IIt’s been 25 years since the first Harry Potter book was released. JK Rowling’s books led to one of the world’s biggest fandoms, rivaling Game of Thrones, Lord of the Rings and Star Wars. In India, this inspired generations to call themselves ‘Potterheads’ – such a profound influence that Harry Potter made an impact in Indian academics from the school level to university courses and thesis papers.
Teachers realized the need to introduce young adults to this type of fantasy literature, to read books beyond the curriculum, and to assist in their creative pursuit. The style was fresh, the story and plot too – it’s a bonus that it helped the students improve their English. It told the children that reading should not be boring. Soon, the private publishers of ICSE and CBSE had parts of the book.
But it was not just children, Indian adults enjoyed it. An entire Harry Potter phenomenon made its way into higher education and campus culture. From the National University of Juridical Sciences to the Quizzing Society at IIT Gandhinagar and Ashoka University, Harry Potter has carved a niche for itself everywhere.
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harry potter at school
In 2016, when I was in class 8, we were asked to give a presentation on any Harry Potter film as part of an English assignment. The aim was to look at symbolism, characters and pronunciations. This same love for the series was then encouraged by my chemistry teacher as well. She constantly urged us to read books like The Hunger Games, Twilight, Divergent and Percy Jackson.
Class 8 ICSE The books and many other private publications contain excerpts from various Harry Potter books. Although most of these chapters are usually selected from the first book, the Philosopher’s Stone, which was released in 1997, perhaps because it makes children eager to read the latter plot. Additionally, with a large section of students already learning about the existence of Harry Potter as a famous series, they are more inclined to step into this world of magic and discover it.
And it’s not just limited to middle school. three years ago, National Forensic Science University in Kolkata Started a program: An Interface Between Fantasy Fiction Literature and Law: Special Focus on Rowling’s Potterverse, The intention was to help law students to apply their understanding of legal topics and principles in a social context where they do not make pre-existing value judgments. In such simulations, it is even easier for academic instructors to create an environment where prevailing ideologies cannot influence the way students understand legal concepts.
It also did academic papers and studies.
sandipan rai chaudhary In his paper ‘Harry Potter at Cultural Crossroads: Exploring the Reading Motivation of Young Adult Readers in Urban Bengal’, he talks about how such books help us to understand the fluidity of interactions between social, political and economic factors in society. Introduces concepts and understanding. , He goes on to explain how readers in urban Bengal kept on reading the book because of an intrinsic motivation, not a compulsion, to do so.
one in 2003 BBC In the article, Alka Shankar said, “Children don’t spend as much time with their grandparents or other relatives, who used to be a great source of stories, so they are drawn to Harry Potter.”
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Quizzes, Fanfiction and Trivia Challenges
Another academic space Harry Potter has made a big mark on debates, quizzes and trivia contests in both schools and universities.
I remember a quiz competition in IIT Gandhinagar called amaltheain the back 2017, Participants were asked to state the real name of the author based on the book cover and pseudonym. The author’s pseudonym was Robert. galbraith aka JK Rowling’s detective alter ego. Any Potterhead would know this.
Bhaskar Sharma and Yashaswini Joshi, alumni of Choithram School, Indore, recall how they once organized a Harry Potter-themed entrepreneurship summit within the school. “We decorated the entire school as Hogwarts, and in each simulation game, the details were written in a golden snitch,” Yashvini says. “We made maps like Marauder’s maps for our school too,” says Bhaskar. With proper rules of procedure and debate, Harry Potter has become one of the few model committees organized by the United Nations.
The Harry Potter wave introduced India to a very new form of literature – fanfiction, thousands of middle and high school students joined Wattpad to read more on their wish ,Ships’, some famous people are Dramione (Draco Malfoy and Hermione Granger), Geely (James Potter and Lily Evans). And a lot of young fans took a shot at writing fanfiction themselves. In 2018, India 5th Most users on the platform.
largely morally based in children The imagination that existed in India, Harry Potter was a sweet sigh of relief.
Thoughts are personal.
(Edited by Neera Mazumdar)