Vijay Tendulkar’s Ghashiram Kotwal is more than just a historical play—it’s a sharp critique of corruption, lust for power, and the cyclical nature of exploitation. Set during the Peshwa rule in Pune, this iconic Marathi drama combines history with folk theatre elements like Tamasha, music, and dance to question morality and politics.
To make this fascinating text come alive, I’ve prepared a detailed video lecture that dives deep into:
✔ The historical and cultural context of the play
✔ Themes of power, gender, and morality
✔ Key characters like Ghashiram, Nana Phadnavis, and the Sutradhaar
The lecture simplifies complex ideas and connects them with contemporary issues—because Tendulkar’s message is still relevant today!
Here is the video:
ðĄ After watching the lecture, test your understanding with a 15-mark MCQ quiz designed to help you revise important aspects of the play.
This blog reflects my learning outcomes and personal insights from the recently completed Ph.D. Coursework organized by Prof. (Dr.) Dilip Barad, Department of English, Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University, held from 1st to 8th June 2025. The coursework was designed for newly enrolled research scholars in English and marked the formal beginning of our research journey. Though preliminary online sessions had already been conducted earlier by Dilip Barad sir to introduce us to the structure and expectations of the program, this intensive one-week course served as an enriching and rigorous academic initiation.
This year, the Ph.D. batch consists of only three scholars, all working under the esteemed guidance of Barad sir. The small group size proved to be a boon, allowing for personalized attention, in-depth discussion, and a more interactive, dialogue-based learning environment. It created a space where we could freely discuss our individual research interests, raise doubts, and critically engage with both foundational concepts and practical challenges of research.
Key Components and Learning Highlights:
The coursework was thoughtfully designed to cover the core aspects of academic research, from reading and reviewing literature to writing a research thesis. The sessions combined asynchronous learning (through assigned video lectures and online quizzes) and synchronous classroom engagement, ensuring a blended learning approach that catered to different modes of understanding.
We were assigned a series of video lectures covering fundamental research topics such as:
The mind and temperament of a research scholar
The art of literary research (based on Richard D. Altick’s work)
Understanding research hypotheses and framing research questions
Basics of qualitative and quantitative research
Following each video, we had to reflect on our learning through blog writing, which encouraged critical thinking and articulation of ideas in academic prose. These were accompanied by online quizzes to reinforce conceptual understanding.
In-Class Learning and Practical Insights
During the classroom sessions, Prof. Barad not only elaborated on the concepts introduced in the videos but also provided practical strategies and tips. Some of the major themes discussed included:
Tools and strategies for literature review
How to organize reading and writing in research
The difference between good and poor academic writing
How to make compelling arguments
Using digital tools like Google Scholar, ResearchGate, and OpenAlex
Accessing and evaluating scholarly databases and journals
Exercises for developing academic discipline and inquiry
What stood out the most was the emphasis on the researcher’s mindset. We learned that research is not just about collecting data or summarizing books—it’s about developing a habit of questioning, interpreting, and contributing new perspectives. Prof. Barad encouraged us to embrace skepticism, uncertainty, and doubt as necessary components of the research process. As beginners, we were reassured that confusion is the starting point of clarity.
For me, this coursework was much more than a formal academic requirement—it was a transformative experience. It helped me:
Gain confidence in navigating the landscape of academic research
Understand the ethical and intellectual responsibilities of a scholar
Cultivate a habit of reflective writing
Begin to see my research area in clearer and more focused terms
The small batch size fostered a deeply engaging learning atmosphere. Every query—no matter how basic—was welcomed and addressed. Discussions were often spontaneous and shaped by our individual curiosities, making the sessions dynamic and intellectually stimulating.
Here is the list of blogs written as part of the Ph.D. Coursework:
The Ph.D. Coursework has laid a strong foundation for my research journey. It has equipped me not only with knowledge but also with the tools and mindset needed to undertake meaningful academic inquiry. I am grateful to Prof. Dilip Barad sir for his constant support, detailed guidance, and visionary teaching approach. As I move forward with my research, I carry with me the learnings, reflections, and inspiration gained during this vital academic initiation.
Today, I had the opportunity to attend an insightful webinar titled “Learn How to Access Taylor & Francis Journals Subscribed Under One Nation One Subscription,” conducted by Ms. Radhika Sharma and organized by Taylor & Francis. This free webinar was open to all and specifically designed to benefit researchers, faculty members, and students across Indian academic institutions.
The session proved to be highly informative, particularly for those engaged in academic research and scholarship. Ms. Sharma provided a comprehensive demonstration of the Taylor & Francis Online platform, covering key aspects such as account registration, search techniques, advanced filtering, and accessing full-text articles. The webinar focused on how to effectively utilize the extensive collection of peer-reviewed journals made available under the One Nation One Subscription (ONOS) initiative launched by the Government of India.
