Text Meets Tech: A Beginner's Guide to DH

The Department of English and Cultural Studies organized an event titled “Text Meets Tech: A Beginner’s Guide to Digital Humanities” for undergraduate students from the BA English programme of Haribhai V. Desai College, Pune on 13th March 2026. The program aimed to introduce participants to the interdisciplinary field of Digital Humanities (DH) and highlight its growing relevance in contemporary academic and professional spaces, particularly in emerging interdisciplinary research and evolving digital career pathways. Faculty members and students shared insights into the integration of technology with humanities research and practice.

The event began with a warm welcome and brief interaction with the attendees. The programme commenced formally with a moment of silent prayer, followed by the traditional lamp-lighting ceremony to mark the inauguration. A promotional video showcasing student life at Christ (Deemed to be University) was screened to give participants an overview of the institution. This was followed by the Director, Dr. Fr. Lijo Thomas, addressing the gathering. He spoke about the importance of identity, inclusion, and collaboration within academic communities, especially in diverse and interdisciplinary learning spaces.

The Head of the Department, Dr. Richa Srishti, spoke about the rapidly evolving technological world and raised the question about what it means to be human in an increasingly tech-driven world. She emphasized that humanities and technology should not be viewed as opposites, and that humanities can help shape technology in meaningful ways.

Following the introductory addresses, an overview of the day’s sessions was provided and a group photograph was taken. The next session focused on Digital Humanities and was led by Mr. John Steward and Dr. Rimi Nandy. Mr. Steward’s presentation, titled “Text to Tech,” explored how humanities can engage with technology and discussed the role of individuals as creators or curators in the digital age. Dr. Nandy expanded the discussion by introducing areas within Digital Humanities such as digitization, spatial humanities, medical humanities, new media studies, and game studies.

The students were then given a campus tour through the Central Block and the Management Block to present them the academic infrastructure, learning spaces, and facilities on campus. After lunch break, the afternoon sessions resumed. Mark Paul and Sharankumar conducted a session on game narratives and remediation, explaining how storytelling functions in different mediums, with a special reference to interactive digital environments. This was followed by a session by Stephanie Anthony and Rushda Siddiqui on career opportunities with a Master’s degree in English and Digital Humanities, highlighting possibilities in academia, research, publishing, and digital media.

The later sessions focused on practical engagement with DH tools. Pillai Krishna Jaykumar and Taarina Therese Chandiramani introduced StoryMapping, demonstrating how narratives can be represented spatially. Sreetirth and Archisnata Chakraborty conducted an archetype-based quiz, while Swetha and Liya Maria Tony presented examples of student projects and digital assignments created within the program. The event concluded with a reflection session led by Stephanie Anthony, followed by an address by the Academic Coordinator, Fr. Justin Varghese , who emphasised that both language and technology are forms of power. The programme ended with a vote of thanks delivered by the Programme Coordinator, Mr. Aaron George followed by the Christ Anthem