Kajal: A female face in the male teacher’s room

This is the story of a woman who entered the world of scholarship with a great determination and dedication. Her name is not easily found in the history of post-independence Bengal. Also, the events in her life are not fully traceable, at least to me. But she left behind her work a remarkable achievement which researchers of women’s studies may still find interesting. She is Mrs Kajal Sengupta (1931−2006), the first female teacher in the legendary Presidency College, Kolkata where she joined the Department of English as a lecturer in 1959. The history of teaching English literature in this college goes back to 1828 when Presidency College was known as Hindu College. Since then the Department of English is bestowed with a long list of eminent teachers and students who have contributed to the development of English studies in this country. Till the mid-twentieth century, this college had only male professors although many of them were involved in women’s emancipation and liberation. Women could only enter Presidency College as students or researchers. Boys in the college naturally outnumbered girls, but the latter still had a visible presence. But Presidency stood by its great quality of education. The female students equally excelled in studies like their male counterparts. In beginning of 1950s, two of the girl students from this college became toppers in their BA and MA examinations under the university. Presidency nurtured some notable women thinkers like Ketaki Kushari Dyson, Sukumari Bhattacharji, Gayatri Chakravorty Spivak or Sipra Sarkar.

By 1950s West Bengal saw a number of women from middle-class families coming out of the periphery of their homes. Partition, influx of people, unemployment among male members were one part of the reason for their taking jobs. The other part was expansion in girls’ education. More girls joined schools and colleges for formal education and they wanted to work in different sectors which were earlier thought to be places for men. Teaching was the first preference for educated women as they thought it would provide them with social respect and security. In Kolkata, suburbs and the villages, women started working as school teachers in girls’ schools. However, their entry in the higher institutes of learning as teachers was more restricted and it took more time to open. With the formation of the History Department at Jadavpur University in 1957, Sipra Sarkar (1931−2008), daughter of the legendary professor Sushovan Sarkar, joined as a lecturer. Ms Sarkar herself was a brilliant teacher and was highly admired by her students. With the appointment of Ms Kajal Sengupta in 1959, Presidency joined that history. A woman could finally sit in the glorious teachers’ room of the college. A frail lady figure in white cotton saree and with spectacles, she quickly became Kajal-di to everyone associated with the college. The principal requested the first lady faculty member to dress conservatively so students could take her example with respect. She listened to that advice till the day of her retirement in 1996. She never wore anything other than white saree and blouse in the campus. It was of course different outside the college where she could drink alcohol and smoke as per her choice. But the college premises gifted her a sense of being ethical to the principles set by the legendary teachers of her time. It also said that she was requested to use the bathroom in the girls’ common room as initially there was no separate washroom in the college for lady teachers. Her teaching method was simple; she encouraged her students to question and contradict her once she explained a topic to them. One of her students Bhaswati Chakravorty reminisced about her, “Kajal-di inspired an enthusiasm for texts and a desire to explore them, and discouraged shortcuts to excellence.” A woman with an indomitable spirit, she always remained always loyal to her responsibilities as a teacher. Years after years her students enjoyed and admired her classes and her good sense of humour. Towards the end of her life she withdrew herself from all contacts of her students and even friends. No one could convince her to be back in a world of socialisation as that was the life she desired and maintained till the day she passed away in 2006.

Source:

1. Discussion with Professor Shanta Dutta, Department of English, Presidency University
2. Bhaswati Chakravorty, Kajal Sengupta (1931−2006): Undaunted Spirit, The Telegraph, 1st February 2006.

Professor Kajal Sengupta in her desk at Presidency College

A view of Presidency University taken from the roof of Dwarbhanga Building, Calcutta University