‘Loss for the Students’: Former Faculty, Alumni Write to DU VC Over Cancellation of DSE's Friday Colloquium

New Delhi: Former faculty and students of Delhi University’s Department of Sociology have written to DU Vice Chancellor Yogesh Singh over the cancellation of the Friday Research Colloquium held at the Delhi School of Economics (DSE).

Registering their dismay at the cancellation of the 60-year-old series, the letter said that the timing of the cancellation was “puzzling” as the list of speakers and topics for the colloquium had been in the public domain since the semester's beginning.

“It is therefore puzzling that Dr Namita Wahi’s seminar should be cancelled only two days before the event for unspecified ‘administrative reasons’.”

Wahi, who holds a doctorate degree from Harvard Law School, was meant to speak about her paper on land and property rights on October 31. 

“The seminar would have enabled students to engage directly with a distinguished scholar and discuss important concepts and processes. Denying them this valuable opportunity for training in research is a loss not only to the department, but to the university as a whole,” the statement said.

Urging the vice chancellor to uphold the "highest standards of teaching and research" at the varsity, the statement highlighted that having to seek permission for such weekly events is "impractical".

The statement and list of signatories in full is produced below.

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Dear Professor Singh,

As former faculty and students of the Department of Sociology, Delhi University, and as its well-wishers, we are writing to register our dismay and disquiet at the cancellation of the 31st October 2025 Friday Research Colloquium. 

The list of speakers and topics of the Research Colloquium was in the public domain from the beginning of the semester. It is therefore puzzling that Dr Namita Wahi’s seminar should be cancelled only two days before the event for unspecified “administrative reasons.”

Dr Wahi holds a doctorate from Harvard Law School and her paper on ‘Land, Property, and Democratic Rights’ addresses key issues in the economic and political sociology of India. The seminar would have enabled students to engage directly with a distinguished scholar and discuss important concepts and processes. Denying them this valuable opportunity for training in research is a loss not only to the department, but to the university as a whole.

Delhi University has a stellar reputation for teaching and research of which we are all justifiably proud. That reputation has been achieved by nurturing institutions like the Friday Research Colloquium which has been held without fail for more than 60 years. The wide-ranging topics, speakers, and  discussions at the Colloquium have exposed students to the best of their discipline in India and the world. They have helped students develop the skills and the confidence to produce and defend original and significant research.

As a computer scientist, you will appreciate that a sociologist cannot decide the speaker series for the Computer Science department. Similarly, the choice of speakers and topics for the Sociology department must rest with its faculty. Only then can specialised, high-quality research flourish.

As Vice-Chancellor, we look to you to uphold the highest standards of teaching and research for our university. This is best done by enabling the Research Colloquium in its engagement with the full range of academic work. Having to seek permission for weekly events, for this department and for others, is impractical and adds to your administrative load. The faculty of the Sociology department have always acted responsibly in the conduct of their duties and you must trust in your colleagues’ good sense and judgement. We urge you to consider these important points and support the Sociology department in continuing its excellent work.

