A National Seminar on “Indian Arabic Literature” was organised by the Department of Arabic, Sitalkuchi College, in collaboration with the Internal Quality Assurance Cell (IQAC), Sitalkuchi College, on 24 September 2026 at the Seminar Hall of the College. The seminar was conducted in hybrid mode, with both online and offline participation, providing an inclusive academic platform for scholars, teachers, and students.
The programme commenced at 12:30 PM with the ceremonial lighting of the lamp, followed by an inaugural song. The inaugural address was delivered by Dr. Narayan Chandra Basunia, Principal, Sitalkuchi College. In his address, he emphasised that Arabic should not be viewed as a religious language; rather, it is a rich and vibrant literary language, comparable in its literary significance to Bengali, Persian, Sanskrit, and other major languages. He also expressed his gratitude to all the participating speakers, both online and offline, and conveyed his best wishes to the students participating in the seminar.
Following the inaugural address, Dr. Jagannath Basu, IQAC Coordinator, Sitalkuchi College, delivered a brief and encouraging speech. Sri Pradip Kr. Roy, Senior Professor, also addressed the gathering and appreciated the initiative and efforts undertaken to organise the seminar.
The first academic session featured scholarly presentations by Dr. Mizazur Rahman Talukdar, Assistant Professor of Arabic, Gauhati University, on “Arabic Literary Scholarship in India: Engagements with Indian Knowledge Systems”, and Dr. Waliullah, Head and Assistant Professor of Arabic, Samsi College, on “Indo-Arab Relations: From the Past to the Present.” Both speakers presented their topics in an informative, intellectually stimulating, and academically engaging manner. Their presentations highlighted significant aspects of the historical, intellectual, and literary relationship between India and the Arabic-speaking world.
The second academic session was chaired by Sk. Jaynal Abedin, Teacher-in-Charge (TIC), Gadong Huzuria Senior Madrasah. At the beginning of the session, he delivered an insightful address on Indian Arabic Literature and encouraged students to develop greater interest in academic pursuits, research, and scholarly activities.
As part of the second session, six students of the 7th Semester, Department of Arabic, Sitalkuchi College, presented research papers on prominent Indian Arabic scholars and writers. Their presentations focused on Abd al-Hayy al-Hasani, Fazl-e-Haq Khairabadi, Shah Waliullah, Abul Hasan Ali Nadwi, Azad Bilgrami, and Abu Mahfuz al-Karim al-Ma’sumi. The student presentations provided them with a valuable opportunity to develop their academic presentation skills, engage with scholarly subjects, and gain practical experience in academic discussion.
The seminar concluded with the Presidential Address delivered by Sri Sunil Roy, Assistant Professor, Department of Philosophy, Sitalkuchi College. This was followed by the Vote of Thanks delivered by Mohammad Shahbaz Alam, Head, Department of Arabic, Sitalkuchi College, and Convenor of the Seminar.
The entire programme was compered by Sri Amitava Chakraborty, who conducted the proceedings smoothly and efficiently.
The seminar provided a valuable academic platform for exploring the rich tradition of Arabic literary scholarship in India and the historical and intellectual connections between India and the Arabic-speaking world. It also encouraged students to engage with Indian Arabic literature, cultivate research interests, strengthen their academic presentation skills, and participate actively in scholarly and intellectual activities.
