Dr. Vishaka Venkat has a Ph.D. from National Institute of Technology, Trichy, for her research on ‘Theorising the Language of Humour in Indian Political Cartoons’. She has also specifically researched the concept of hāsya and the Indian traditions of humour. Her primary research interests include humour, Indian aesthetics, Shaktic traditions and mythology. Currently, she is researching about the Shaktic traditions in Kerala Devi temples.
Educational Qualifications
- Ph.D. (English) – National Institute of Technology, Trichy (2020)
- JRF-NET English – University Grants Commission (2015)
- MA English Language and Literature – Govt. Victoria College, Palakkad (2015)
- BA English Language and Literature – St. Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda (2013)
Professional Experience (Research/Teaching/Industry)
• Assistant Professor at Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth (Deemed to be University) (Jan 2020 – present)
MEMBERSHIP/POSITIONS IN PROFESSIONAL BODIES
• Annual Membership at the International Society for Humor Studies (2022)
INTERNATIONAL JOURNALS (4)
• Venkat, V. (2022). The aesthetics of hāsya and raudra in Nāṭyaśāstra: Anger as the flip side of the comic sentiment. Comedy Studies, 14(1), 120-132. https://doi.org/10.1080/2040610X.2023.2149317 [Scopus]
• Venkat, V., & Balakrishnan, V. (2020). Bharatamuni’s hāsya in Nāṭya Śāstra and Bergson’s Laughter: A comparative study of the aesthetics of the comic. HUMOR, 33(3), 439-466. https://doi.org/10.1515/humor-2018-0148 [Scopus/SCI/WoS/AHCI]
• Balakrishnan, V., Venkat, V., & Manickam, M. (2019). Virality in the Environment of Political Cartoons: When History Intersects Representation. The European Journal of Humour Research, 7(2), 137-152. https://doi.org/10.7592/EJHR2019.7.2.balakrishnan [Scopus]
• Venkat, V., & Balakrishnan, V. (2018). (Poli) Tickle/Prickle: Keshav Between the Lines. Journal of Creative Communications, 13(3), 232–245. https://doi.org/10.1177/0973258618790795 [Scopus]
NATIONAL JOURNALS (4)
• Shankar, S., & Venkat, V. (2021). Validating Culture through Folklore: A Study in Santal Folktales. Gnosis: An International Refereed Journal of English Language and Literature, 7(2).
• Shankar, S., & Venkat, V. (2020). Happiness as Health: A Comparison between Karma Yoga and Martin Seligman’s Theory of Well-being. International Multidisciplinary Quarterly Research Journal ‘Ajanta’, 9(2), 27-34.
• Venkat, V. (2015). A feminist inception in Disney movies: A move away from hegemonic masculinity. Singularities: A Transdisciplinary Biannual Research Journal, 2(2). https://www.singularitiesjournal.com/wp content/uploads/2019/04/Journal-Vol-2-Issue-2-1.pdf
• Venkat, V. (2014). The World Within: A Reading of the Current Trends and Influence of Manga Culture. Meridian: Journal from MES Asmabi College [Special Issue]
BOOK CHAPTERS (6)
• Venkat, V. (2023). Disappearing spaces in online learning platforms : A study of student feedback on the effectiveness of online learning. In S. Grandhee (Ed.), Hybrid learning: Preparing tomorrow’s solutions (pp.11-16), Iterative International Publishers (forthcoming).
• Venkat, V. (2022). Lalita Devi: Origin, Form and Narratives. In Ramakrishna Pejathaya & Vishaka Venkat (Eds.), Adi Shakti: Narratives and Philosophy of the Feminine Divine (pp. 122-135). Chinmaya International Foundation.
• Venkat, V. (2022). History and Padhathi of Dakshina Sampradaya Bhajan. In S. Chaphekhar, R. Pejathaya & P. N. Prabhvathy (Eds.), Sangeetha Sancintanam (pp. 171-181), Chinmaya International Foundation.
• Venkat, V. & Shijila, K. (2021). Representation of Nature in Robert Frost’s Poetry. In C.G. Shyamala (Ed.), American Literature: Analytical Reflections (pp. 135-145). Perception Publishing.
• Venkat V., & Balakrishnan, V. (2018). How Conceptual Metaphors Make Political Iconography: A Focus Group Discussion on the Psychological Aspects”. In M.T. Leung., L.M. Tan (Eds.), Applied Psychology Readings (pp. 322-344). Singapore: Springer. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-981-10-8034-0_19
• Venkat V., & Balakrishnan V. (2017). When Humour Turns Violent: Theorising the Affect of Political Cartoons. In A. Sharma & J. Rakeshwaran (Eds.), Creativity and Cognition in Art and Design (pp.3-15), Bloomsbury Publishers.
BOOKS PUBLISHED (3)
• Balakrishnan, V., & Venkat, V. (2023). The Language of Humour and Its Transmutation in Indian Political Cartoons. Palgrave Macmillan.
• Balakrishnan, V., & Venkat, V. (2019). Conversations with Indian Cartoonists: Politickle Lines. Cambridge Scholars Publishing.
• Venkat, V. (2021). Sagar and his sea voyages. Notion Press.
OTHER PUBLICATIONS
• Venkat V. (2015). Life’s Metonymy. In Heavenly Hymns, Xpress publications.
• Venkat V. (2015). She Smiles Again. In Poetic Symphonies, Xpress publications.
