Interweaving Identities National Conference at Pattamundai College

“Everything is easier said than done. Wanting something is easy. Saying something is easy. The challenge and the reward are in the doing.”

–Steve Maraboli, (Unapologetically You: Reflections on Life and the Human Experience)

Over the past few days, a few experiences have taught me valuable lessons. As someone from a Central University, I had always believed that conducting seminars or conferences was a major challenge.

Indeed, organizing academic events in Indian universities is never simple. Securing funding, coordinating speakers, and managing sessions are riddled with countless issues. Inaugurations rarely finish on time, plenary speakers often lose track of schedules, and ego clashes among faculty can create divisions. Food arrangements bring their own complications, while scheduling sessions is another ordeal—some speakers insist on specific time slots, others demand certificates, and by the end of it all, one wonders what has truly been achieved.

Yet, as an incurable optimist, I have always believed that these events serve a greater purpose. They allow students and scholars to mingle, learn the art of organization and diplomacy, and perhaps find inspiration to pursue research, write papers, or present their ideas.

Recently, when I was invited as the inaugural speaker at Pattamundai College, Odisha, I realized that many of the challenges I had seen in Central Universities were overcome by two simple perspectives. First, the event (on the theme Interweaving Identities: Gender, Culture and Literature in the Indian Context) was treated as a college-wide initiative rather than just a departmental one, which fostered a sense of belonging. Second, because it was a collective effort, everyone participated wholeheartedly, even if it meant more people at lunch!

Of course, the organizers faced their own hurdles: limited infrastructure, fewer students, and poor connectivity. Pattamundai College, located about 103 km away and nearly three hours of travel from Bhubaneshwar, exemplified this. Despite being in a small town with few amenities, the convenor Dr. Manas Kumar Nayak, co-convenors Dr. Sarojakanta Nayak and Ms. Debasmita Tripathy, along with their colleagues, worked tirelessly to make the two-day conference a success. They arranged lodging and boarding for participants, ensured presentations were kept to 10 minutes, introduced a “Best Presenter” award, and provided meals with warmth and care. The conference kits, featuring a stone replica of the Puri temple, were exquisite and remain a cherished memory. Several papers proved not only engaging but also sparked intense discussion.

What touched me most was the college’s dedication to ensuring students benefited. After the conference, an interactive session was held where students asked thoughtful questions: how to be a good teacher, the challenges I faced as one, the opportunities available for literature students, and ways to improve writing skills.

This conference opened my eyes to the difficulties faced by colleges far from major cities and made me rethink the complaints we often raise in Central Universities despite having better facilities. The greatest joy for me was meeting my scholar, Dr. Lahari Behera, and PU alumni Radha Rani, Usharani, Sanghamitra, Sitara, Binayak and Manas. It was not only a delight to see them, but even more rewarding to witness their academic growth.

My heartfelt thanks go to the principal, Sri Umakanta Patra; the organizers Dr. Manas and Ms. Debasmitha; my fellow speakers Dr. Mahesh Kumar Dey (VNSGU, Gujarat) and Dr. Basanta Kumar Mohanta (MSCB University, Odisha); the philosopher-turned-photographer Dr. Alok Kumar Sahu; and above all, the students whose enthusiasm made the event truly memorable.