Good Morning ladies and gentlemen!

I welcome

Prof Sudha Pai, The Rector

His Excellency Mr. Méntor Villagómez, Ambassador of Ecuador
His Excellency Mr. Andres Barbe, Ambassador of Chile
Prof. Mohammad Islahi, The Dean of School of Languages
Mr. Carlos Varona, Director Instituto Cervantes
All Professors and Students of the Hispanic field in India

to this National Seminar on “Pedagogy of Spanish Language in the Indian

Context”

Fifty years ago, the seed of Spanish language teaching germinated in the Indian
subcontinent in the form of the rudimentary set up at the University of Delhi.
Initial courses offered were of part time nature aimed at people with
professional needs to know the language in their area of work. The systematic
establishment of Spanish language teaching took place for the first time in 1971;
Jawaharlal Nehru University initiated full time courses at undergraduate and
postgraduate levels.

The birth of the Spanish Centre took place under the sincere efforts and guidance
of Prof. Susigndha Dey, who because of his failing health was unable to attend the
function today but has always conveyed to us his good wishes and blessings. The
other unforgettable name is that of Mr. Antonio Binimelis, who was the first
native teacher of Spanish in JNU. Subsequently, it was with Prof. Shyama Prasad
Ganguly, Prof. Vasant Ganesh Gadre and other native and Indian teachers that
the Spanish Centre evolved and Spanish Language, its literature and culture
started gaining presence and eminence the academic circles related with foreign
language teaching in India.

I can conveniently and proudly say that of the present coterie of Spanish
Language teachers in the various institutions such as the University of Delhi,
Jamia Milia Islamia, Indira Gandhi National Open University, Doon University,
Hyderabad University etc, the majority have had their education from the
Spanish Centre of JNU.

On one hand, during the past 50 years of evolution of Spanish in the prominent
universities of India, literary engagements and output got maximised and
unfortunately the language component was relegated to a secondary level. This
is evident from the fact that only minimal research output is available with
respect to the Indian context of Spanish language teaching and learning, and also
that material production catering to Indian learners is virtually absent.
Nevertheless, there are faculty members who have diligently taken up these
aspects in the form of project works, like Dr. Rajiv Saxena, Vikash Singh in IGNOU
and Dr. Ravi Kumar in Wardha. Also students have shown eagerness to research
the FLT aspect and are doing their MPhil and PhD in this field.
I am glad that the Chairperson of the Centre Shri A. Chattopadhyay, willingly
gave all support in conceptualising and organising this seminar. I hope the
deliberations of the participants will be an enriching experience for us to
consider the pertinent issues related to Spanish as a foreign language in India.