Latest
DU Beat – Delhi University's Independent Student Newspaper
Author

DU Beat

Browsing
DUB News

Delhi University’s Proposed Dual Degree Program: Blend of Distance learning and In-Person classes

By

Delhi University is set to launch combined degree programs, catering to both undergraduate and postgraduate students. The initiative involves enabling students to pursue a degree through conventional in-person classes alongside another degree, through the distance learning mode.

Furthermore, the university is looking into partnerships with international educational institutions, offering students the opportunity to complete a semester abroad and gain credits applicable to their degree. Moreover, the university will explore the potential for collaborative PhD programs. Students keen on pursuing two degrees simultaneously can communicate their interest to the university through their department head or college principal. 

As per the National Education Policy 2020, Delhi University established a committee to expand upon the possibilities of offering a joint degree to both undergraduates and postgraduates. They have proposed  granting one degree through regular mode and another, through the distance education program. 

In the upcoming meeting scheduled on 30 November, a document will be put forward by the academic council stating that, 

“Students cannot pursue similar academic courses simultaneously, such as B.Com(H) and B.Com (P) even though one of them is intended to be pursued in ODL/online mode. Students so permitted to pursue two academic degree programs simultaneously shall fulfill all the academic degree programs simultaneously shall fulfill all the academic requirements such as attendance, internal assessment, continuous assessments, submissions of assignments, presentations, and examination of the two academic programmes independently,”.

Effectively, the willing students can enroll and obtain information for the proposed programs from the respective departments and the administration. 

Another major issue to be discussed in the meeting is regarding the, 

“Twinning degree program with Foreign Higher Education Institution (FHEI) is a degree program where students enrolled in any course in the University of Delhi or its colleges shall be allowed to pursue study for a university and earn credits from the host institution which shall be accounted to secure the requisite credits for grant of such degree to which he/she has been enrolled the parent university.” 

This runs parallel with the Indian initiative to garner further opportunities for students to have international exposure through which they get to spend one semester in a foreign university with a lower bracket of a minimum of 18 credits and a higher bracket of 26 credits. This opens the gates for the doctoral students to get joint PhD degrees if the consultation among the stakeholders reaches a binding conclusion. 

Divya Malhotra 

Featured Image Credits: Miscellaneous-Bharati College 

https://www.bharaticollege.du.ac.in/bc/du/miscellaneous

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

DU Students Report ‘Glitch’ on Samarth Portal

By

A ‘glitch’ on the Samarth portal caused chaos as 300 students faced hindrance when it came to submitting forms, leading to frustration among the student body which has often faced issues in accessing DU’s online portals with ease. 

Around 300 University students complained about a ‘glitch’ while navigating the Samarth portal, about the subject/course mapping feature, which acted as a disruption while filling out examination forms

Addressing the issue in a report by PTI, Ajay Arora, O.S.D. (Examination) stated that the issue was being faced due to the students incorrectly filling in the enrolment numbers. He further stated that the DUCC will look into the matter and would have to manually correct the enrolment number which might take a day or two to rectify, as the administration would have to cross-check the details of those students with their bank account details.

Students enrolled in postgraduate courses like M.A., M.Sc., and M.Com., including visually impaired students, encountered difficulties while selecting their courses or subjects on the portal.

The students continued to face such persistent obstacles despite a deadline for submission, previously set as 24 November by the Examination Branch.

India Today reported that Maya John, an assistant professor at Jesus Mary College, expressed deep concern over the difficulty faced by the students.

She brought attention to the fact that those students had been running from pillar to post since October, seeking the help of various offices in order to fill out their examination forms on the  portal. She also emphasised the lack of assistance and coordination among different department offices which caused distress among students.

Although the University has extended the examination form submission deadline to 5 December, John in her letter, emphasised the urgency to resolve the issue and urged Vice- Chancellor, Yogesh Singh to revise the deadline and address the lingering subject/course mapping issue on the portal. 

