The Proceedings of the 42nd Session of the Conference of Indian Association for American Studies held at Tirupati from 29th to 31st July 2013.

The Proceedings of the 42^nd Session of the Conference of Indian Association for American Studies held at Tirupati from 29^th to 31^st July 2013.

The 42^nd Session of the Conference of Indian Association for American Studies (hereinafter mentioned as “IAAS”) held at Tirupati from July 29 to 30, 2013 hosted by the Department of History, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati.

The IAAS – Genesis[1]: The IASS claims that Indian’s interest in American studies owes its genesis to the Fulbright and Smith-Mundt programmes. Soon after independence, Dr Olive I Reddick[2] (1896-1970), the Director of the United States Educational Foundation in India (USEFI)[3], during the fifties and sixties, organized seminars with a view to establish and promote the American studies in India. In the summer of 1963, to be precise, the USEFI held a workshop at Mussoorie for the benefit of the Indian academics. It resulted in the emergence of a professional body called “Indo-American History Congress” (IAHC). The first meeting of IAHS was held in Hyderabad in 1961 to coincide with the inauguration of American Studies Research Centre (AHRC)[4]. Two years later in 1963, IAHC was renamed “American History Congress in India” and a formal constitution was adopted.

From history to other arts subjects[5]: The primary aim of the congress was to encourage and facilitate the study and reaching of research in the field of American history. Consequently, the academics in political science and literature were added. Thus, its nomenclature had to be changed and the Indian Association for American Studies was born. The foremost objective of the IAAS as stated in the Constitution is to promote research and teaching of American Studies (history, politics, government, literature and sociology). In July 1985, it was registered under the Registration of Societies Atc, 1860 in Bombay. Simultaneously, the IAAS Trust was also registered under the Charities act Reg. No. F10629. The IAAS, in its Fifty years of existence, has been endeavouring to grow so as to meet the academic needs and requirements of its members.

The history of the earlier sessions held: The following table has been taken from the souvenir[6] and the Directory of Members.

No	Year	Place where conducted	President – DR / Prof
1	1964	ASRC, Hyderabad	M. S. Venkataramani, JNU
2	1965	University of Allahabad	G. S. Dikshit, Karnatak U
3	1966	Bangalore University	M. S. Venkataramani, JNU
4	1967	Punjab U, Chandigarh	M. S. Venkataramani, JNU
5	1968	Bhagalpur	C. D. Narasimaiah
6	1969	Banaras Hindu University	Panchand Misra, Bagalpur
7	1970	Jabalpur	Dwijendra Tripathi, IIM, Ahamadabad
8	1971
9	1972	MSU, Baroda	Dwijendra Tripathi, IIM, Ahamadabad
10	1973	Mysore	C. B. Tripathi, Alahabad U
11	1974
12	1975	SVU, Tirupati	B. K. Srivasytaba, Allahabad U
13	1976	RSU, Raipur	T. C. Bose. Dibrugarh U
14	1977	Jammu	R. C. Jauhri, Punjab U
16	1978	Berhampur	R. C. Jauhri, Punjab U
17	1979
18	1980	Bangalore	Ramesh Babu, Bombay U
19	1981	ASRC, Hyderabad	Ramesh Babu, Bombay U
20	1982	BHU	P. P. Sharma, IIT, Kanpur
21	1983	Annamalai	P. P. Sharma, IIT, Kanpur
22	1984	Gurukal Kangri Viswavidyalaya	Bupen Qanungo, BHU
23	1985	Bombay	D. Baasubramaniiam, Annamalai U
24	1986	MKU, Madurai	S. B askaran, Annamalai
25	1987	Poona	E. Nageswara Rao, Osmania U
26	1988	Patna	E. Nageswara Rao, Osmania U
27	1989	ASRC, Hyderabad	Y. D. Prasad, Patna
28	1990	Ravenshaw college, Cuttack	Y. D. Prasad, Patna
29	1991	Somaya college, Bombay	E. Nageswara Rao, Osmania U
30	1992	MSU, Baroda	B. D. Dalal, Somaya college, Bombay
31	1993	Goa	P. M. Kamath, Bombay U
32	1994	Lucknow	P. M. Kamath, Bombay U
33	1995	Pondicherry	Laxmi Parasuram, Burdwan
34	1996	Mysore	R. P. Kaushik, JNU
35	1997	Pune	Dilip Mohite, MSU, Baroda
36	1998
37	1999	Arya colrge, Ludhiana	A. A. Muthalik Desai, IIT, Mumbai
40	2000	MKU, Madurai	Y. Sriramamurthy, Vishakapatnam
40	2001	Annamalai	V. K. Malhothra, GMNC, Ambala Cantt
	2002
41	2003	ML Sukhadia, Udaipur	T. S. Anand, GGN Khalsa College, Ludhiana
	2004	Punjabi, Patiala	T. S. Anand, GGN Khalsa College, Ludhiana
	2005	SNS Sons (Auto), College, Coimbatore	K. Balasundaram, Pondicherry
	2006	SRTM University and Prathiba Niketan College, Nanded	R. Thangaraj, Presidency College, Chennai.
	2007	Auxilium College (Auto), Vellore	K. S. Purushothaman, Vellore
	2008
	2009	Bharathiar University, Coimbatore	K. S. Purushothaman, Vellore
	2010
	2011
42	2012	Annamalai	Sankarankutty Nair
43	2013	Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati

