analyze all forms of literary expression.
• To prepare them for careers and higher education.

Postgraduate Programme

• To enable students to develop a holistic understanding of literatures in English.
• To introduce students to the tools of research and broaden their critical sensibilities.
• To equip them for further research and career opportunities.

Research Programme

• To enable scholars to pursue advanced research in English Studies.
• To sharpen their critical ability to interpret and evaluate literary texts and theories.

Departmental History: The Rich Tradition

Since its inception in 1923 with the Christian name, The King Edward Memorial College , Amravati has been a premier education institute and the prime mover of the social change in the Berar region on August 15 th 1947, KEM college become Govt. Vidarbha Mahavidyalaya, Amravati. The teaching of English Literature up to graduation level continued, but Post-Graduate Department of English started functioning only since 1962.

Among many of the luminaries on the English teaching staff had been Prof. Mavalankar, Prof. P.N. Srivastava, Prof Dr. Nagarajan , Prof . Dr. Iswaran , Prof. K.J. Purohit, Prof. L.M. Kate , Prof. N.C. Mahashabde, Prof. S. N. Mitra and Prof. Dr. O.P. Bhatnagar .

In the last thirsty years, we have seen Prof. K.J. Purohit earning name and fame as a short-story writer in Marathi language and also a permanent member of the “Marathi Vishwakosh Committee” of Maharashtra State. Prof. L.M. Kate became well known for his teaching of English prose, whereas Prof. N.C. Mahashabde had been famous for teaching English poetry and writing as well. In fact, Prof. N.C. Mahashabde has published a collection of his poems in English. Both Prof. Bhatnagar Prof. M.A. Nare received honorary D. Litt. From World University in U.S.A. Prof. W.P. Pande continues inning even today , a veritable encyclopaedia of knowledge Prof. N.C. Mahashabde, Prof. Wamanrao Pande , Prof. Burge and Prof. Miss Rajwade with their sincerity and loving nature , always tried to be useful in an endearingly fatherly manner . Principal G.S. Bedagkar was a great conversationalist on various topics in English Literature.

In the next generation of English Lecturers, Prof. Takode, Prof. Sattar and Prof. Ambekar have contributed much to the Department’s glory, with their love of dictionary and usage. Prof. Sattar has also published some short-story & poems in English magazines. Prof. T.B. Choudhary has retired as the Director of Vasantrao Naik Institute of “Adarsha Shikshak Award”. Many people remember even today the patient and charming way of Prof. Panse in teaching English novels. After his retirement, Prof. M.N. Kaned had written a book on Classical, Indian and European drama and dramatics.

Yet another big name of this Department was Prof. R.B. Chandrakar, who retired in 2002. He was versatile genius with a varied experience. From May 1977 to Dec. 1980, he was with the central Govt. in Delhi, and he worked as Private Secretary in the Ministry of Tourism and Civil Aviation, and the Ministry of Information and Broadcasting. In the first decade of 21st Century he had served as a resource person in the Refresher Courses of Amravati and Nagpur Universities.

The headship tenures of Prof. S.D. Mujumdar, Prof. Mohd. Farooqullah and Prof. S.G. Kurup had also been noteworthy followed by the culmination during the tenure of Dr. Sonali Rode, Prof. Shrikhande and Dr. Anupama Deshraj with more than 65 NET/SET/JRF students, 05 Gold Medals, 06 Silvers, more than 30 students in the merit list of Amravati University along with a new Bhashaa Bhavan Building, Spacious Classrooms, Separate Language Lab., 07 Full Time Teaching Faculties and Internet Facilities to all.

Currently, Prof. Dr. Nawal Thorat is leading “this great tradition” towards its onward journey to be a vibrant center for academic excellence, professional expertise, and contextual research in English Studies as mentioned in our Department’s vision. To fulfill this great vision all the teaching Faculties (Dr. Anupama Deshraj, Dr.Jayant Chaudhari, Prof. Rajesh Shrikhande, Dr. Raghunath Kadakne, Prof. D.V. Borse and S.G. Maholkar) and CHBs (Nileshkumar Gawai, Kalpana Wankhade, Praful Wasekar, Shrikant Khadse and Mrs.Smita Malode) have been taking great efforts in enhancing the teaching learning skills by using ICT-based technologies, Screening of the text-based Films, Innovative Assignment-Projects, etc. Apart from this, the Department also has full time lecturers in junior college (Mrs. Priti Kataktalware assisted with Nitesh Gulsundare, Nilesh Kachre).

