Sixth Prof. N.K. Jain Memorial Lecture

The Department of English Literature and Language at IIS (Deemed to be University) hosted its Sixth Prof. N.K. Jain Memorial Lecture on “Books in the Biosphere: Print Culture and the Anthropocene” on October 21. This significant event, intended to honour the legacy of Prof. N.K. Jain, brought together faculty, students, and scholars for an intellectually enriching lecture delivered by Dr. Isabel Hofmeyr, Professor Emeritus at the University of the Witwatersrand in Johannesburg, South Africa.

The session began with a formal welcome address delivered by Dr. Ashok Gupta, Chancellor of the University, who emphasized the importance of such scholarly events in expanding students’ intellectual horizons. Following this, Dr. Ila Joshi, Dean of Arts and Social Sciences, introduced Dr. Hofmeyr with an overview of her notable academic contributions, outlining her research trajectory and the impact of her interdisciplinary work that integrates humanities and environmental studies. In her lecture, Dr. Hofmeyr embarked on an insightful exploration of the complex relationship between print culture and environmental consciousness. At the heart of her talk was the idea that books are not only carriers of intellectual content but also physical objects with environmental implications, rooted in the wider ecosystem.