Accommodation, delegate fees etc: Reddy Bhawanam[7], where the delegates were accommodated, which is 8 kms away from the venue of the Conference. It has been built by the Reddy community and situated on the road to Tirupati. At the entrance two statutes of the former Chief Ministers, Chenna Reddy and  Y. S. Rajasekhara Reddy are there. Rs.1,000/- was charged as delegate fees.

The Humanities department building where the department of history is there that hosted the 42^nd conference at Tirupati.

The colourful Kolam inviting the delegates.

Inauguration, Presidential address etc: Inauguration of the conference by Prof Ramesh Babu. Ankaran Kutty Nair, Lazarus Samaraj,Purushotham,  Ananda Naidu can  be seen. The souvenir containing the abstracts of the papers to be presented was released. There were36 abstracts under Social sciences section pages 9 to 31 and 62 abstracts under Literature esstion pges32 to 61. However, the “list of papers” for the respective sessions were38 and 74. But most of them did not turn up.

As Prof. K. Sathyanarayana Reddy, Registrar and Prof W. Rajendra, Vice-Chancellor of Sri Venkateswara University could not come, it was inaugurated by the office bearers of the association. P. Lazarus Samraj, General Secretary, in his report informed that the IAAS had a lot of setbacks and was trying to comeback overcoming such difficulties. After the collapse of USSR, the IAAS started declining in India. Now the conferences were held only in the states of Andhrapradesh and Tamilnadu and therefore, a stage might come to change the name of the IAAS as “South Association for American Studies”. Though conferences were held annually, initially, no conferences were held in the years – 1971, 1979, 2002, 2009, 2010 and 2011. At every conference, new-comers used to appear, present papers and disappear.

Ananda Naidu inviting the delegates.

Indian parents who migrated to the USA, generally prefer arranged marriages for their children as per the traditions followed in India[8], said T.P. Sankarankutty Nair, president of the Indian Association for American Studies (IAAS). Delivering the presidential address[9] at the inaugural of the 42nd Annual Conference of IAAS held at the SVU Senate Hall here on Monday, he said that socialising practice like dating is looked down upon by the South Asian families. He also pointed out the double standards adopted by Indian parents with regard to teenage dating. “They get suspicious and raise a hue and cry when a girl starts dating, but turn a blind eye when a boy does that”, he said. Mr. Nair spoke about ‘American life through an Indian perspective’ at the event. He elucidated the issues of migration and adaptability of Indians in various aspects[10].

The conference was hosted by the Department of History in the SVU Arts College, as a part of 42nd Annual Conference of IAAS. Over 150 delegates from all over India will present papers themed around American history and culture in the three-day event.

About the Souvenir: The Souvenir has been published in haste without any editing or proper listing of papers, as it is with the following discrepancies:

1. One abstract – Scientific fiction has been printed twice – see p.no.34 and 55.
2. The same names with same paper-titles are appearing two-three times under both the Social science and Literature categories –
   1. Heba Ahmed, (Social science.4, Lit.9)
   2. K. Jeyaraju (30,42),
   3. Somayez and Azam Ataeiniya (32,36),
   4. Syed Hussain Miyan (33,43)].
3. The Indo-American relationship is repeated again and again. So also “multiculturalism”.
4. In literature, there had been repletion of subject matter and overlapping.