Looking back over the years, it is a matter of pride & priviledged that there are as many as 45 M.A. students in merit list of S.G.B. Amravati University since 1995, More than 90 Students qualified UGC- NET/SET/JRF, 15 Students M.Phils., 05 Ph.Ds. We congratulate all these students and wish them the bright future.

The Best Practices of the Dept.

1. The English Literary Society caters to various student activities; under the banner of ELS the dept. conducts class-room seminars, debate, and essay and elocution competition, Poster-Presentations, etc. English Literary Society has been very active over the years. In the recent past dignitaries from other college and universities have been invited to inaugurate English Literary Society and to deliver guest lectures. To name some of them are Prof. Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, Registrar, S.G.B.Amravati University, Prof. Abdus Sattar, Head Dept of English, Sydenham College, Mumbai, Dr. G. N. Kurup ,the Head , Dept. of English , B.M.V. Amravati , Shri. M.A. Ali, Head Dept. of English , Mahatma Fule Mahavidyalaya , Warud, Shri. Hemant Desai , Former Head , Dept. of English G.S. College Khamgaon and Prof. Sahasrabudhe , former Head , Dept of English Amolakchand College, Yavatmal, etc,. the E.L.S. focuses on all-round development of the students in the Institute. For example- Every year an English One-Act play is staged during the Annual Social Gathering by the students of ELS. Training is imparted under the auspices of the ELS in debate, essay writing etc., some our students like Miss. Asiya Shaikh, has represented Amravati University in the Inter-University National Debating Competition held in Pune on 29/12/2003; Mr. S.G. Maholkar and Mr. Mahendra Gawai represented our Institute in A Two day State Level Debate organized by Venkatesh Mahavidyalaya, Osmanabad in 2007, In 2015, two P.G. Students namely Ms. Priti Wankhade and Mr. Nishikant Kale bagged Second & Third Prizes at National Conference Paper reading Competition, organized by Mahatma Phule College, Amravati. The English Section of the College magazine gives a chance to the students to exhibit their literary talents and the department imparts guidance to them.

2. The Department runs a free Workshop for NET/SET coaching for all. The PG Students from other colleges (Akola, Amravati, Yawatmal, Buldhana, Washim, Wardha, and so on) can apply for this program online & offline mode. The Departmental result of NET/SET/JRF exam is outstanding. So far more than 90 students have qualified these exams and have been working all over Maharashtra as teaching Faculties. In the last five years as many as and as 61 students have cleared these exams and are well-placed. This is our commitment towards our society.

List of the students who have passed NET/SET/JRF in ENGLISH

Co-Curricular Activities

Reader’s Club is the forum to discuss award winning works; eminent resource persons are invited to share, reflect and critically appreciate a work of art and literature. A Reader’s Club was established as mark of respect to pay a homage to the former President Bharat Ratna Dr. A.P.J. Abdul Kalam on his death. First Programme was organized on the literatures written by Kalam in August 2015, Second Programme was on “The Bookers” in 2016.

The Spoken English Classes aims at correcting the pronunciations of the students and making them proficient speaker of the English Language. The batch of 20 students are being coaching at a time. The Faculties from other departments in the institute and outside institute can avail this facility. It’s a feather in the Dept.’s cap.

The Poem of the Week is a creative venture wherein a new poem is posted on the wall with its synopsis every week.

Educational tour is a part and parcel of beyond syllabus activities in Department. Every year students are encouraged to visit new literary places with the teaching faculties.

The Dept. of English brings out a wall magazine called Freelance where the students get a platform to express themselves and put pen to paper. They are free to write on anything under the sun. The dept. believes in free speech.

Library Facility

The Dept. Library has a collection of 260 books, some valuable reference books & dictionaries, etc. collected by ex-heads and other teachers. The Facility of Departmental Library is available to all the PG & Research Students enrolled in this department. A Student (individually) can borrow two books at a time for the period of 15 days. The Faculties can also borrow two books at a time for the period of 15 days. The Department is well equipped with the necessary educational aids.