Expressing the need for immediate action, John stressed that the university ought to look into these complaints and the recurring issues with the Samarth portal, to ensure that students don’t face such problems in the future.

Read Also: https://dubeat.com/2023/11/24/delhi-university-issues-safety-advisory-ahead-of-fest-season/

Featured Image Credits: Devesh for DU Beat

Gauri Garg

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Features

Religion, Gender and Language: Navigating Identity in Multilingual Societies

By

Language is a medium that allows us to communicate, identify, and express ourselves. However, this kind of expression, along with other social identities, usually results in systemic prejudice against particular communities. Whether it’s the language’s fundamentals, which reflect and reinforce gender binary norms, or its intersection with an individual’s religion, nationality, or place of belonging.

Religion, gender, and language are often categorised as the building blocks of an individual’s identity. Each of these factors influences a person’s beliefs, values, and perceptions of themselves and others. Often, discrimination based on religion, gender, or linguistic choices is seen independently; nevertheless, the confluence of gender and religion, as well as linguistic preference, has a significant influence on individuals and communities. While religion influences a person’s moral and ethical ideals, gender incorporates social and cultural expectations, and language both reflects and reinforces gender binary norms in society.  

Religion & Language:

Language has always been a fundamental tool for portraying a religion. Whether it’s Arabic for Islam, Sanskrit for Hinduism, or Hebrew for Christianity, all of these affiliations stem from sacred texts written in these languages. Harold Schiffman in his book, “Linguistics, Culture and Language Policy’ explains that “One of the most basic issues where language and religion intersect is the existence, in many cultures, of sacred texts […]. For cultures where certain texts are so revered, there is often almost an identity of language and religion, such that the language of the texts also becomes sacred…”) 

However, with the need for a separate identity, this linkage of languages tied to certain religions mutated over time. The shift in language of South Asian Muslims to Urdu, Hindus to Hindi, and Christians to English is an important example of this. This language shift describes how linguistic choices change as the need for a separate identity grows. 

However, these linguistic freedoms quickly devolved into systemic discrimination against minority populations. Massive protests erupted at Banaras Hindu University (BHU) in 2020 over the appointment of a Muslim associate professor in the faculty of literature of Sanskrit Vidya Dharm Vigyan (SVDV). Protesters argued that a Muslim professor would be incapable of teaching Sanskrit, a Hindu language. NDTV writes, “The administration backed the professor. The panel that selected him, which includes Professor Radhavallabh Tripathi, one of India’s most eminent Sanskrit scholars, repeatedly said he(the appointed Muslim professor) was the most qualified candidate.”

Not only that, but hate campaigns and violence erupted in various parts of India in light of the use of Urdu in advertisements for ‘Hindu festivals.’ Nivedita Menon, a professor at the Centre for Political Studies at JNU, told Al Jazeera, “The Hindutva project sees Urdu as a ‘Muslim’ language. And invisibilising Urdu is part of the larger project of marginalising the Muslim community, in fact, physically eliminating it.” Linguists and historians contend that Hindi and Urdu evolved from ‘Khadi Boli,’ a dialect of the Delhi region, and are profoundly influenced by Persian, Turkish, Arabic, and Sanskrit. This hatred of a language because its identity is associated with a minority religion, despite its origins in India, highlights how segregation and systematic hatred towards minority religions are carried out through the use of languages.

Gender & Language:

Languages reflect and reinforce gender norms and the gender binary. This has an intricate connection with the culture, religion, and history of the language. In recent years, queer activists and linguists all over the world have advocated for the necessity of gender-neutral terms. While some languages incarcerate gender in binaries, others prove gender’s presence outside of binaries by not gendering inanimate objects. While individuals assert that gender-neutral language is a Western concept, many Indian languages dispute this claim. Languages like Bangla, Assamese, Bhojpuri, Kannada, Angika, Maithili, and others do not limit gender into binaries, while Sanskrit uses masculine, feminine, and gender-neutral terms to refer to inanimate objects.