The session was structured to be both informative and practical. It offered a comprehensive walkthrough of the Taylor & Francis Online platform, guiding attendees through registration, article searches, the use of advanced filters, and accessing full-text research articles via institutional access provided under ONOS.
A significant highlight of the webinar was the hands-on practice session, where participants were encouraged to engage directly with the platform. This real-time demonstration helped bridge theoretical understanding with practical application, making the platform accessible and familiar, especially for new users.
Key Features and Learnings
1. Free Access Through ONOS
Indian users affiliated with ONOS-registered institutions can access millions of peer-reviewed research articles at no cost.
Access is provided via institutional Wi-Fi, LAN, or specific IP ranges, without needing personal subscriptions.
2. Account Registration and Login
Guidance was provided for creating a personal account on the platform.
Although institutional access works without login, having a personal account enables bookmarking, saving searches, setting alerts, and personalized reading lists.
3. Multiple Search Options
Users can search for content using:
Title
Author
Keywords
DOI
Journal Name
Advanced Search Filters allow refinement by:
Subject area
Date of publication
Access type (Open Access or Subscription)
Article type (Research, Review, etc.)
4. Broad Disciplinary Coverage
The platform provides access to journals across:
Humanities and Social Sciences
Science, Technology, and Medicine (STM)
Health and Allied Sciences
Journals are published under renowned imprints like:
Taylor & Francis
Routledge
Dove Medical Press
5. Accessibility and Listening Feature
A text-to-speech (audio) feature is available, allowing users to listen to articles, making the platform accessible and user-friendly for diverse learning needs.
Additional Features of the Platform
1. Personalized Dashboard
Users can:
Save and organize articles
Create reading lists
Set up content alerts based on keywords, topics, or journals
2. Citation and Reference Management
The platform supports various citation styles such as APA, MLA, Chicago, and Harvard.
Direct export options to tools like:
Zotero
EndNote
RefWorks
Mendeley
BibTeX
3. Article-Level Metrics
Articles include:
Altmetric scores
Citation counts
Download statistics
These metrics help in evaluating academic visibility and impact.
All references are hyperlinked for seamless cross-referencing.
Some articles include supplementary files like datasets, charts, or multimedia elements.
The platform is fully optimized for mobile and tablet use, enabling flexible, on-the-go research.
Hands-On Practice Session
The interactive hands-on session allowed attendees to:
Register or log in to the platform
Execute sample searches using various filters
Browse specific journals and topics
Access full-text articles through institutional login
This participatory approach helped users navigate the platform efficiently, encouraging confidence and ease in exploring scholarly content.
Personal Reflection
As a Ph.D. researcher, I have been actively using the Taylor & Francis Online platform for my academic work. This session proved particularly beneficial for deepening my understanding of the platform’s advanced features and helped me explore resources in a more organized and systematic way. It also highlighted tools that I had not used before, such as citation exports and listening features, which will support my future research.
Moreover, the session also emphasized that researchers can submit and publish their work through Taylor & Francis journals. This dual opportunity—for accessing and contributing to global scholarship—makes the platform highly valuable for emerging scholars and experienced researchers alike.
Conclusion
The webinar conducted by Ms. Radhika Sharma served as a comprehensive guide for maximizing the use of Taylor & Francis journals under the ONOS initiative. By blending technical instruction with hands-on experience, the session empowered participants with practical research tools and deeper engagement with quality academic resources. For any researcher seeking to strengthen their research practice, sessions like these are an essential step toward informed and efficient scholarly exploration.
This blog, I hope, serves as a useful starting point for accessing quality scholarly resources available through Taylor & Francis.
In this blog, I reflect on my learning from the insightful video by Dr. Kalyani Vallath, which focuses on practical strategies for organizing one's reading and writing in the context of academic research.
What is Research?
Research is a systematic and organized process of investigating a specific topic or problem to gain new knowledge, verify existing facts, or find solutions to questions. It involves asking questions, gathering data or information, analyzing it critically, and drawing logical conclusions. Research is engaging deeply with existing literature on a given topic. It requires reading, analyzing, synthesizing, and arranging various ideas, much like assembling the pieces of a jigsaw puzzle to derive new meaning or insights.
As T.S. Eliot famously noted, the concept of tradition suggests that research, including literary criticism, is not an isolated, individual pursuit. Instead, it is a collective intellectual effort rooted in historical continuity and intertextuality. Eliot emphasized the importance of recognizing the "present moment of the past" and understanding literature as a living, evolving dialogue.
Research is the critical interpretation of prior scholarship through the lens of one’s own inquiry. It is about positioning oneself within the broader scholarly tradition and contributing thoughtfully to it. A researcher draws upon the ideas of others, acknowledging them properly through citation, and organizes their findings coherently. This structured approach not only validates the researcher’s work but also makes it valuable for future scholars. In this sense, being part of a scholarly tradition, as Eliot highlighted, means contributing to a continuum of thought, not working in isolation.