A section of the audience during the inauguration.

Another  section of the audience during the inauguration.

Social sciences section – Prof Chandrasekharan condoles the demise of Prof T. R. Ramachandran, Pachaiyappa’s College. It was held at the “Psychology Seminar Hall”. However, though the demise of Prof S. Gopalakrishmnan was pointed out by Lazaraus, he was forgotten.

The session was headed by Prof Shivakumar.

A section of the audience during the Social sciences session

Another  view of the audience during the Social sciences session.

K. V. Ramakrishna Rao presenting a paper titled, “Interaction and dialogue with few Harvard professors in the context of Indology and theology”. Radhika Nagrath presenting her paper.

The “Literature” session was held at “Arts block auditorium”.

A section of the audience during the Literature session

Another view of the audience during the Literature session

Symposium on the first day (29-07-2013): There was a symposium about the “Indo-Us Relations” in which Prof Ramesh Badu and Shivakumar spoke. Prof Ramesh Babu, the Founder Member of the IAAS pointed out the following details: As India stood by the USSR, the Indo-US relations could start developing only after Janata party came to power Though, during Vajpayee regime, the relations were strengthened, the Pokhran Nuclear Explosion created a dent in the relations. A normal Indian above 30 might know what was wrong with the USA. Universities generally disagreed to have chair or department for the American studies. Indians used to criticize America and vice versa, but the policy of “mutual harping, reciprocal restriction” would only help. Even the India youth, though appeared to criticize, want to become American citizens by heart. For Indian students, the study at USA has always been a dream. As for as the political context is concerned, definitely, as the America has been the mightiest nation on the earth, India cannot ignore any factor that affects Indian interest. If Chinese-American relations improve or act against India, then, naturally, India has to be vigilant. According to Ramesh Babu, “Indira Gandhi has done maximum damage to India, as public values collapsed because of the justification of corruption”

Prof Shivakumar touched upon the Latin-American and Indo-US relations, drawing parallels from the commercial exploitation of the Latin-American countries by the US. When the first F-16 was sold to Venezuela and no country opposed it. PEMEX, the Mexican Oil company was asked lay pipelines up to the American borders and then starred negotiating for the price of the crude oil to be supplied to them through such pipelines. The Argentine beef exports was curtailed by announcing that their cattle were affected by the foot-mouth disease. The Latin-Americans could not learn real opposition to the American strategy, but learned the “anti-Americanism” through the American books.

Unlike other symposiums, where the discussions and questions are not allowed, here they were allowed and there was response from the audience and the dais.

The dates of the Conference coincided with the breaking of AP: When the organizers, founding members and others were lamenting about the “setbacks” etc., there was the formation of separate state carved out of Andhrapradesh named as “Telengana”! Though, I attended other conferences in AP, there was no commotion about the stirs[11], activities of the pro and anti groups[12]. There was “bundh” reported from the coastal areas of AP[13]. Prohibitory orders have been clamped in Tirupati on Wednesday following the formation of Telangana[14]. But, these three days disturbed the delegates, who had come from far away places like Jammu, Assam, Rajasthan etc., as they were worried about returning or specifically, moving out of AP. Though, buses were plying yesterday (30-07-2013), today morning there was uncomfortable calm in Tirupati[15].

Are there many associations dealing with “American Studies” in India?: In India, for some reasons, the associations connected with the subjects of Humanities, arts etc., have been either split into two or many or disappearing during the course of time. The split associations continue to work parallel. A booklet, “American studies in India” was brought by a core group under the banner of “American Studies and Pedagogy Development”.  The Editorial Board, containing seven professors, acknowledges its gratefulness to the Public Affairs Section of the American Embassy, New Delhi for providing financial support for the publication of this booklet[16]. There has been another institute, “ The American Institute of Indian Studies”, which  is a consortium of American colleges and universities[17]. The American Institute of Indian Studies is dedicated to the advancement of knowledge about India and the promotion of intellectual engagement with India in American colleges and and universities. Since 1961, American knowledge of India has been shaped by the American Institute of Indian Studies. There has been another “Indo-American studies” in Hyderabad[18].