However, the most widely spoken languages, such as Hindi and French, do enforce binary. So, why are certain languages unable to use gender-neutral verb conjugation? While extra research is needed, basic efforts by native speakers of these languages may increase the possibilities of making these languages inclusive for everyone.

“On my first day of my bachelor’s degree, when I addressed myself as ‘hum’, my professor asked me how many people I am addressing with myself.”- Chandan Kumar, in an article by Youth ki Awaaz. This linguistic rigidity is a result of the Hindi belt’s class superiority. Hindi teachers must stop such rigorous pronoun implementation, and textbooks should be revised to include a discussion of gender outside of binaries. Another source of optimism is the use of second-person pronouns in Hindi. The usage of ‘aap’ while speaking to elders or as a sign of respect, regardless of gender, supports the idea that ‘aap is neutral and assuming someone’s gender is disrespectful.’ Aside from this, we can make our language more inclusive by not strictly categorising non-living things as masculine or feminine.

While language has the potential to bring people together, it can also be used to isolate and oppress them. While individuals argue that changing language to incorporate gender-neutral terminology is impossible since language represents history and culture, the development and shift to new languages by religious communities as the need for a separate identity emerged rejects this notion.

Read Also: Language and Patriarchy: The Case of Gendered Language

Featured Image Credits: Deccan Herald

Dhruv Bhati

[email protected]

 

 

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Recruitment Process On the Go for DU Faculty

By

Delhi University has opened applications for filling up vacancies for vacant posts for both Assistant and Full Professor Positions. 

Amidst the ongoing ad-hoc crisis, a notification has been released by the University of Delhi (DU) for the appointment of various posts for the faculty vacancies, including both professors and assistant professors. The recruitment process will take place through the official website of Delhi University, and candidates eligible for the same can apply through the website du.ac.in. 

The recruitment process is estimated to fill up to 305 positions including both assistant and full professor posts. The educational qualifications have been specified for applications for both positions. A candidate applying for the post of assistant professor needs to hold a PhD degree and have a good record of related principles. The candidate should hold a masters’ degree and a minimum of 8 years’ experience in the field of teaching or research in an academic or research setting.  Any candidate applying for the post of professor should hold a PhD degree and have a minimum of 10 years’ experience in the field of teaching or  research. 

It is to be noted that during the selection process, a list will be drawn for all the candidates, indicating the research score scored by them in descending order according to the marks scored by each candidate. Interviews would be conducted for the screened candidates. 

The application fee for the same is 2000 rupees; however, no fees would be charged to SC/ST/OBC and women applicants. 

The general pay scale for associate professors has been assigned to Level 13A in the pay matrix, while Level 14 has been issued to professors in the pay matrix. 

Out of the 305 vacancies, 210 posts have been reserved for associate professors, and 95 posts are for full professors. The last date for applications has been fixed to 22 November, 2023.

This comes after the ad-hoc crisis, wherein many assistant professors were removed from their positions.

Read Also: Start of the Hindu Studies Centre in DU

Image Credits: Hindustan Times

Aanya Mehta

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
Features

When Will University Campuses Truly Become Women-Friendly Spaces?

By

Concerns over student safety at prestigious universities are raised by the latest molestation incident at IIT-BHU. Students from different colleges question whether such institutions effectively prioritise security of its female students.

In recent times, an alarming surge in incidents compromising the safety of gender minority students has come to light in college campuses. Notably, such occurrences are increasingly prevalent in some of the country’s most popular universities. From instances of girls being recorded while they were changing at IIT Delhi during a competition to the distressing case at IIT-BHU, where a girl was undressed and molested; similar reports have emerged from Delhi University’s campuses, including Miranda House, Gargi College, and IPCW, where men forcibly entered gender-minority spaces. 

While the nature of these cases varies, they all raise a common concern: Are gender minorities genuinely safe in campus spaces? 

