KHASI DEPARTMENT, ST. EDMUND’S COLLEGE, LAITUMKHRAH, SHILLONG
A BRIEF HISTORY AND ACHIEVEMENTS (2004 – 2008)

A Brief History
›› Khasi is the language spoken by the people residing in Meghalaya, Assam and Bangladesh. It belongs to the Austro Asiatic family under the Mon-Khmer group. Today there are more than a million speakers of this language. Khasi, as a subject in St. Edmund’s College was introduced in 1950 and some of the past teachers were Mr. Ondromuni Dkhar a renowned Khasi writer and mathematician; Mr. Frank M. Pugh a prolific Khasi writer and translator; Mrs. D. Tham a teacher of repute; E. W. Reade a teacher of great experienced as a war veteran; D. L. Warjri a social worker and able leader and Chosterfield Khongwir a teacher who teach from the heart, a musician of repute and a man with a deep understanding of the Khasi culture.

The Present Faculty
›› Mr. Heman Roy Bareh, M.A. M.Phil. He joined in 1988 and he is the present Head of the Khasi Department. He teaches Khasi drama and the other areas of Khasi literature and language.

›› Dr. Sylvanus Lamare, M.A. M.Phil, Ph.D. He joined in 1993 and he specialises in Khasi linguistics particularly in the area of socio-linguistics and computational linguistics. He teaches Khasi language, culture and the other areas of Khasi literature and language.

›› Mr. Bobby S. Basan, M.A. He joined in 1997 and he teaches Khasi drama, Khasi language and the other areas of Khasi literature and language.

›› Mr. Wanpli Kharwanlang, M.A. He joined in 2008 and he teaches Khasi fiction, Khasi language and the other areas of Khasi literature and language.

›› Ms. Rosa M. Mawlong, M.A. She joined in 2010 and teaches Khasi language, literature and culture.

Student profile
›› Entry level competencies: The students who joined to study Khasi honours are under three categories (i) those who want really to study the subject at the honours level and have performed well in the elective Khasi at class XII. (ii) Those who have the required overall percentage but did not have marks to join for honours in other subjects. (iii) Those who have the required marks only in elective Khasi at Class XII and are placed in the second division. Hence, the task for the teachers is challenging and it calls for a lot of efforts particularly in the First year.

Socioeconomic status:
›› Most of the students who study Khasi honours are from a rural background and often they come from a middle class or weaker socioeconomic background. This is noticed particularly at the time of payment of College fee and is also expressed and reflected in the form they filled for mentoring.

Language proficiency:
›› Since they opt for Khasi honours the real test is for Khasi language and they are found to be good at the subject. However, they suffer greatly in the general subjects because of the low English language proficiency. This is solved by Prof. Chosterfield Khongwir, Dr. Sylvanus Lamare and assisted by other faculty in the department by giving them training in writing the English language.

Changes made in the courses or programmes during the past two years and the contribution of the faculty to those changes
›› The curriculum was revised in 2007-2008 and implemented from 2009

Trends in the success and drop out rates of students during the past two years
›› Success rate of students 2006-2007 – (out 12 candidates 10 cleared)
›› Success rate of students 2007-2008 – (out of 12 candidates 11 cleared)
›› Success rate of students 2008-2009 - (all cleared)
›› Drop out rate students 2007 - Nil
›› Drop out rate of students 2008 - Nil

Learning resources of the department
›› Library - Yes
›› Computer - 1
›› Internet – Yes (Broadband)

Modern teaching methods practiced and use of ICT in teaching – learning
›› OHP - 1
›› LCD use the common LCD projectors available in the audiovisual rooms
›› Field trips and also inviting authors whose works are being studied.

Participation of teachers in the academic and personal counseling of students
›› Mentoring
›› Personal contact with the students

Details of faculty development programmes and teachers who have been benefited during the past two years
›› Bobby S. Basan attended and participated in UGC Sponsored Refresher Course, Khasi Dept., 16th November-6th December, 2004.

All the faculty members of the department attended the following programmes
›› Seminar on “Emotional Quotient (EQ)” by Bro. Conrad D’Souza on February 2007 as part of the Faculty development programme.
›› A programme conducted by Br. S. G. Alvarez, Provincial Leader of Christian Brothers in India, on the 8th of June 2007.
›› A programme on “Conflict Resolutions” conducted by Brother Conrad D’ Souza, on 15th and 16th of February 2008.
›› Seminar on “Student teacher relationship, Behavioral Pattern, Counseling and Career Guidance”, Part I organized by the College, Bro. K. Ward. 13th & 14th August 2008.
›› Seminar on “Student teacher relationship, Behavioral Pattern, Counseling and Career Guidance”, Part II organized by the College, Bro. K. Ward on 28th & 29th May 2009.