Yours sincerely,

1.   Amita Baviskar, Professor of Sociology-Anthropology and Environmental Studies, Ashoka University. MA (1988), Reader (1994-2003), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
2.   Rita Brara, former Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
3. Veena Das, FBA, Professor Emerita, Johns Hopkins University. MA (1966), PhD (1970), Lecturer, Reader, Professor (1967-2000), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
4.   Anand Chakravarti, former Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
5.   Virginius Xaxa, former Associate Professor and Professor (1990-2011), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
6.   Deepak Mehta, Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ashoka University. Former Associate Professor (2000-2015). Lecturer (1995-2007), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
7.   Rajni Palriwala, former Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi. MPhil, PhD, then on faculty (1978-2020)
8.   Radhika Chopra, former Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
9.   Roma Chatterji, PhD (1987), former Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
10. Patricia Uberoi, PhD (1980), UGC Research Associate (1980-85), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
11. Dia Da Costa, Professor of Social Justice and International Studies in Education, University of Alberta. Former student (1996-1997) 
12. Sarasij Majumder, Associate Professor of Anthropology and Director of India Studies, University of Houston. Former student, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
13. Malavika Karlekar, Editor, Indian Journal of Gender Studies, Centre for Women’s Development Studies, PhD (1975), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
14. Pratiksha Baxi, Professor, Centre for the Study of Law & Governance, Jawaharlal Nehru University. PhD (2005), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
15. Sanjay Srivastava, Distinguished Research Professor, Department of Anthropology and Sociology, SOAS, University of London
16. Nayanika Mathur, Professor of Anthropology and South Asian Studies, University of Oxford. MA (2002), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
17. Mukulika Banerjee, current Professor, London School of Economics and Political Science. MA (1988), MPhil (1989), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
18. Ruchi Chaturvedi, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology, University of Cape Town. MA (1997), MPhil (1998), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
19. Tapoja Chaudhuri, Assistant Teaching Professor, Seattle University. MA (2001), MPhil (2002), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
20. Subhashim Goswami, Associate Professor and Head, Dept of Sociology, Shiv Nadar University. MA (2002), MPhil (2004), PhD (2016), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
21. Tanya Matthan, Assistant Professor, Geography and Environment, London School of Economics. MA (2010), MPhil (2013), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
22. Ravinder Kaur, Professor, IIT Delhi. MA (1979), MPhil (1980), PhD (1985), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
23. Tiplut Nongbri, Professor (Retired), Centre for the Study of Social Systems, Jawaharlal Nehru University. MA (1974),  PhD (1981), Research Associate (1984-1986), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
24. Savyasaachi, Retired Professor. MA and PhD, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
25. Debarati Sen, Associate Professor of Anthropology, University of Houston. MA (2000), MPhil (2002), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
26.   Shubhra Gururani, Professor of Anthropology, York University, Canada. MPhil (1990), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
27. Preeti Sampat, Associate Professor, Krea University. Former Research Associate in Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
28. Swatahsiddha Sarkar, Professor, Centre for Himalayan Studies, University of North Bengal, Darjeeling. PhD (2011), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
29. Minati Dash, Associate Professor, Jindal Global University. PhD (2017), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
30. Sarover Zaidi, Associate Professor of Practice. MA (2003), MPhil (2011), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
31. Sarah Haq, Assistant Professor, BML Munjal University. MPhil (2014), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
32. Arunima Nair, lawyer, MA (2016), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
33. Chandan Kumar Sharma, MA (1992), MPhil (1994) and PhD (2006), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
34. Sanjay Barbora, MA (1996), MPhil (1998), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
35. Khushboo Jain, Research Scholar, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg, Germany. Former student (2006-2009, 2012-2019), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
36. S. M. Faizan Ahmed, Sociologist, Independent Researcher. MA (2001), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
37. Rajat Kumar Sonkar, PhD Scholar, Department of Sociology, Delhi University. MA (2018), PhD (Ongoing) 
38. Charu Singh, Consultant, Ministry of Panchayati Raj, Government of India. MA (2002), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
39. Lavanya Murali, MA (2001), MPhil (2003), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
40. Seema Mahi, Independent Researcher. PhD (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
41. Shreya Mukherjee, MA (2025) Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
42. Usman Jawed, Independent Researcher. MPhil (2015), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
43. Sunit Singh, MA (2025), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
44. Shambhavi Gupta, Sociology Teacher. MA (2020), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
45. Mandvi, Ph.D. Scholar, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi, MA (2023), PhD (Ongoing)
46. A. R. Vasavi, Professor, Independent Scholar. MA (1982), MPhil (1985), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
47. Sujata Patel, former Professor, University of Hyderabad
48. Carol Upadhya, Honorary Visiting Professor, National Institute of Advanced Studies, Bengaluru
49. Nivedita Menon, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
50. Aditya Nigam, Independent Researcher
51. Ravindran Sriramachandran, Associate Professor, Department of Sociology and Anthropology, Ashoka University
52. Ravi Sundaram, Professor, Centre for the Study of Developing Societies, Delhi
53. Apoorvanand, Professor, Delhi University
54. Christophe Jaffrelot, Professor, King's College London
55. Bhrigupati Singh, Senior Lecturer, Department of Anthropology and Sociology
    SOAS (London). Delhi University student (1997-2000)
56. Ranjani Mazumdar, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
57. Maitrayee Chaudhuri, Retired Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
58. Suvrat Raju, Professor, International Centre for Theoretical Sciences, Bengaluru
59. Mohan Rao, Professor, formerly at the Centre of Social Medicine and Community Health, Jawaharlal Nehru University
60.   R. Mahalakshmi, Professor, Centre for Historical Studies, Jawaharlal Nehru University
61. Bikram Phookun, Professor of Physics, Ashoka University
62. Ayesha Kidwai, Professor, Jawaharlal Nehru University
63. Prajval Shastri, Professor, physicist, Bengaluru
