The department of History believes in promoting historical understanding and knowledge among the students. The professors are not only dedicated towards their duties, but also emphasizes on adopting new and advanced skill of teaching-learning process. The department is divided in two campuses, Park Street and Raghabpur. The Park Street Campus offers History under the B.A. General department in the undergraduate level whereas the honours course in History is being offered in the Raghabpur Campus. The Raghabpur campus has been described as the rural one and since its inception in 2014 enrolling primarily the first-generation learners of nearby regions along with the Kolkata based students. The Post Graduate department started its journey on 9th August, 2023 in the Park Street Campus. The formal inauguration took place on 7th August. Both UG and PG syllabus comprise traditional learnings and new thoughts based on current research thus making the curriculum accommodative, challenging and also student-friendly. Students are encouraged to attend seminars, lectures, visit heritage sites and museums which is an essential part in their knowledge formation. 

Below the Departmental Activities are mentioned-

DEPARTMENTAL ACTIVITIES, 2018-

On 17th August 2018 Sneha Kumari Jha, a student of 3rd year participated in a seminar commemorating the end of the First World War at Women's Christian College. She presented a paper and was praised by the moderating panel. On 21st August 2018 History Club had a meeting. 4 students presented papers. Professor Debarati Ganguly gave a short lecture about her research. The Department organized a lecture on” Seventy-Fifth Anniversary of Indian National Army - Arzi-Hukumat-E-Azad Hind (The Provisional Government of Free India)" by   Professor Purabi Roy on the 27th of September at the Rohinton Kapadia Hall in Park Street Campus. 

Activities for 2019-

1. On 22^nd February, 2019 Prof. Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor, Kalyani University, gave a talk on ‘The Various Aspects of Environmental History in India’. 

2. The Department of History organized an interactive session with the students of Semester 1, 3 and 5 on 19^th July, 2019. The Speakers were Prof. Tinni Goswami, the then HOD, History and Prof. Arnab Bera, Part-Time Faculty Member, the Department of History. Prof. Goswami gave a speech on ‘A Brief Outline of Public Health in Colonial Bengal with Special Emphasis on the Health of Women (1880-1947). Prof. Bera gave his talk on ‘The History of Cyclones in Colonial Bengal’. 

3. On 27^th August, 2019, Prof. Sujata Mukherjee, Retired Professor, the Department of History, Rabindra Bharati University, delivered a lecture on ‘The Growth Medical Profession in Colonial Bengal and the Role of Women’. 

4. 23. 9.2019- Ms. Arijita Manna, PhD Research Scholar, Department of History, Jadavpur University, gave a talk on ‘Salt Smuggling in the Frontiers of the Early Company State in 18^th Century Bengal’.

Activities for 2020 -

1. On 7.1.2020-Dr.Pradip Bhattacharjee, Professor, Department of Mathematics, Rabindra Bharati University gave a lecture on ‘The History of Mathematics in Ancient India’.

2. On 13.1.2020- Dr. Srijani Bhattacharjee , Senior Research Fellow, Maulana Abul Kalam Azazd Institute of Asian Studies, delivered a lecture on ‘Beginning of British Forest Practices in India’.

3. On 28.1.2020- Professor Sayantan Ghosh, Assistant Professor, Department of Sociology, Hiralal Mazumdar Memorial College for Women, Dakhineswar, delivered a lecture on ‘Some Aspects of the Political Thought of Rabindranath Tagore’.

4. On 3.2.2020- Dr. Sabyasachi Chattopadhyay, Associate Professor, Department of History, Kalyani University, gave a talk on ‘Mapping the Multifaceted World of Environmental History’.

5. On 10.2.2020- Dr. Carmen Brandt, Assistant Professor, Department of South Asian Studies, University of Bonn, Germany, delivered a lecture on ‘Bengali Script and its Socio-Cultural and Political Omnipotence.’

6. On 15.2.2020- Dr. Amit Dey, Professor, Department of History, University of Calcutta, delivered a lecture on ‘Understanding Sufism in South Asia’.