At IIT-BHU, an alarming incident occurred on November 1, where a student was molested by three unknown men late at night. This led to a widespread protest organised by students, not just for the victim’s justice but for broader concerns. 

“IIT-BHU shares its campus space with the main university. The open campus allows unrestricted entry even post-midnight, with inadequate checking and recordkeeping. The absence of a boundary wall and a lack of security pose a risk to safety. It’s because of these loopholes that the offenders in this case are still not caught,”

-A student from IIT BHU. 

However, the blame for the incident was wrongly placed on the victim herself, highlighting a double-standard whereby male students can roam freely at any hour while female students face restrictions and are held responsible for any mishap. It makes one wonder if the administration will ever accept their failure or not. These security concerns are not unique to IIT-BHU; they echo across various renowned universities. 

“Female students often find themselves confined to hostels during festivals like Holi and Diwali from potential threats created by men. However, there is a lack of measures to control and manage the actions of those who make common public spaces unsafe for female students. How will this situation change when the onus is always on the female and there is a lack of control and action on the people who create this nuance?”

-Shreya, a student from IPCW, argues. 

“While I feel safe at my college campus, the same cannot be said about the surrounding campus area, especially at odd hours. Cases of Eve-teasing, bag snatching, and stalking have repeatedly happened, and it is worrisome for students who have to be constantly vigilant while they live in such areas with narrow roads and less security.”

-Ananya, a student from Miranda House. 

While all-women spaces generally offer more comfort and protection, there remains a fear of outsiders violating these spaces. In co-ed colleges, where there is a persistent fear of the male gaze, posed by both outsiders and insiders. Students describe how they are constantly concerned about what they should wear, say, and do. 

“We can’t guarantee the behaviour of students at colleges because of the extremely diverse population. In many coed colleges, casual teasing and mocking are normal, and nobody takes any notice unless something really serious occurs.” 

-A student from Dyal Singh college. 

When examining the role of college administration and the police, students believe that basic safety measures such as security guards, CCTVs, and boundary walls are present on the majority of campuses. The lack of this has led to the recent fight of IIT-BHU students where they demand a secure campus with a suitable security method to track the entry of outsiders. Although, it is a crucial step forward, accounts from other supposedly “safe” campuses like IIT-Delhi, IPCW and Miranda House where these measures were breached, shed scepticism about how effective these measures really are. The fundamental question still stands: Are college campuses truly able to safeguard gender minorities, or are we normalising harassment in these seemingly “student friendly” places? 

It should be noted that resolving gender minority safety issues on college campuses necessitates a comprehensive approach that includes strict safety standards, heightened awareness, police patrolling, and a change in collective mindset. Regardless of the gender, it is imperative to establish a safe space for all students and ensure that the onus of safety does not unfairly fall on the victims.

Read Also: Women’s Safety in DU: How Safe Are We?

Featured Image Credits: Edexlive

Priya Agrawal 

[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Start of the Hindu Studies Centre in DU: Ramayana, Mahabharata a Part of Curriculum

By

The Hindu Studies Centre has been inaugurated at Delhi University with a ‘Havan-Yagya’. It has both major and minor options for students.

The Centre for Hindu Studies has been added as a recent addition to the University of Delhi. It comes with a flexible programme where students can select minors according to their own choice. If students wish to choose a minor along with their major Hindu Studies, they will be able to study subjects like Computer, Commerce and even Political Science. Among these subjects, subjects related to Gandhi, M N Rai, Pandit Deen Dayal Upadhyay, Kautilya, Manu Smriti will also be taught giving the students a holistic picture.

The Centre for Hindu Studies provides Master programmes with 60 seats on offer and nearly 500 students had applied for those limited seats. Students must have completed their Undergraduate Course to apply for admission in the Centre for Hindu Studies. Dr. Shriprakash Singh, Director of DU’s South Campus has confirmed that the programme also contains papers like Sanskrit, English and communication skills. He also confirms that the entire syllabus of UGC has been maintained only with certain additions. Dr. Prerna Malhotra, co-director for the Centre of Hindu Studies has confirmed that the admission process has officially ended. 