Language Lab

The Language Lab is being used for the multiple purposes like Screening of the text-based films, PPT of Assignment Projects, Phonetics Classes and other ICT Practices.

Extra Classes

The Dept. also has its own remedial extra coaching for the weaker/meritorious students of UG and PG on every Saturday and records of such classes are also being maintained.

Distinguished Alumni of English Department, G.V.I.SH .Amravati includes:

1. Mr. V. N. Deshmukh: Former Commissioner of Police, Mumbai & the Chairman of MPSC, Mumbai.
2. Prof. Mrs. Annapurna Krishnamurthy: Former Head, Department of English, Shri Shivaji College of Arts and Commerce, Amravati.
3. Mr. R.G. Bhongale ,Professor & H.O.D. in Mumbai University, Mumbai.
4. Prof. Nayyar Parveen Siddiqui: Former Principal of Mahilla Mahavidyalaya, Amravati.
5. Dr. Ajay Deshmukh, The Registrar, Sant. Gadge Baba Amravati University.
6. Dr. Ambadas L. Kulat, Chairman, BOS English, Sant. Gadge Baba Amravati University.
7. Mr. Prasnna Deshpande, Asst. Professor, Fergusson College, Pune.
8. Mr. Suresh Naidu, Ex-Security officer in Indian Army.
9. Dr. Avinash B. Moharil, Principal, Mahila Mahavidyalaya, Amravati.
10. Dr. Sandeep Joshi, Head of English Department, S.G.B. Amravati University.
11. Dr. Sonali Rode, Asst. Professor, Rajaram College, Kolhapur
12. Dr. Harish G. Tapadiya, Asst. Professor, Morris College, Nagpur
13. Dr. Jayant D. Chaudhari, Asst. Professor, Govt. Vidarbha Institute of Science & Humanities, Amravati.
14. Mr.Rajesh Wamanrao Shrikhande, Asst. Professor, Govt. Vidarbha Institute of Science & Humanities, Amravati.
15. Mr. Santosh Govindrao Maholkar, Asst. Professor, Govt. Vidarbha Institute of Science & Humanities, Amravati.
16. Dr. Pankaja S. Ingale, Shrimati Narsamma Hirayya Shaikshanik Trust’s Arts, Commerce & Science College, Kiran Nagar, Amravati
17. Mr. V.D. Bhange, Asst. Professor, Bharatiya Mahavidyalaya, Amravatis.
18. Mr. Manoj P. Bhagat, Sundarrao More Arts, Commerce & Science College, Poladpur, Raigad.
19. Ms. Vaishali Pande/Deshmukh, Asst. Professor, J.D.Patil Sangludkar Mahavidyalaya Daryapur, Amravati.
20. Mr. Mangesh Adgaonkar, Asst. Professor, G.S. Tompe Mahavidyalaya, Chandur Bajar, Amravati.
21. Mr. Meghraj G. Gadge, Asst. Professor, Shri Ganesh Arts College, MIDC, Shivni-Kumbhari, Akola.
22. Dr. Ganesh P. Khandare, Asst. Professor, Yashwantrao Chavhan Arts & Science College, Mangrul-Pir, Washim (MH), India.
23. Mr. Dinesh Tatte, Asst. Professor, Arts, Science & Commerce College, Kamargaon, Washim.
24. Dr. Yogesh Pohakar, Shakuntala Bai Mahila Mahavidyalyaa, Karanja-Lad, Washim.
25. Mr. Subhodh Chinchole, Asst. Professor, Jijamata Mahavidyalya Buldhana (MS), India.
26. Mr. Yogesh Kashikar, Asst. Professor, Adarsha Science, JB Arts and Birla Commerce Mahavidyalaya, Dhamangaon, Maharashtra.
27. Ms. Manisha More, Lecturer, Government Polytechnic Washim (MS), India.
28. Mr. Nagesh Jayale, Police Sub-Inspector, Wardha (MS), India
29. Mr. Mahendra Gaiwai, Police Sub-Inspector, Dhule(MS), India
30. Mr. Anand Kamble, API, City Police Station, Akola.

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