7. On 30.7.2020- Department of History, Raghabpur Campus, in collaboration with Department of History, Rabindra Bharati University organized One Day National Level Webinar on ‘Revisiting Epidemics and Pandemics in India: A Comparative Study Emphasizing the Outrages of Covid 19’.

8. On 23.11.2020-27.11.2020- Department of History, Raghabpur Campus and Internal Quality Assurance Cell, St, Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata in collaboration with Department of Ethnology, History of Religions and Gender Studies, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden, Bhaktivedanta Research Centre, Kolkata, Kolkata Society for Asian Studies and Sri Jagannath Research Centre, St. Paul’s Cathedral Mission College , Kolkata organized a 5 Day Online International Faculty Development Program on ‘Research Methods in Social Sciences with Focus on Cultural Studies’.  

Activities for 2021-

1. The Department of History, Raghabpur Campus, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous) Kolkata, organized an online workshop on ‘Issues and Challenges of Mental Health faced by the Students in the Covid -19 Pandemic and Aftermath’ on 5th October, 2021 from 3 pm –5 .05 pm through Microsoft Teams.  The distinguished speakers for this program were –Dr. Prathama Chowdhury, an eminent psychiatrist, and Dr. Arup Kumar Mitra, Associate Professor, Department of Microbiology, and the Controller of Examinations, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata. Both the speakers talked on the importance of mental health and how to take care of the same. The Departments of Bangla, BA General and B. Com participated in this event. This program was for the final year students and they received academic credit. 

2.  The Department of History, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata, Raghabpur Campus in collaboration with the Department of Political Science, St. Xavier’s College (Autonomous), Kolkata, Raghabpur Campus, conducted a day long workshop on gender sensitization on 27^th November, 2021. The distinguished speakers for this workshop were Dr. Kaberi Chakrabarti, Associate Professor, Department of Political Science, University of Calcutta and Dr. Aparna Bandopadhyay, Associate Professor, Department of History, Diamond Harbour Womens’ University.  The Departments of History, BA General and Political Science participated in this event.  

Activities in 2022-

The students of Semester 3 and 5 actively participated in One Day State Level Workshop on “Sensitizing Youth on the Rights of the Disabled: An Endeavour towards Social Equality & Freedom for All” which was held on 20th August, 2022.

Activities in 2023-

1. A Half- Day State level seminar was organized by the Postgraduate department of History on Tides of Revolution; Revolts, Nationalism and Beyond in the colonial India on 05/04/2023 at Raghabpur Campus. The speakers were Dr. Manas Dutta, Assistant Prof., Department of History, Aliah University, Kolkata, who delivered lecture on "˜The Great Revolt of 1857 and the Idea of Total War in India and Dr. Mimasha Pandit, Assistant Prof., Department of History, Mankar College, Bardhaman, who spoke on "˜Performing Swadeshi: Practicing Everyday Nationalism in Bengal, 1905-1912.

2. A departmental lecture on History and the Historical Traditions: Mahabharata as an Itihasa Text was organized by the Postgraduate Department of History at the Park Street Campus on 15/09/23. The lecture was delivered by Dr. Kanad Sinha, Assistant Professor, Department of Ancient Indian and World History, Sanskrit College and University, Kolkata

         Activities in 2024-

1. A Half- Day seminar on Rethinking Connectivities: Maritime Networks in the Indian Ocean World was organized by the Postgraduate Department of History on 29/02/24 at the Park Street Campus. The speakers were Prof. Ranabir Chakravarti, Former Professor, School of Social Sciences and Dr. Suchandra Ghosh, Professor and Head, Department of History, University of Hyderabad. Prof. Chakravarti spoke on The Indian Ocean Maritime History and the Subcontinent prior to c. 1500 CE while Dr. Suchandra Ghosh discussed about The Ports of Barbarikon and Barygaza :Tracing their Local and Global Connectivity.

