Prof Suranjan Das – Transnational Sites of Indian Nationalism: The Cambridge and Oxford Majlis in Anti-Colonial Politics

The paper presents the first outcome of a collaborative research project to reframe Indian nationalist politics as a transnational formation by foregrounding the under-studied anti-colonial engagements of Indian students in colonial Britain. Taking the Cambridge and Oxford Majlis as twin case studies, the lecture draws on archival sources and activists’ reminiscences to trace the transformation of Cambridge and Oxford Majlis from debating and social clubs into platforms for Indian nationalism and progressive internationalism—forging solidarities among Indian students and cultivating networks with pro-Indian forces within and beyond the United Kingdom. Notably, many Majlis activists later assumed leadership roles in postcolonial South Asian politics. By centring student politics, the paper contributes to debates on the emergence of a global anti-colonial public sphere.

Dr. Suranjan Das, currently the Vice-Chancellor, Adamas University, Kolkata, was earlier Vice-Chancellor of two front-ranking public universities of India: the Calcutta University and Jadavpur University, Kolkata.

Dr. Sunrita Dhar-Bhattacharjee is Associate Professor, Anglia Ruskin University, UK.

Dr. Suvajit Halder is Assistant Professor, Panchakot Mahavidyalay, West Bengal, India.