In a significant academic triumph, the Department of German Studies at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in Varanasi has earned international recognition. Two research papers from the department have been officially accepted for presentation at the GiG 2026 conference in Bangkok, Thailand. This achievement highlights the department's growing influence in the global arena of intercultural academic exchange.
Prestigious Platform for Global Dialogue
The Gesellschaft für interkulturelle Germanistik (GiG) conference is one of the most esteemed international forums in the field of German studies. It gathers scholars from across the world to engage in deep dialogue concerning language, literature, culture, and intercultural exchange. The 2026 edition, with its focus on the themes of diversity, divergence, and dialogue, aims to fortify global academic collaboration, making the selection of BHU's papers a notable feat.
Paper 1: Examining Social Exclusion and Leprosy
The first accepted paper is authored by Satya Prakash. Titled ‘Leprosy and marginalisation: An intercultural study of Tara Stella Deetjen's — Untouchable: My life among the beggars of Benares', this research provides a critical exploration of social exclusion and the lived experiences of marginalised communities in India.
Satya Prakash's work is profoundly relevant in today's socio-cultural context, where issues of social exclusion, human dignity, and rights are central to global discourse. By analysing Tara Stella Deetjen's engagement with marginalised groups in Varanasi, the paper offers a fresh intercultural and ethical perspective. This research is expected to resonate strongly with ongoing debates in German studies, postcolonial studies, and social anthropology, particularly for German-speaking academics with an interest in India.
Paper 2: Bridging Literary Traditions Through Grief
The second paper is a collaborative work by Vishal Kumar Jha and Om Prakash. Its title is ‘Grief as a place of cultural and linguistic diversity: An intercultural dialogue between Paul Celan and Muktibodh'. This study delves into the complex intersections of grief, culture, and language, creating a bridge between German and Hindi literary traditions.
The authors position grief as a universal human experience that is uniquely shaped by cultural contexts. This focus makes the paper especially pertinent in our contemporary world, which is often marked by collective trauma, displacement, and the weight of historical memory. By initiating an intercultural dialogue between the poets Paul Celan and Muktibodh, the study makes a valuable contribution to contemporary discussions in comparative literature and memory studies. It also strengthens academic exchange between German and Indian literary traditions, a core interest for the German academic community in India.
A Milestone for BHU and Intercultural Research
The acceptance of these two papers underscores the global impact and quality of research emerging from BHU's Department of German Studies. It firmly places Varanasi on the map of significant intercultural academic discourse. Both studies highlight the critical importance of dialogue across cultures and disciplines.
This accomplishment not only brings prestige to Banaras Hindu University but also provides valuable, nuanced perspectives to the wider German academic community. It fosters a deeper understanding of Indian social and literary contexts and paves the way for stronger future collaborations. The success at GiG 2026 serves as an inspiration for other departments and reaffirms India's vital role in global humanities research.
