The fruit of perseverance

“After 21 rejections and nearly 2 years of perseverance, I finally secured a PhD position. I still remember the day Calcutta University released its list of selected candidates. Among the handful chosen, I saw my name. When I shared the news with my mother, we both cried, as my parents understood the significance of this achievement more deeply than I did.

My love for reading began in childhood, inspired by my maternal uncle, a voracious reader. At 8 or 9, on a rainy day, I read Satyajit Ray’s Feluda for the first time and was so captivated that I devoured every Feluda story within 2 months.

Despite my passion for literature, I pursued Science in school due to societal expectations tied to my good grades. However, I struggled with it and didn’t score well in Standard XII, except in English, where I excelled. This prompted me to follow my true calling in literature.

My PhD focuses on the translatability of riddles in Bengali films, a fascination that began during my undergraduate studies. With my friend, I translated Shakespeare’s Macbeth during my Bachelor’s and delved deeper into translation studies for my MPhil, which inspired my current research topic.

Moving to Delhi for my MPhil was a cultural shock. The city’s stark objectivity contrasted sharply with Bengal’s nostalgic subjectivity. However, during my brief 6-month stay, cut short by the pandemic, I learned invaluable lessons in academic writing and handling rejections. Delhi’s academic environment was enriching, and I believe I might have grown to appreciate its culture with more time.

Although a PhD was a natural progression after my MPhil, it was also a necessity for securing permanent teaching positions in premier institutes. Ideally, I would have pursued it later, once I had a permanent job and more experience as a scholar. Nevertheless, I am content. After many struggles, I am finally pursuing my PhD on a topic I love, while continuing my work as an Assistant Professor.”

-Aritra Basu, PhD in Comparative Indian Language and Literature, University of Calcutta

Interviewed and written by Payel Das