Participation and contribution of teachers to the academic activities

Seminars and Workshops attended by Mr. H. R. Bareh
›› Seminar Ka Imlang Sahlang Khasi Kumba Ka Paw Ha Ka Literature Khasi, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong, 18th October 2004, organised by Khasi Department, St. Edmund’s College.
›› Memorial Lecture on “Thomas Jones the Father of the Khasi Alphabet” on 16th September, 2005, organized by Sahitya Akademi and Khasi Deptt. St. Edmund’s College.
›› Seminar cum Worshop on Music, 28th – 29th September 2006, organized by Syngkhong Kyntiew Ri, St. Edmund’s College.
›› National seminar on Khasi Modern Literature, 9th November, 2006, St. Edmund’s College, organized by Sahitya Akademi and Khasi Authors’ Society.
›› Seminar on Look South Policy Meghalaya Perspective, 7th – 8th August, 2008, organized by St. Edmund’s College, Shillong.
›› Seminar Ka Jingïohi U Khasi Kumba Paw Ha Ka Science, Ka Social Science Bad Ka Literature, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong on 6th October 2008, organised by Khasi Department, St. Edmund’s College in collaboration with Old Ageing Separated Infirm Society (OASIS)
›› National Seminar on Toxicity of Chemicals & Their Hazards with Special Reference to Heavy Metals, 23rd – 24th October, 2008, organized by St. Edmund’s College, Shillong.

Seminars and Workshops attended by Dr. Sylvanus Lamare

National Seminars, Workshops, Symposia etc
›› New Delhi, 2nd - 6th January, IGNCA, “Understanding the Tribes”, 2004.
›› New Delhi, 7th & 8th January, Resource person, New Delhi, organized by Katha, “My Story, My Time: A Myth and Reality.” 2004
›› Shillong, 11th September, Resource person, organised by Khasi Authors’ Society, “Relevance of Fiction to Khasi Society”, 2004
›› Shillong, 21st-23rd March, Intellectual Development on North East India, organized by NEIDS, 2005
›› Ranchi, 26th-28th April, Tribal in Literature and Myths, Sahitya Akademi & All India Tribal Literary Forum 2005
›› Shillong, 7th-13th May, Workshop on “Dialect Survey of Khasi” CIIL, 2005.
›› Shillong, 25th-30th June, Project “Khasi-Hindi-English Learner’s Dictionary” Organized by Hindi Cell NEHU in collaboration with Hindi Sansthan, sponsored by NEHU, 2005
›› Shillong, 26th-27th July, Orality and Beyond, 2005
›› Shillong, 7th September, H.W. Sten and His Writings in Khasi Studies, 2005
›› Cherrapunjee, 10th September, Ka Ktien Ka Tehsong ïa ka Jaitbynriew, 2005
›› Shillong, 16th September, Thomas Jones and the Roman Scripts, 2005
›› Shillong, 12th November, Ka Shongkha Shongman u Khasi Kumba Ka Paw ha Ka Khasi Literature 2005
›› Shillong, 7th January, Ka Jingspel Dak Ha Ki Nongthoh Khasi, KAS, 2006
›› Shillong, 8th-10th February, The Position of Hindi in Meghalaya Regional Central Institute of Hindi Agra 2006
›› New Delhi, 23rd-25th February, International Seminar on Myth, Magic, History: Contemporary Fiction in Latin America and India, 2006
›› New Delhi, 9th March, Octave on North Eastern Literature and Poets’ Meet, 2006
›› Dibrugarh, 24th&25th March, Understanding Culture in North Eastern India: Changes and Continuity in the Twentieth Century, 2006
›› Shillong, 21st&22nd April, Poetry Reading in Shillong, NEHU, 2006
›› Jowai, 24th&25th April, Seminar on Jaintia Folklore and Oral Traditions, 2006
›› Shillong, 16th May, Lecturer on Jeebon Roy Mairom, 2006
›› Shillong, 18th September, Lecture on Hajom Kissor Singh, 2006
›› Shillong, 28th&29th September Seminar on Music, 2006
›› Shillong, 29th October, Gandhian Thought And Present Day Education, 2006
›› Kolkata, 21st-23rd November National Seminar on Renaissance & Indian Languages, 2006
›› New Delhi, 22nd-25th February, The Rising 1857: Colonialism, Literature and March to Freedom, 2007.
›› Shillong, NERIE 13th-14th March, Multilingual Education For Cognitive and National Harmony, 2007
›› Shillong, NERIE 21st-24th March, “Development of Local Specific Materials to Supplement Teaching-Learning of History, at Secondary Stage in the North Eastern States”, 2007
›› Agra, Central Institute of Hindi, 25 April “Translation of Folk Literature of 57 Languages of North East,” 2007
›› Dandi, Ramnika Foundation, 30th April - 2nd May “National Conference on Literature of Adivasi & Nomadic Communities”, 2007
›› Shillong, DIET, Sohra, 22nd June, “Promotion of Khasi Language in School Education”, 2007
›› Nongstoiñ. KAS & Sahitya Akademi, 17th July “Freedom Struggles As Seen In Khasi Literature”, 2007
›› Dimapur, Central Institute of Hindi, 30th August-2nd September “Status of Hindi in North East”, 2007
›› Shillong, NERIE, 6th - 8th September “Developing Script for North Eastern Languages”, 2007
›› New Delhi 12th to 15th March, at IGNCA, National Seminar on Ram Katha Oral Narratives and Folk Performing Traditions of India, presented “Elements of Ramayana in Khasi and Jaiñtia Hills”, 2008
›› Silchar, Assam University, 17th and 18th March, “Encounter and Interventions “Colonial Space and Missionary Endeavor in British North West India”, 2008.
›› Agra, Hindi Sansthan 18th to 21st April Workshop on collection of data and translation of North East Folklore into Hindi, 2008
›› Dibrugarh University 25th to 26th April National Seminar on “Religion in NorthEast India: Institutional Structure and Practices” organized by Dibrugarh University and MAKAIAS Kolkata, 2008.
›› Aizawl 23rd to 24th July, Seminar on “Integration Through Language and Literature” organized by NEZCC and Deptt. Arts & Culture Mizoram, 2008.
›› Dimapur 7th to 8th August Central Institute of Hindi for finalization of translating folk traditions of North East into Hindi, 2008.
›› Bangalore, 13th to 14th September, “North-Eastern & Southern Poetry Festival” organized by the Sahitya Akademi, New Delhi, 2008.
›› New Delhi 11th to 12th November, workshop on “Problems of Learning Hindi Among the Tribal” at NCERT, New Delhi, 2008.
›› Guwahati Chief Guest 20th November, to release the book of Dr. Satyakam Phukan on the relationship between Ainu language of Japan and Assamese, 2008.
›› New Delhi 14th – 17th December Octave of North East Writers with Northern Writers, 2008.