64. Devika Mittal, Assistant Professor, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi. MPhil (2015), PhD (2020), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
65. Hardik Dua, Public Health Researcher. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
66. Nikhit Agrawal, Doctoral Candidate, Department of Anthropology, University of California, Los Angeles. MA (2018), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
67. Sanya Awana, MA (2022), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
68. Ananya Redkar, Researcher, Centre for Knowledge and Development. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
69. Antara Rao Yadavalli, Research Associate. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
70. Varun Patil, Post-doctoral Fellow, Max Weber Kolleg, Germany. MA (2013) MPhil (2016), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
71. Mohona Chaudhuri, MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
72. Rosamma Thomas, Freelance journalist. MA (1999), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
73. Jyoti, Assistant Professor, O. P Jindal Global University. PhD (2018), MPhil (2010), MA (2007), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
74. Proteeti Banerjee, Editor. MPhil (2000), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
75. Meheli Roy Choudhury, Research Associate. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
76. Shreetoma Biswas, Doctoral researcher, University of Oxford. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
77. Soibam Haripriya, Assistant Professor, IIIT, Delhi. MPhil (2009), PhD (2016), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
78. Sanjib Basu, Group facilitator and counsellor. MA (1979), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
79. Rokhsar Vakharia, Entrepreneur and Sociologist. PhD (2015), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
80. Akshuni, MA (2020), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
81. Nandita Singh, Senior Manager – Marketing. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
82. Punam Zutshi, Independent Researcher and Artist. MA (1980), MPhil (1981), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
83. Oshin Siao Bhatt, PhD Student, Chalmers University of Technology, Sweden. MA (2016), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
84. Geeta Jayaram Sodhi, Associate Professor (Retired), Sri Venkateswara College. PhD (1995), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
85. Siddhartha Kumar, MA (2003) MPhil (2004), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
86. Deen Dayal Sharma, Visiting Faculty, SRM University Delhi-NCR. MPhil (1981), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
87. Sharique Mashhadi, Director-Strategic Partnerships, Dream a Dream. MA (1999), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
88. Aparna Singh, Former Assistant Professor, Department of Management, School of Open Learning, University of Delhi
89. Nandini Rao, Assistant Professor of Sociology. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
90. P K Vijayan, Associate Professor, Hindu College, Delhi University
91. Charu Singh, Assistant Professor, Ahmedabad University
92. Naveen Gaur, Associate Professor, Dyal Singh College, University of Delhi
93.   Arpan Sarkar, Student (2024-26), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
94. Abha Dev Habib, Associate Professor, Miranda House, University of Delhi
95. Mohit Srivastava, Researcher. MPhil (2020), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
96. Lotika Singha, Editor-Writer
97. PM Antony, Director Bagaicha Social Centre, Ranchi
98. Ananya Vajpeyi, Professor, CSDS, Delhi
99. Anthony Dias, Research Affiliate, Maharashtra Prabodhan Sewa Mandal
100. Rajeev Singha, Retired but Engaged
101. Puja, PhD scholar, University of Bristol
102. Sargam Sharma, Graduate Student, Brandeis University. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
103. Frazer Mascarenhas, Former Principal & Associate Professor (1988-2015), St. Xavier's College
104. Gauri Jain, MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
105. Shweta Rani, Assistant Professor, Azim Premji University. MPhil and PhD (2015-2023), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
106. Utkarsh Kumar, Assistant Professor (2021-22), Miranda House, University of Delhi. PhD (2019), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
107. Leki Thungon, MPhil (2015), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
108. Sirisha Indukuri, MA (2002), MPhil (2005), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
109. Susmita Ram, Associate Professor, Jesus and Mary College, University of Delhi
110. Lairikyengbam Roziya Devi, MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
111. Jaddu Venkata Satya Sai, Student, Woxsen University
112. Anagha Ratheesh, MA student (2024-2026), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
113. Sunil Babu, Assistant Professor (from 2015), Delhi University
114. Thomas Mathew, MPhil (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
115. Sangeeta Luthra Sharma, Associate Professor, Delhi University
116. Anima Tripathi, Student, MA (2024-26), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
117.   Subhadeepta Ray, Assistant Professor, Tezpur University. PhD (2016), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
118. Rajat Kumar, PhD Research Scholar, Department of Sociology, Delhi University
119. Devika Bordia, Shiv Nadar University
120. Sakhi, Research Scholar, Jawaharlal Nehru University. MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
121. Ateen Das, Independent Researcher. M.A. (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
122. Saniya Rizwan, Researcher. MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
123. Anwesha Panigrahi, MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
124. Anargha Chakravorty, PhD student in Sociology, School of Humanities and Social Science. Shiv Nadar University. MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
125. Mukta Mitra, MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
126. Shruti Chakraborty, Associate, NGO. MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
127. Praveshika, MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
128. Aryaman S, PhD Student, Indiana University. M.A (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
129. Preet Surana, Educator. MA (2021), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
130. Nancy, Research Associate, People’s Lab, IIT Delhi. MA (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
131. Rohan D'Souza, Professor, Graduate School of Asian and African Area Studies, Kyoto University
132. Trishita, PhD Student, University of Virginia. MA (2020), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
133. Rohini Tyagi, Research Scholar, Department of Sociology, University of Delhi, PhD (Ongoing)
134. Tathagato Ganguly, Independent Researcher, PhD (2024), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
135. 
     Ranjita, MA (2024) Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
136. 
     Ngangbam Malesh Kumar, Research Scholar, Dhanamanjuri University. MA (2022), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi 
137. Ningthoujam Radharani Devi, PhD Scholar, Assam University. MA (2023), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi
138. Ranu Jain, Photographer-Writer. MA (1996), MPhil (1998), Department of Sociology, University of Delhi

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