Chandigarh, 2 October: The Postgraduate Department of English at Mehr Chand Mahajan DAV College for Women, in collaboration with the 1947 Partition Archive, Berkeley, California, organised an outreach programme titled ‘Documenting Voices: An Oral History Workshop’. The workshop was conducted by Mr. Malkit Singh Ghumaan, accompanied by Mr. Gurmeet Singh, an advanced oral historian. Adding depth and authenticity to the event, two partition witnesses graced the occasion and shared their personal narratives, offering students an invaluable opportunity to engage with lived experiences of history.
Attended by over 100 participants, the session introduced students to the methodology and significance of documenting oral histories, with a special focus on the Partition of India- a historical event that continues to influence cultural memory and understanding. Mr. Ghumaan emphasised the role of individual voices in constructing collective histories and encouraged participants to become certified Citizen Historians with the Archive. His interactive engagement underscored the importance of preserving personal accounts as a means of safeguarding history’s emotional and human dimensions. The workshop sparked deep interest among students, inspiring them to view oral history as both an academic pursuit and a humanising approach to the past.
Officiating Principal Ms. Neena Sharma lauded the initiative, affirming the institution’s commitment to cultivating a research-oriented academic culture. She observed that the workshop not only enriched students’ perspectives on history but also sensitised them to the lived realities behind historical events, thereby fulfilling its objective of fostering critical awareness and experiential learning.