'Afghanistan Is to the Rest of the World What NE Is to India,' Raghav Sharma

10 Special G PLUS | FEB 09 - FEB 15, 2019 ‘Afghanistan is to the rest of the world what NE is to India,’ Raghav Sharma displacement, to name a few. to provide alternative versions contemporary Afghan literature well into the present,” informed Nehal Jain Papers were presented on of reading and representing has responded to and addressed Dr Asha Kuthari Chaudhuri, Head @NehalJain96 various Afghan literary works Afghanistan rather than the the drastic political and cultural of the English Department, GU. including Nushin Arbabzadah’s politically dominant Western changes in Afghanistan since Afrasiab Khattak is the Afghan Rumour Bazaar, Khaled view of the nation. the second half of the twentieth President of Roshaan Democratic ust like Afghanistan seems Hosseini’s The Kite Runner and A “The central focus of the century as well as certain Institute, Ex-Senator, Ex- to be this wild west zone Thousand Splendid Suns. which is romanticized in It was discussed that there’s the northern plains, much very little dissemination of of the northeast area is also knowledge from Afghanistan to Jseen as this wild zone which most the rest of the world and thus of India doesn’t know about, said Khattak provided the audience Raghav Sharma, international with a view into the existing socio- humanitarian and director of cultural scenario in Afghanistan. Centre for Afghanistan Studies at “Afghanistan has been OP Jindal School of International dominated by what is called Affairs. ‘rivaaz’ (custom) in local Sharma, in a tête-à-tête with languages and it holds very true G Plus, was drawing similarities especially with the Pashtuns. It’s between the northeast India and as if Afghanistan has become Afghanistan while in Guwahati a low pressure point at socio- for a seminar. He went on to say, historical plane the way there “Like all Afghans are considered are low pressure points in to be either Pashtuns or Talibans, atmosphere that attract storms, everybody from the northeast are Afghanistan too keeps attracting very derogatorily called ‘Chinkis’. storms. But during the last two- A majority of the public continues three decades, a new Afghanistan to be unaware of the rich diversity has emerged in which there are of customs, traditions and more urban centres, a strong civil ethnicity prevailing in the region. society, television centres, social The students of Gauhati media prevalence and women University were introduced to the activism,” said Khattak. Panelists at the seminar in Gauhati University literary works from Afghanistan The Department of English, and provided with a perspective Gauhati University, has been Chairperson of Human Rights on the existing socio-cultural organizing a series of international Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), and political situations currently seminars on literatures emerging Ex-Provincial President of prevailing in the country through from India and its neighbours, Awami National Party (Khyber an international seminar on the with two seminars already held Pakhtunkhwa), Chairman of identity, history and narrative in on Sri Lanka and Pakistan. This Board of Directors of Bacha Khan contemporary Afghan literature. year, the university shifted its Education Trust Foundation, The seminar was organised by the focus to Afghanistan. expert of Afghan affairs and Department of English, Gauhati In terms of language and Analyst of Regional Security, University from February 6-8. culture, Afghanistan retains Socio-Economic Cooperation and Popular politician, Afrasiab a rich heritage that not only Human Rights Activist. Khattak, and international dates back to thousands of years Raghav Sharma is the director of humanitarian Raghav Sharma but also charts a transnational Centre for Afghanistan Studies at attended the seminar as plenary trajectory in the form of a Persian OP Jindal School of International speakers while Nandana Dutta, literary culture that includes Affairs. Prior to this, he has Rakhee Kalita Moral and Pradipta countries like Turkey, Iran and taught in the Conflict Studies and Borgohain attended as panellists. India in its ambit. However, Management Program and the “Literature provides you a modern Afghanistan is often Good Governance Afghanistan window into the wonderful regarded as an isolated, troubled, Program at the Willy Brandt nuances of everyday lived violence-ridden territory in the School of Public Policy, University experiences in Afghanistan which global imaginary, in the light of of Erfurt. As Research Officer at are very far removed from what its occupationLighter by the Soviets and in faster the Institute of Peace and Conflict you see in TV images coming the Cold War era and by the US Studies he published extensively through news reports which in the aftermath of 9/11. However, on issues of strategic importance mostly focus on violence and this representation,Scan as thewith any QR code for Afghanistan and Central war,” Raghav Sharma told G Plus. representation, comes with its Asia. He has also been associated The seminar began with own political and ideological with the development sector the inauguration and keynote baggage. having worked and travelled address by Afrasiab Khattak, a PoetryGet and fiction havethe been the G Plus app extensively across Afghanistan left-wing politician from the state dominant forms through which in his capacity as an international of Pakistan. This was followed by Afghan writers have articulated humanitarian aid worker and paper presentations by students the trauma of violence, terror, Pakistani politician, Afrasiab Khattak in Guwahati having undertaken consultancies and teachers of the department on displacement and loss of identity for the Aga Khan Foundation the themes of gender, ethnicity, and home. Afghan writers seminar is to understand repressive aspects of tradition and Community World Services culture, terrorism, migration and have consciously undertaken the specific ways in which that perpetuate from the past in Kabul. n Have a story to tell? Be a Citizen Journalist GetGet inin touchtouch withwith us,us, Contact/WhatsAppContact/WhatsApp 8486002318/84860023208486002318/8486002320 Get on board with us To advertise, Contact 8486002302.

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