An orientation session will be conducted post which classes will be conducted a few days later. Dr. Shriprakash Singh also mentioned that the syllabus for Hindu Studies is quite vast in order to give students proper career opportunities. The syllabus of Hindu Studies is divided into Major papers and Minor papers. In the Minor syllabus, there is a paper on Ramayana, one on Mahabharata and one on Western Method. Compared to that, in Major, one paper is on Bhagwat Geeta and another is on Upanishad. The main focus is on the Major papers with Hindu texts with extensive lectures and detailed study material. Dr. Shriprakash Singh also added that Hindu religious texts are being taught in the major because that is the core of the study centre. University of Delhi has also released the academic calendar for the Centre and the wait is now only for the classes to start. 

Read Also: Hindu College Develops Hybrid Air Disinfection Machine to Tackle Delhi’s Air Quality Crisis

Featured Image Credits: IAFN

Priyanka Mukherjee

[email protected]

 

Keep Reading
By
DUB Speak

The Recipe for an Ideal Indian Media House

By

In today’s kitchen, we bring together the right ingredients to prepare the perfect media house with top-notch journalism that will mesmerise all Indian audiences.

Media channels are a staple in all Indian households. They are a delightful combination of all flavours, spicy and sweet. For this delectable recipe, we shall be requiring four primary ingredients: bias, fake news, censorship, and sentimentalism. The following are the steps to follow:

1. Prepare a Nice Base of Bias First

Heat your pan for two minutes and add two tablespoons of bias. Remember, this is the most important ingredient in our recipe. It gives the ultimate flavour to the stories that our Indian media house will churn out! After a minute, you will be able to smell party leanings, and your media concoction will never go against the ruling government henceforth.

2. Add Fake News

Now comes the time for real culinary genius. Add nearly 4 tablespoons of fake news because this is the ingredient that attracts everyone. It gives an instant, satisfactory flavour that tempts all across the nation, especially your parents and annoying relatives. From tomatoes causing COVID-19 to Sushant Singh Rajput’s last fake tweets, this magic ingredient is proven to take our dish to the top of TRP ratings! Also, it is advisable to add some banger music as well as ‘EXCLUSIVE’ flashing across, written in bold red, to make sure our favourite ingredient remains the most highlighted.

3. Bring out the Flavours with Home-Grown Censorship

Add two cups of censorship, popularly known as ‘gatekeeping’ in the market. Censorship ensures that our Indian media house provides the right mix of flavourful stories to the audience. Added to covering up farmer protests with celebrity gossip and communal disharmony, renaming the country will add five stars to our dish. While our dish is simmering, slice up some stories in favour of the ruling government. This will catch the hearts of all.

4. Finish off with Sensationalism

Put your flames on high, because our last ingredient is equally fiery! Add nearly 4 cups of sensationalism to the recipe. From running after celebrity cars to impersonating tornadoes, sensationalism is what creates the appetite for Indian media houses. Stir the entire mixture for around two minutes and let it simmer.

5. Garnish (Optional)

When all the ingredients have come together and it gives off a clear flavour of voicing only for the ruling government and not the ruled, it is ready to be served. Serve with a side of one-sided 9 p.m. shouting matches (debates), complete negligence of minority rights in the country, and ironic slogans of ‘Truth Matters.’

And here’s your recipe for the ideal Indian media house! Enjoy the sizzling disinformation and propaganda served right at your doorstep!

Read also: A Death in the Gunj: The Silencing of Journalism

Featured Image Credits: The Phonetic House by Medium

Priyanka Mukherjee
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
DUB News

Delhi University Issues Safety Advisory Ahead of Fest Season

By

In anticipation of the upcoming college fest season, an advisory for the conduct of fests, events, and programmes was disseminated to all Delhi University (DU) colleges, with a particular focus on the security of women attendees.

