Ishika Rishi (Canada/India)

I completed my HBA with high distinction from Victoria College, University of Toronto where I pursued a specialist in Literature and Critical Theory with a minor in South Asian Studies. My senior thesis titled, “Mohini’s Body: Gender and Sexuality in the Hindu Imagination” investigated the idea of a “Hindu Woman” through an exposition on Mohini—an understudied avatar of Vishnu—in the Bhagavata Purana and in the works of Raja Ravi Varma. As an undergraduate research fellow for the Northrop Frye Centre, I also explored the interdisciplinary potential in how early ways of thinking about psychology and neuroscience can be found in Migeul De Cervantes’ Don Quixote through a project titled, “Sancho and His Insular Tensions: Metaphor and Medicine in Don Quixote” As a research fellow for the Jackman Humanities Scholars-in-Residence program at the University of Toronto, I also worked on an interdisciplinary project addressing Taste as a multisensory event. I have also worked as a student researcher/ translator for various dialects of Hindi and Hindustani languages as covered in the work of Dr. Bholanath Tiwari. My translation work was conducted under the guidance of Dr Shafique Virani. 

At Oxford I will be pursuing an MSt in Comparative Literature and Critical Translation. With my time at Oxford I intend to learn and conduct research that will help produce a project that problematizes the category of ‘world literature’ laying bare its imperial and colonial predisposition and how that translates for localized ‘national literatures.’ I aim to situate my research in the context of the Indian subcontinent and the Hindu Nationalist movement’s use of imagery from quasi-religious literature. I am interested in the process by which national identities are consolidated through literary canons and textual and visual access and literacy.

On top of holding conversation around my research interests, I am always ever eager to share a coffee, a poem, a walk, or a fun fact about rocks!

I am beyond grateful to be a part of the Ertegun Graduate Scholarship Programme and look forward to the community and world of experiences it has to offer.