James Reaney Canadian  Centre

Room No.24, School of Languages Building,

Gujarat University, Navrangpura, Ahmedabad – 380009

Phone No. (079) 2630 3237 Fax No. (079) 2630 3237

E-Mail      :   reaneycanadiancentre@yahoo.com

Director    :              Dr. Ranjana Harish, Prof. and Head, Department of English,

Representative of Gujarat University to “Canadian Member Council” (Delhi/Ottawa).

Introduction

The Centre houses the personal book collection of the famous Canadian Dramatist James Reaney, which was donated to the Department by him in 1992.  The collection was brought to India with the help of Canadian High Commission for which the University is indebted to them.

Institutions are dreams turned into action. James Reaney Canadian Centre, situated in Room No.24 of Uni. School of Languages, and headed by the Founder-Director Dr. Ranjana Harish, is one such dream of a Nobel Nominee of Canada, James Reaney. He donated his personal library to English Department of Gujarat Uni. in 1992.

Reaney's contribution to Canadian Drama, Canadian Theatre, Poetry and Canadian literary theory is remarkable. James Reaney was formerly a professor of English at the University of Western Ontario , London , Ontario , Canada . One of the outstanding students of the renowned professor/critic Northrop Frye, Reaney became a living legend during his life time. He passed away on June 11, 2008 leaving behind his poet wife Colleen, journalist son James Stewar Reaney, his wife Susan and the family.

In 1995, when he visited India to deliver the Key Note address at the International Canadian Study Conference (IACS) held at Trivandrum , he visited Ahmedabad also.  He wanted to visit Gandhi’s place.  But above all, he was also spurred by his wish to see his personal library in an unknown remote city called Ahmedabad.  He visited Ahmedabad for a day.  It was January 14, 1995, the Kite Flying Day, which he enjoyed thoroughly.  He also visited Sabarmati Ashram, Gujarat Vidyapith and other places. Unluckily it was a Sunday so the University Department was not expected to be open.  Reaney could not see his collection during that visit obviously.  Indeed, he was assured that his collection was in safe hands. 

In 2002 his collection was moved into the above room, and the Canadian Centre of the University was established. To make the memory of his generosity lasting, the Centre was named after him as Reaney Canadian Centre. The centre was ceremoniously inaugurated in the presence of 150 academics in the Assembly Hall of B.K. School of Management , Gujarat University by Shri Chaitanya Khambholja who was the Pro-Vice Chancellor then. We thank Shri Khambholja and Shri Naresh Ved, then Vice Chancellor, for being so supportive. To mark this event a one day seminar was also held on the same day. 

The message that we received from James Reaney on the opening of the Centre was filled with emotions.  He wrote that he was really happy to learn that now, finally, his collection would be made available to scholars and researchers in India .  Somewhere in the world was a Centre named after him. 

            Between 1992 and 2002, Canadian Studies went on at the Department in an informal manner.   Some remarkable  moments  that come  to  mind while thinking of the decade are the visits of scholars like  Professor P.G. Patel ( Ottawa University, Canada), Professor  Dragland (Western Ontario University, Canada), Professor  Dennis Duffy (Toronto University, Canada), H.E. the Deputy Canadian High Commissioner Mr. and Mrs. Waterfall, Professor John Wood (Vice-President SICI), Professor Om Kamra (Vice-President SICI), Mulk Raj Anand, Prof. C. D. Narsimhaiah, Mrs.Shashi Deshpande (Bangalore),  Dr.Indira Goswami (Jnanpith Awardee, Delhi), Professor Jacob Tharu (CIEFL, Hyderabad), Prof. P. A. Abraham (University of Saana).  Ms.Tara Mawhinney of McGill University is at present with us cataloguing and putting our library collection on web. We are happy to have her as a Shastri Intern specially sent to us by the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Canada.  Next month, the Centre is expecting a lecture being delivered by Professor Tony Tremblay, who is a Visiting Professor sent to the Centre again by the Canadian Foreign Ministry through Shastri Indo-Canadian Institute.  He will be lecturing on  February 6, 2006 . We are grateful to SICI for all the help that they have extended since 2003. A special thanks to Ms. Sharmishtha Roy, Director, SICI, Delhi .

            Prof. Juneja, former Director of M.S. University’s Canadian Centre has been a friend of long standing. He is one of the founding Canadianists in India and has been acknowledged widely in India and Canada for his contribution. The Centre is thankful to him and is happy to felicitate him most sincerely.

As their tribute to beloved poet-dramatist, Reaney Canadian Centre organized “Reaney Memorial National Seminar” on Contemporary World Drama in Feb 2009. The centre has also organized an International Conference during Dec. 6 and 8, 2009, on Environmental Issues-Canada-India, jointly with Chemistry Dept of Gujarat University. The Conference was financially supported by Foreign Affairs Ministry of Canada through SICI.

Event Organized

Coming to the events organized by the James Reaney Canadian Study Centre till date, here is the list :