Preliminary Reading of Existing Literature
The initial stage of any research involves an in-depth reading of existing literature. This foundational step is essential for formulating a meaningful and relevant research question. Engaging with prior scholarship offers a broad understanding of the existing knowledge in a particular area and helps identify what has already been studied and what remains unexplored. This process enables the researcher to pinpoint a research gap—an area that has not yet been sufficiently addressed—and to determine how this gap can be investigated further. Such reading not only informs the direction of the study but also provides a solid framework upon which the research can be built. This critical engagement with existing work is formally known as the literature review, and it plays a vital role in shaping the research before any actual writing begins.
Understanding a Research Area
Identifying and narrowing down a research area is a foundational step in any academic inquiry. For instance, the theme "Depiction of Bandits in Eastern Literature" can serve as a broad research area. Within this, a more specific scope—such as Chinese literature—can be selected to examine how bandits are represented across different historical and cultural contexts.
Subsections and Thematic Focus
The broader research area should be divided into subsections based on relevant categories such as geography (e.g., Chinese, Japanese, Indian literature), time period (classical, modern, postcolonial), or thematic concerns (banditry and law, rebellion, morality, or folklore). Extensive reading of comparative literatures will offer insights into varied portrayals and interpretations of bandit figures. This comparative approach helps in recognizing different narrative strategies, ideological positions, and cultural values associated with the figure of the bandit.
Critical Reading Practices
While engaging with academic texts, it is essential to move beyond summary and engage in critical questioning. Key considerations may include:
What is the core argument of the study?
Which critics are cited, and in what context?
How is this work relevant to the selected research area?
What methodology has been used, and can it be adapted?
Are there specific terms or frameworks that can help narrow or expand the scope of investigation?
Such questions help identify the scholarly position of a text and assist in developing one’s own analytical lens. Reviewing citations and bibliographies also reveals influential works and commonly referenced scholars in the field.
Material Collection and Organization
The success of any research project depends significantly on sourcing appropriate and relevant materials. Bibliographies of existing studies are valuable in locating primary and secondary sources. Platforms like Google Scholar are useful for accessing peer-reviewed articles. Once collected, materials should be organized according to themes, methodologies, theoretical frameworks, or relevance to chapters. Moreover, now we are using ONOS, Taylor and Francis, Springer, and JSTOR for finding quality material.
Gaps in the existing research can be identified through such organization, allowing the researcher to position the study meaningfully within the larger academic discourse.
Tools for Efficient Research
Several digital tools and techniques can aid the research process:
Use table of contents or indexes to locate relevant sections in texts.
Utilize "Find in Page" functions for keyword-based searching.
Apply bookmarks to highlight important sections for later reference.
Add comments or annotations for personal observations or cross-references.
Hyperlink online resources for quick access to primary or related materials.
Applications like Google Docs and MS Word are effective for organizing notes, structuring arguments, and maintaining a clean record of the research process.
Structuring the Research
A clear methodological and structural approach strengthens the research. This includes:
Maintaining separate files for different subsections.
Using numbered outlines or codes for easy reference.
Organizing the literature review thematically or chronologically.
Planning chapters around key arguments: typically including an Introduction, Literature Review, Analysis/Key Arguments, and Conclusion.
My research:
As an example, in the domain of Digital Humanities, I have chosen a focused topic: Digital Cartography, and within that, I am studying the novels of Amitav Ghosh. To build the foundation of my research, I am reading extensively on cartographic representations in literature and exploring various digital literary mapping projects. This reading helps me understand how other researchers have mapped literary texts—what aspects they focus on, what methods they use, and how spatial data is interpreted. It also gives me clarity on how I can shape my own methodology.
While going through such works, I came across The Atlas of European Novels and other digital mapping initiatives, which serve as useful models. These readings introduce me to foundational texts and key scholars in the field of literary cartography. The bibliographies in these works are especially helpful, as they lead me to critical debates and the most cited arguments in the area.
In my own study, the maps will revolve around themes such as migration and ecological displacement, which are strongly evident in novels like The Hungry Tide and Gun Island. The critical questions I raise while reading—both about and against the arguments—are gradually shaping the core arguments of my chapters. This kind of reading not only guides my research path but also deepens my understanding of how to connect theory with the narrative worlds created by Ghosh.
Best Practices in Research Management
Maintain separate and well-labeled files for each subsection.
Assign codes or numbers for efficient cross-referencing.
Frame analytical questions as potential chapter arguments.
Note both supportive and opposing views during reading.
Document the historical development of the research area.
Keep track of all bibliographic details for accurate citation.
Writing should be a continuous process alongside reading. Consistent engagement with primary and secondary texts, coupled with organized note-taking and critical thinking, builds a strong foundation for original academic research.
References:
DoE-MKBU. Practical Ways to Organise Research Reading and Writing: Kalyani Vallath. YouTube, https://youtu.be/QVRLr_8uH0E?si=8O-_UTr0a3tC6ALC.
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