The Exemplary Journey Of Rashmi Doraiswamy: From Soviet Literature To Film Criticism

Jamia Millia Islamia, a hundred-year-old university, has built a proud legacy of several towering academicians across the fields. Among them is Professor Rashmi Doraiswamy, who has made significant contributions in the fields of Soviet literature, Indian cinema, world cinema and international relations studies. With her retirement, the university has bid farewell to a professor who devoted her life to academics and the service of the society. Her career is more than a list of achievements—in her, we find a lively soul devoted towards the nurturing of students and her academic journey is a beacon of inspiration for young minds. Doraiswamy's journey is a testament to how an individual can shape institutions for generations of learners.

Academic Accomplishments

Doraiswamy’s legacy has its root in one of India's most prominent academic institutions, Jawaharlal Nehru University, where she studied Russian language and literature and earned a doctorate through her work on the Russian philosopher Mikhail Bakhtin. Her extensive academic range is evident from her oeuvre of writings in literature and cinema, which has been featured both in India and internationally through esteemed publications.

She authored The Post-Soviet Condition: Chingiz Aitmatov in the ’90s (2005), a work that shed light on Aitmatov’s 1990s writings, exploring how he navigates post-Soviet realities and shifts from socialist realism to a new literary realism. In 2006, as Honorary Deputy Director of the Academy of Third World Studies, and with the cooperation and collaboration of faculty members, she initiated the MPhil/PhD Programme in International and Area Studies.

Her book Guru Dutt: Through Light and Shade (2008) highlights how Guru Dutt’s cinematic genius and innovative style impacted Hindi cinema. Alongside these works, she has edited books on topics such as multiculturalism, the cultural histories of Central Asia, BRICS, and energy security, and has co-edited collections like Being and Becoming: The Cinemas of Asia (2002), Globalisation and the Third World (2009) and Asian Film Journeys: Selections from Cinemaya (2010). Such remarkable contributions established Doraiswamy as a true gem in Eurasian and Cultural Studies, earning her the National Award for Best Film Critic in 1994. Most recently, in 2025, she was honoured with the prestigious Dostoevsky Star Award for her outstanding achievements in International Studies and her contribution to promoting Russian language, literature, and culture in India.

Her administrative and academic leadership guided JMI with great visions. As the Honorary Deputy Director of the Academy of Third World Studies from 2005 to 2007 and acting director of AIS, she paved significant initiatives, organising conferences on BRICS, Eurasia, and the Centenary of the Russian Revolution, thereby connecting Jamia to global platforms.

Student Activism

In 1983-84, Doraiswamy made history by being elected as the first woman President to lead the Jawaharlal Nehru University Students’ Union (JNUSU), representing the Student Federation of India (SFI). Her victory marked a significant shift in the political landscape of JNU, reflecting the essential role women play in leadership positions. Doraiswamy’s JNUSU presidency reflected JNU’s long-standing tradition of democratic student activism, where intellectual engagements take precedence over strong-arm tactics.

A Prolific Film Critic

Professor Doraiswamy has left an extraordinary mark over Indian film criticism with her work. Through her writings on cinema, she framed the medium as having significant political, historical and societal impacts. Her essays on narrative strategies of Hindi films, the impact of the Indian People's Theatre Association (IPTA), the "Angry Young Man" phenomenon, and the new image of Mani Kaul have opened new avenues for film studies in India. She has engaged with cinema as a critic, educator and cultural interlocutor, frequently introducing students and readers to global cinematic traditions while remaining deeply connected to the nuances of Indian film.

The Departure Of A Mentor

As Doraiswamy retires, her influence persists in her classrooms and the minds of the students who will continue to carry her legacy. She belongs to one of the last generations of teachers who have nurtured deep, long-lasting relationships with their students; in contrast, the contemporary academic dynamic is different, which rarely allows students to foster such intimate bonds. This is because public universities are now inundated with short-term guests and ad hoc positions, which are more transactional than traditional student-teacher relations. Therefore, her exit from the institution isn't just a personal departure; it leaves behind a significant structural void in the world of academia.

(Nehal Ahmed is a doctoral student at the Academy of International Studies, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi, and the author of ‘Nothing Will Be Forgotten’)