The closure of American Studies Research Center, (ASRC), Hyderabad[19]: These details are given from “The Hindu” and “India Today”. There is good news for those who despaired of the closure of the American Studies Research Center, (ASRC), Hyderabad, home to several generations of scholars. The institute had tragically ceased operation recently (1997?) due to stoppage of funds[20]. It was an academic misfortune that was greeted with all-round consternation; the step seemed inevitable when the official American support through the PL 480 rupee reserve, based on the American grain sale to India during the Fifties and the Sixties, as well as support through the USIS, ran out. By 1999, a new director Carolyne Elliot came with a specific mandate: to seek a turn around of the financially crippled institution with the help of Indian government agencies and the corporate world. Elliot’s efforts came a cropper. And under the last director, Richard Cohen, plans for downsizing the staff and eventual closure began to be implemented. Thanks to the money saved from an earlier Ford Foundation Grant, the library and the guesthouse were kept open with the help of a skeletal staff! With the Americans gone from the scene, several rounds of negotiations were conducted by the acting director, Professor Isaac Sequeira, a long-time associate with the centre and a distinguished academic, with various agencies, the private and the State Government, the university system, the UGC and the MHRD. At one stage, hope brightened with an interest shown by the Manipal Academy of Higher Education of the T.A. Pai Foundation. The idea was to use the centre and its premises to start an MBA programme catering to NRIs and foreign nationals. The former American ambassador to India, Frank Wisner’s proposal to use the ASRC as a `green business centre’ was stoutly opposed by the loyal users of the library. The lack of interest in funding the centre by Indian agencies was bit of a puzzle.

Set up in 1964 at the invitation of a farsighted Vice-Chancellor of the Osmania University, D.S. Reddy, who gave the centre land on the sprawling O.U. campus, over the years, the ASRC had become a reputed academic ashram attracting scholars from all parts of India and neighbouring countries. With an impressive collection of printed books of more than 140,000 along with an incredibly large holding of micro films, micro fiche, films, video and audio cassettes, CD-Roms and world class conference halls, the centre attracted, at its height, around 22,000 users per year. Next to Berlin, it came to be known as the best centre for American studies in the world. Mercifully, the Indian government saw reason. With influential intermediaries like professor Amrik Singh and others, Isaac Sequeira undertook several rounds of discussions with the MHRD/UGC. A high-powered committee was constituted by the Government of India (GOI) to visit the centre and submit a report. Later, a committee comprising the Vice-Chancellors of three leading universities of Hyderabad: the Osmania, the CIEFL and the University of Hyderabad, along with representatives from the Ministry of External Affairs (MEA), officials from the MHRD, and the UGC got together in Delhi to review the report.

The good news was that the UGC was asked to take over the ASRC and fund its programmes under a new name, a fresh management, a new charter and a new mandate. Accordingly, on December 28, 2002, on the occasion of the Golden Jubilee of the University Grants Commission at Vigyan Bhavan, New Delhi, Prime Minister A.B. Vajpayee dedicated the new centre, named as the Inter University Center for International Studies (IUCIS) to the nation. “It is a matter of great satisfaction to me personally,” said Professor Isaac Sequiera who had spearheaded, despite great odds, the efforts to save the centre. “I was keen to see that American Studies be retained as part of international relations. Secondly, it was important that the existing life membership should continue along with the present staff.” Fortunately, the first, as Sequeira indicated, has been retained, while negotiations are on for the other two. An Officer on Special Duty is expected to take over charge soon. From the ASRC to the IACIS and now the IUCIS, what’s in a name! What is important is that the academic ashram on Osmania University campus should continue, as before, to attract scholars far and wide. That will be the fittest tribute to a set of visionaries, the Indians and the Americans, who lent their support to an institution for furthering international understanding.

U.S. Charge d’Affaires Steven J. White announced a grant in March 2009 for Osmania University Center for International Programs (OUCIP) to provide American Studies books and materials[21]. The Rs 15 lakh grant will enable OUCIP to update its book holdings, access on line journals and data bases and establish an audio visual room. The grant also includes funds to provide travel stipends to Indian scholars conducting research at OUCIP’s American Studies collections.

