The valedictory session of the five-day Academic Reading and Writing Workshop was held on September 26. The workshop was organized by the Department of Sociology, Nagaland University, in collaboration with the Indian Sociological Society. The session was chaired by Prof Athungo Ovung, Department of Sociology, Nagaland University. In his opening remarks, he welcomed the resource person, faculty members, and participants, and shared his thoughts on the importance of academic engagements in strengthening research, writing, and reading skills.
A key highlight of the workshop was the presence of Prof Satish Deshpande, Former Head & Professor, Department of Sociology, Delhi School of Economics, who served as a resource person. He conducted insightful sessions on academic writing and reading practices. His lectures were deeply appreciated for their clarity, depth, and practical relevance, especially in guiding young scholars on how to approach sociological texts and writing with academic rigor.
The valedictory session began with Reflections on the Workshop by the participants. They shared personal experiences, learnings, and key takeaways. Many expressed that the sessions helped them gain confidence in structuring academic papers and in understanding the nuances of scholarly communication and promised to be an ‘agential reader’ in future. This was followed by an Overview of the Workshop presented by Dr. Suraj Beri, the Organizing Secretary.
Dr Beri noted the objectives of the workshop: learning by doing, agential reading within text and conscious writing, and knowing the unsaid within the text. He also offered a detailed summary of the workshop’s activities, which included lectures, interactive discussions, peer review exercises, and writing tasks.
Dr Beri acknowledged the contributions of the speakers and highlighted the collaborative and intellectually stimulating environment that emerged during the workshop.
A Special Address was delivered by Prof Joginder Singh, Director, IQAC, Nagaland University. He appreciated the initiative and emphasized its importance in today’s academic environment.
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Prof Singh commended the organizers and participants for their commitment and engagement and encouraged the continuation of such scholarly programs to further enhance academic quality and research skills. He also presented briefly on how to be a good academic writer.
Vote of thanks was given by Dr Sandeep Gupta, acknowledging the resource person, funding agency Prof Vivek, organizing secretary, HoD, faculty members of the department, participants and the team of volunteers. After that resource person briefly overviewed the workshop and acknowledged the institution and associated members for the successful completion of this event.
In his concluding address, Prof Athungo Ovung acknowledged the valuable contributions of all speakers, with special mention of Prof Satish Deshpande. He praised the participants for their academic enthusiasm and reflected on the workshop’s success in fostering a reflective, rigorous, and inclusive learning space. He also recognized the dedication of the organizing team and emphasized the need for continuous academic engagement and professional development.
The valedictory session marked the successful conclusion of a vibrant and enriching five-day workshop. With expert guidance from distinguished resource persons, particularly Prof Satish Deshpande, and active participation from students and faculty alike, the workshop achieved its objective of building capacity in academic reading and writing.
The Department of Sociology, Nagaland University, along with the Indian Sociological Society, reaffirmed its commitment to nurturing academic excellence and collaborative learning.