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INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCES (5)
• Disappearing Spaces in Online Learning Platforms: A Study of the Student Feedback on the Effectiveness of Online Learning at the Hybrid Learning: Preparing Tomorrow’s Solution conducted by Chinmaya Vishwa Vidyapeeth (May 2022)
• The Role of Vidusaka and the Tradition of Hasya in Sanskrit Theatre at the 11th Humor Research Conference TAMUC conducted by Texas A&M – Commerce (February 2021)
• How Conceptual Metaphors Make Political Iconography: A Focus Group Discussion on the Psychological Aspects at the SCAP Conference held in Singapore (June 2017)
• Theorising the Affect of Political Cartoons at the ICCCAD Conference conducted by NIMHANS (Jan 2017)
• Convergence: Duality of Child/Adult (hood) in Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone at the Intersections: International Conference on Children’s Literature conducted by St. Thomas College, Thrissur (October, 2015)
NATIONAL CONFERENCES (2)
• To Connect: Memory and Historical Context in Washington Irving’s “Rip Van Winkle” at the National Seminar on Movements in Time/Space conducted by Govt. Victoria College, Palakkad (December 2014)
• The Nuisance and Cognizance of Potter Mania: Harry Potter series and Culture Industry at the UGC National seminar on New Cultural Studies: A Critical Investigation conducted by St. Joseph’s College, Devagiri (October 2014)
KEYNOTE/ GUEST/ ACADEMIC LECTURES/SESSIONS (6)
• Keynote speaker at the Ramayana Month Celebration on “Message from Ramayana” conducted by Bharatiya Vidya Bhavan, Thiruvamkulam (July 2022)
• Keynote Speaker at the Ramayana Month Celebration SDKY, Eroor on “Rama in Ramayana” (August 2022)
• Talk on Mariamman: Rituals and Narratives at the Mythovault session conducted by Mythovault (2021)
• Academic Talk on Miles to Go: Metaphors of Journey and Quest in Literature as part of the Guest lecture series organised by St Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda (2021)
• Teacher Training Workshop on Planning lessons for Virtual Classroom at CVV (May 2019)
• Teacher Training Workshop on Listening Skills at CVV (February 2019)
RESEARCH PROJECTS
• Folklores and Legends of Central Kerala Devi Temples: Socio-cultural model based on emic perspective funded by IKS-AICTE (2023)
FDP/Workshops/Certificate Courses
• National Level Workshop on Curriculum Framework for Implementation of National Education Policy (NEP) conducted by IAE (April 2022)
• Hinduism Through Its Scriptures offered by HarvardX (May 2020)
• Udemy Certificate course on Leadership lessons from Indian Mythology (April 2020)
PUBLIC ENGAGEMENTS (ARTS/SPORTS/LITERARY/Other – if any)
• Harikatha- Rama Mahatmyam conducted by Madapilly Brahmana Samooham (April 2022)
• Harikatha- Shakthi Mahima conducted by Muvattupuzha Sabha (April 2023)
• Navaratri and Devi Mahatmyam conducted by Ernakulam Sabha (October 2021)
OTHER ENGAGEMENTS
• Programme Director of BABEd at CVV (2022)
• CAD Club Coordinator at CVV (Jan- Aug2022)
• Faculty Editor of CVV Chinmayasree (2021 and 2022)
Dr. Vishaka Venkat has a Ph.D. from National Institute of Technology, Trichy, for her research on ‘Theorising the Language of Humour in Indian Political Cartoons’. She has also specifically researched the concept of hāsya and the Indian traditions of humour. Her primary research interests include humour, Indian aesthetics and mythology.
At Chinmaya Vishwavidyapeeth, she teaches courses in English Language and Literature.
Education
- Ph.D. in ‘Theorising the Language of Humour in Indian Political Cartoons’ National Institute of Technology, Trichy
- M.A. in English Language and Literature, Government Victoria College, Palakkad
- B.A. in English Language and Literature, St. Joseph’s College, Irinjalakuda
- UGC NET JRF in English
Interests
- Research: Humour | Indian aesthetics | Literature | Mythology | Popular culture | Children’s literature
Journals
- Vinod Balakrishnan and Vishaka Venkat. Conversations with Indian Cartoonists: Politickle Lines. Cambridge Scholars Publishing, Dec. 2019.
- Vishaka Venkat and Vinod Balakrishnan. ‘(Poli) Tickle/Prickle: Keshav Between the Lines’. 13:3 in the Journal of Creative Communications (Sage SCOPUS/ESCI).
- Vishaka Venkat and Vinod Balakrishnan. ‘How Conceptual Metaphors Make Political Iconography: A Focus Group Discussion on Psychological Aspects’. Applied Psychology Readings (Springer, 2018, Singapore ISBN: 978 981 10 8033 3)
- Vishaka Venkat and Vinod Balakrishnan. ‘When Humour Turns Violent: Theorising the Effect of Political Cartoons’. Creativity and Cognition in Art and Design, Eds. Aneesha Sharma and Jamuna Rajeshwaran, Bloomsbury Publishers, 2018, New Delhi, ISBN: 978-93-86349-88-0.
- Vishaka Venkat. “A Feminist Inception in Disney Movies: A Move Away from Hegemonic Masculinity?” Singularities, a transdisciplinary biannual journal, ISSN: 2348-3369 – 2015
Poems
- Published ‘Life’s Metonymy’ in Heavenly Hymns – 2015.
- Published ‘She Smiles Again’ in Poetic Symphonies Duet Anthology – 2015.
Upcoming
- ‘A Comparison between Henri Bergson and Bharatamuni’s Nāṭyaśāstra’ accepted by Humor (SCI) (July 2020)