International Seminars and Conferences:
›› Beijing, Xian, Hangzhou, Shanghai, 10th – 28th October 2004 Interacting with Chinese Writers, presenting papers and poetry reading in Peking University and other Educational Institutions in China.
›› Zhejiang Province, China19th-29th May, World Famous Writers Meet to Discuss on Literature, Media, and the Present Senario, 2005.
›› Others via video conferencing

Seminars and Workshops attended by Mr. Bobby S. Basan
›› Seminar Ka Imlang Sahlang Khasi Kumba Ka Paw Ha Ka Literature Khasi, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong, 18th October 2004, organised by Khasi Department, St. Edmund’s College.
›› UGC Refresher’s Course 16th November – 6th December, 2004, Khasi Department, NEHU.
›› Memorial Lecture on “H.W. Sten and his Writings in Khasi Studies” 7th September, 2005, organized by Sahitya Akademi and Khasi Deptt. St. Edmund’s College.
›› Memorial Lecture on “Thomas Jones the Father of the Khasi Alphabet” on 16th September, 2005, organized by Sahitya Akademi and Khasi Deptt. St. Edmund’s College.
›› Seminar cum Worshop on Music, 28th – 29th September 2006, organized by Syngkhong Kyntiew Ri, St. Edmund’s College.
›› National seminar on Khasi Modern Literature, 9th November, 2006, St. Edmund’s College, organized by Sahitya Akademi and Khasi Authors’ Society.
›› State Level Workshop on Khasis Studies in the Context of Khasi Culture, Folklore, Literature and Linguistics, 23rd -24th August, 2007, organized by Khasi Department, St. Mary’s College.
›› Seminar on Look South Policy Meghalaya Perspective, 7th – 8th August, 2008, organized by St. Edmund’s College, Shillong.
›› Seminar Ka Jingïohi U Khasi Kumba Paw Ha Ka Science, Ka Social Science Bad Ka Literature, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong on 6th October 2008, organised by Khasi Department, St. Edmund’s College in collaboration with Old Ageing Separated Infirm Society (OASIS)
›› National Seminar on Toxicity of Chemicals & Their Hazards with Special Reference to Heavy Metals, 23rd – 24th October, 2008, organized by St. Edmund’s College, Shillong.

Seminars and Workshops attended by Mr. Wanpli Kharwanlang
›› Training Course in Book Publishing, National Book Trust, India, St. Edmund’s College, 5th – 18th June 2008.
›› Seminar Ka Jingïohi U Khasi Kumba Paw Ha Ka Science, Ka Social Science Bad Ka Literature, St. Edmund’s College, Shillong on 6th October 2008, organised by Khasi Department, St. Edmund’s College in collaboration with Old Ageing Separated Infirm Society (OASIS)