2. STUDY TOUR REPORT - MURSHIDABAD, 2024

   Postgraduate Department of History, St. Xavier's College (Autonomous), Kolkata, organized an interdisciplinary study-tour to Murshidabad from 17^th - 20^th March, 2024, jointly with the Department of Political Science. The tour was arranged for the semester six students and seven students from the department joined the program. Number of total students- 22. From the History department, Prof. Debarati Ganguly accompanied the students and from the Political Science department, Prof. Tuhin Chitrakar and Prof. Subhrapratim Roy joined. All of us gathered at the Kolkata Station in the afternoon of 17^th March. The train started its journey at 4.30 p.m. and reached Murshidabad at around 9.30 p.m that night. Govt. Youth Hostel was booked for the stay and the experience was good. The students visited all the popular historical places for the next two days e.g Hazarduari Palace and Museum, Katra Masjid, House of Jagat Seth, Kathgola Palace, Khosbag Garden, Jafraganj Cemetery, Tomb of Azimunnisa, Fauti Masjid, Motijheel, Madina Mosque, Jahan Kosha Cannon, Nashipur Rajbari and Kiriteshwari temple. The trip ended with us leaving for the railway station in the evening of 20^th March. We reached Kolata at 9.50 p.m. Such field visits are important parts of Historical Studies. I am hopeful that the students gathered significant information adding practical experiences to their historical knowledge. It not only helps students to acquire knowledge, but also tour like this can make them aware of an important chapter of the Bengal history. The excursion shows their enthusiasm and eagerness to know the past heritage and history thus making the experience memorial and beneficial.

3. MUSEUM DAY CELEBRATION

   VISIT TO STATE ARCHEOLOGICAL MUSEUM BY THE UG 2^nd SEMESTER STUDENTS, DEPT OF HISTORY

   The Report Written by Raumyadip Baidya, Student of 2^nd Semester

   We,  the students of B.A History Hons., 2^nd Semester, History Department of our college visited State Archeological Museum on the occasion of Museum Day on Saturday, 18^th May 2024. Prof. Ashesh Dhar guided us there. We reached there by 2 p.m. Then we were taken to the hall on third floor where we were given coupons for lunch. There we met two archeologists who taught us how to make a replica of an artifact. We also learned about waxpol, a chemical used to dry artifacts. There were pictures of many excavation sites and artifacts in the hall. Then the program started at exactly 3 p.m. The first speaker was Mr. Anirban Saha, director of that museum. He told us about the importance of the international museum day. He also discussed the aims and importance to raise awareness about the museums as vital means of cultural exchange, cultural enrichment and fostering mutual understanding, cooperation and peace. Not only him but also Mousumi Ma’am, Sutapa Ma’am, Kallol Dasgupta Sir gave valuable speeches. They told us about the benefits of museums and encouraged us to visit them. This entire event was very beneficial for the history students. It inspired us to study History. We are thankful to our History Department to take up this initiative. 

4. Internship Report 2024-25

The History Department, following the guidelines of NEP 2020 arranged for the Internship Program of its Third Semester Students in three phases at three prominent Institutions. 

The First Phase started at the Indian Museum, Kolkata, from 5^th June 2024 to 18^th June 2024, with ten students, followed by a visit to the Raj Bhavan on 22^nd June. The students learnt new skills with relation to archaeology, conservation, clay modelling, photography, JATAN Software for Conservation, and security and guiding skills. The students benefitted from the experienced members at the prestigious institution. The two-week Internship course enabled the students to hone their soft skills along with taking them closer to understand History through visual sources. 

The Second Phase was from 3^rd July 2024 till 22^nd July 2024 at the West Bengal State Archives, Kolkata with a set of eight students. This intense Internship Program intended to make students enhance their abilities in handling old historical documents, various important files, digital humanities, pagination /scanning. The two-week program helped the students in visual understanding of historical dates events, and certain important departments. 

The third Phase will begin with six students going to the State Archaeology Museum in the month of October for two-week course.