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[1] As per the Circular of the Organizing secretary – Dr D. Ananda Naidu, Prof & Head Department of History, Sri Venkateswara University, Tirupati. This Circular has been very similar to that of the one issued for the Coimbatore session.

http://www.academicstaffcollege.com/pdfs/40thAnnualConference3.pdf

[2] Dr. Olive Irene Reddick, born Findlay, Ohio 1896, daughter of Walter Lowery and Mary Cleland Reddick who was the son of William T. and Elizabeth Day Reddick, who was the son of Jesse Giles and Rose Anne Hawk Reddick. Olive received her Ph. D. from Radcliff College in 1932 after attending public school and college in PA and Ohio. She was director of the US Educational Foundation in India which was responsible for administration of the Fulbright program in India, for abt 14 years. She was on the faculty at Hood College from 1932 till 1957 and was Sr. Economic analyst on Southeast Asia for the Office of Strategic Services in Washington and New Delhi from 1942 till 1946. Dr. Olive Reddick died in Jan 1970 in Houston, TX.

http://www3.familyoldphotos.com/photo/texas/22858/dr-olive-irene-reddick

[3] The United States – India Educational Foundation (USIEF) promotes mutual understanding between the nationals of India and the nationals of the US through the educational exchange of outstanding scholars, professionals and students. Since its inception, USIEF has awarded approximately 17,000 Fulbright, Fulbright-Nehru, and other prestigious grants and scholarships in almost every academic discipline. http://www.usief.org.in/

[4] The library room of Osmania University Study Centre International Special Programmes, has been named after him. Collections – OIR (Olive I Reddick) Room houses 300 rare books, archival materials, and the American studies in Indian Languages (ASIL) collection. The room is named after Dr Olive I Reddick, Director of US Educational Foundation in India (USEFI), who was instrumental in the creation of American Studies Research Centre. http://www.oucip.in/library.php

[5] These details are available verbatim in the “Directory of members”, Part-I of the IAAS circulated among the delegates.

[6] Souvenir, Tirupati, p.8

[7] Reddy Bhavanam, managed by the Reddy Welfare Association, Karakambadi (Mangalam) Road, Timminaidu Palem, Tirupathi – 517 507.

[8] The Hindu, ‘Migrated Indian parents prefer arranged marriages’, Tirupati edition, dated 30-07-2013.

[9] T P. Sankarankutty Nair, American life through an Indian perspective, the presidential address was printed and circulated among the delegates.

[10] http://www.thehindu.com/todays-paper/tp-national/tp-andhrapradesh/migrated-indian-parents-prefer-arranged-marriages/article4968547.ece

[11] In Tirupati, YSRC MLA Bhumana Karunakar Reddy staged a sit-in at Nalugukalla Mandapam. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/seemandhra-erupts-in-protest/article4971210.ece

[12] http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Shutdown-in-parts-of-Andhra-Pradesh-four-ministers-quit/articleshow/21507551.cms?

[13] http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/telangana-near-total-bandh-in-coastal-southern-ap_865642.html

[14] Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/telangana-statehood-shutdown-seemandhra-section-144-tirupati/1/297212.html

[15] http://www.dnaindia.com/india/1326760/report-unrest-over-telangana-hits-inflow-of-pilgrims-to-tirupati

[16]http://photos.state.gov/libraries/india/13974/libpdfs/American%20Studies%20Booklet%20Bookformat.pdf

[17] http://www.indiastudies.org/; http://www.indiastudies.org/about-aiis/; https://www.facebook.com/indiastudies

[18] The Indo American Studies (IAS), a global education group, since 1992 (formerly known as IAE) has rendered professional services by offering counseling, assisting and facilitating admissions for several thousand students in various International universities abroad. http://www.indoamericanstudies.com/

[19] http://www.hindu.com/thehindu/mp/2003/08/11/stories/2003081101830200.htm

[20] The bad news, however, is that after 34 years of existence, the American Studies Research Centre (ASRC), located on a lush five-acre site on the Osmania University campus in Hyderabad, is threatened with closure for want of funds.

http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/american-studies-research-centre-at-osmania-university-faces-closure-for-want-of-funds/1/276538.html

The ASRC is a bi-national institution, with representatives from the Indian Government and the University Grants Commission on its board, and an American academic as its director. The money to run it has come from the US government through the once plentiful rupees accumulated through the PL 480 sales of US grain to India in the 1960s. Now the Clinton Administration’s cutbacks are set to deliver the coup de grace.Read more at: http://indiatoday.intoday.in/story/american-studies-research-centre-at-osmania-university-faces-closure-for-want-of-funds/1/276538.html

[21] http://newdelhi.usembassy.gov/pr032409.html