A wait so long…

“After spending 5 years of college in Delhi, I returned to my hometown, Agra. I hadn’t been home since high school due to LSAT coaching starting immediately in Delhi after my exams. Returning home after 5 years felt like the best decision.

6 months later, my mother passed away. Though devastated, I was grateful for the time we spent together in her final days. I had just started a PhD program and had to take a break, uncertain if I would continue. However, I knew my mother would have wanted me to complete my degree, so I persevered. My father was a huge support during those difficult times.

My research focused on the exile narratives of Kashmiri Pandits with special reference to Edward Said’s theory of Exile. As a Kashmiri Pandit, this topic was deeply personal. I even got married and conceived while doing my PhD, but these personal milestones didn’t hinder my work since I had completed most of it during the pandemic and was writing my thesis.

The real delay came during the lockdown, when I couldn’t go to the college where I did most of my thesis writing and my supervisor was unreachable. Life stood still. As colleges reopened in late 2021, I had to visit the campus to revise my thesis. The long walks to the department, faculty and admin offices for various PhD related work in the scorching summer heat while pregnant took a heavy toll. I often thought of giving up but persisted due to my husband’s constant support. Eventually, I defended my thesis after my son was born. Academics has since then become my passion and I absolutely love teaching now.

In hindsight, I believe I could have completed my PhD much sooner despite personal commitments if I had more support from my supervisor. Our education system needs a reasonable timeframe for completing a PhD, and it shouldn’t be dragged on unnecessarily for over 5–6 years and beyond.”

-Vijaya Dar, PhD in English Literature, Dayalbagh Educational Institute, Agra

Interviewed and written by Payel Das