- JNU hosted a landmark academic and cultural event commemorating the visit of Korean Ambassador Lee Seong-Ho.
- Eight scholarly volumes on Korean Studies, part of a five-year project by the Academy of Korean Studies, were unveiled.
- The event fostered South Asian academic collaboration, cultural exchange, and promoted the indigenisation of Korean scholarship in India.
Jawaharlal Nehru University (JNU) recently organized a historic academic and cultural function to commemorate the visit of His Excellency Lee Seong-Ho, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to India. Organised together by the Centre for Korean Studies (CKS), School of Language, Literature and Culture Studies (SLL&CS), and the Centre for East Asian Studies (CEAS), School of International Studies (SIS), the event was a culmination of a five-year project, funded by the Academy of Korean Studies.
Prof. Ravikesh, present Registrar of JNU, was the Project Director in charge of the project. Despite the extension for one year because of the COVID-19 pandemic, the project ended with flying colors, publishing 23 research books out of which eight were officially unveiled during the occasion. The project also united scholars and faculty members specializing in Korean language and culture across South Asia India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Sri Lanka promoting scholarship collaboration and cross-cultural awareness.
The event was attended by Prof. Santishree D. Pandit, the Vice Chancellor of JNU, as well as Ambassador Lee Seong-Ho, who also had a short personal meeting with the Vice Chancellor prior to the event. Some other esteemed guests comprised Park Sung-il, Counsellor (Minister) at the Embassy of the Republic of Korea; Ms. Jung Hye Won, First Secretary; and Ms. Ko Ho-jeong, Director at the Korea Education Centre (KEC). Their visit was viewed as a token of encouragement to the increasing body of Korean Studies scholars in South Asia. The function was organized by Prof. Jitendra Uttam, Chairperson of CEAS, SIS, and Dr. Kaushal Kumar, Chairperson of CKS, SLL&CS.
Prof. Ravikesh presented the Academy of Korean Studies project, explaining its purposes and achievements. He emphasized how the initiative had consolidated Korean Studies in South Asia and created inter-border academic exchanges. The culmination of the day was the inauguration of eight volumes of books on Korean Studies, each being a critical addition to this developing field. Included among these was 'Nativized Textbook on Korean Literature', written by Prof. Kim Do Young, Prof. Ravikesh, and Dr. Satyanshu Srivastava, which was a foundational text for students and introduced contemporary Korean fiction and poetry along with drawing comparative observations with Indian literature. Another eye-catching publication, 'Nativized Textbook on Korean Culture' by Prof. Kim Young Soon, Dr. Neerja Samajdar, and Dr. Kaushal Kumar, delves into Korea's festivals, traditions, K-pop, and food with an Indian learner-friendly perspective.
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A few edited books by Prof. Ravikesh, Dr. Samajdar, Dr. Kumar, and others like 'Korean Studies in India and South Asia', 'Emerging Trends in Korean Studies in South Asia', and 'Korean Studies in India & South Asia: An Inter-Cultural Perspective' touch upon themes like gender, religion, and diplomacy to media, folklore, and cultural exchange.
The event also marked the release of the Hindi translation of Hwang Sun-mi’s beloved Korean classic 'The Hen Who Dreamed She Could Fly', translated by Prof. Ravikesh and Naushad Aalam, expanding access to this celebrated children’s story for Indian readers. Collectively, these publications reflect the depth and diversity of Korean Studies emerging from the region and signify an important step in the indigenisation of Korean scholarship in South Asia.
The second part of the event had an open house with Ambassador Lee Seong-Ho, where students and faculty presented their research and postgraduate plans. The Ambassador welcomed participants warmly, promised continued support from the Korean Embassy, and emphasized the need for strengthening academic and cultural links between India and Korea.
Students raised thought-provoking questions regarding cultural exchange, foreign affairs, and educational opportunities in Korea, which were responded to with immense eagerness. It was brought to a close with closing remarks by Prof. Jitendra Uttam and a vote of thanks by Dr. Kaushal Kumar, who spoke for his profound gratitude to the Ambassador, dignitaries, and university colleagues for support. He reiterated JNU's determination to promote Korean Studies and wished for a continuation of dialogue and cooperation between the two countries.
