In 2011, Elmar Schenkel, then Professor of English Literature at Leipzig University, travelled to South India and laid the foundation for the promising relationship between the two universities. It was the professor’s personal interest that drew him to the country. He was particularly captivated by the region around Pondicherry, which led to the initial contact: “Pondicherry has a special appeal. There is a great cultural mix in the Tamil city and region, with Hindus, Muslims and Christians living side by side.” Over time, Professor Schenkel’s enthusiasm for the country and its people led to a mutually beneficial connection between the Faculty of Philology in Leipzig and Pondicherry University. This has facilitated a number of research stays and joint projects at both locations.
The cooperation aroused the interest of other institutes in Leipzig beyond the Faculty of Philology. In 2016, this culminated in a conference at Leipzig University entitled “The Guru Challenge: Gurus in Literature, Culture and Politics.” This event followed the joint research project of examining modern literature and religion more closely. It involved scholars from a number of fields at Leipzig, including South Asian studies and anthropology. As a result of this international conference, an e-book with the same title, edited by Professor Schenkel, will be published in spring 2021.
At Pondicherry University, the focus of this cooperation is on English studies, but other subjects like Romance studies and cultural studies have also participated in the exchange with Leipzig. These examples show that the decade-long relationship between Leipzig and Pondicherry has permeated several areas at both universities, having a positive impact at both institutions. By signing the faculty agreement, the partnership is now official. In an online ceremony, Rector Professor Beate Schücking and Pondicherry’s Vice-Chancellor Professor Gurmeet Singh signed a memorandum of understanding on 22 March in the presence of other representatives of both universities. This is particularly good news for our students of British Studies, as the agreement also opens up new opportunities for staying in an English-speaking country.