Delhi University (DU) has issued a 17-point advisory, explicitly stating the dos and don’ts for holding events and fests across all colleges and departments. The advisory was issued by the University Proctor, Prof. Rajni Abbi earlier in April 2023. In light of numerous colleges in the varsity gearing up for their respective annual college fests, the University renotified the guidelines for the same.

The guidelines entail essential measures, including acquiring No Objection Certificates (NOC) from the local police stations, implementing pre-registration for outsiders with mandatory college identity card verification, installing low concertina wires to prevent unauthorised access, ensuring illumination of all surrounding areas near the venue, and conducting mandatory security drills, among other specifications.

The DU advisory also suggested that there should be multiple gates in the college, and all gates must have working CCTVs. The advisory mentioned,

All gates should have a PA (public announcement) system for any announcements. Keeping in mind the number of their students, teachers, and staff members present at the event, the number of outside registrations should be kept below the venue’s capacity.

The advisory was issued in response to the spate of incidents that have transpired in women’s colleges in recent years.

One such horrific incident was reported in March this year from DU’s oldest women’s college, the Indraprastha College for Women (IPCW), where unidentified individuals allegedly harassed students after entering the premises by scaling the walls during the annual college festival. Subsequently, a wave of extensive protests emerged among the student body, advocating for the resignation of the college principal in response to the aforementioned incident.

In October of the previous year, Miranda House experienced a similarly disturbing event during their Diwali Fest, where individuals reportedly scaled walls, vociferously shouted slogans, and subjected students to harassment, prompting heightened concerns for student safety.

In light of the same, the advisory was prepared after a host of meetings with several university and college officials and the Delhi Police. It thus read,

It is absolutely essential to give students the confidence that if any untoward they could, they should immediately approach their staff advisors, teachers, the Internal Complaints Committee, the Women’s Developmental Cell, the Proctorial Committee, and the Principal so that they can take speedy action.

Read also: The Invasion of IPCW – A Student’s Account

Featured Image Credits: DU Beat

Injeella Himani
[email protected]

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

The Big Debate About How Artists Are Remembered vs How They Want To Be Remembered.

By

Recently, the death of our beloved Chandler Bing shook the world. One of the most popular characters in the beloved 90’s sitcom, Friends, millions of fans took the internet by storm, sending tribute messages and expressing their extreme grief at the unexpected demise of the actor.

Fans expressed that even though they didn’t know him personally, they felt a sense of great attachment almost as if it was the loss of a close family member. 

Sources conclude that Matthew Perry was dealing with addiction since he was fourteen years old and there is some  information about it that he shares in his memoir, ‘Friends, Lovers and The Big Terrible Thing.’ 

During an interview with podcast host Tom Power, last year, he said that he would prefer to be remembered for helping people rather than for his work on Friends as a beloved character – Chandler Bing. 

Following the conversation, the actor remarked, “The best thing about me, bar none, is that if somebody comes to me and says, ‘I can’t stop drinking, can you help me?’ I can say ‘yes’ and follow up and do it,” he said. “When I die, I don’t want Friends to be the first thing that’s mentioned. I want that to be the first thing that’s mentioned. And I’m gonna live the rest of my life proving that.”

However, it seems that fans, especially the international fans, have only taken cognizance of Matthew Perry’s addiction after his death. 

One of the fans remarked, “It has to be realized that just like one person can be a good friend to one person and a lousy friend to another, a good father but a bad husband, similarly, an artist can be their version of who they want to be and their art could have a completely different memory to those who experience them through that art.”

This statement stands true across multiple scenarios. This question of  who owns the legacy is applicable only if people actually knew him. Most people admire artists for embodying the art themselves and many times people perceive the artist and the art intertwined with each other. Famous artists like Leonardo Da Vinci would be remembered by his famous painting of Mona Lisa and not the Vitruvian Man in the first instance. That’s how the nature of memory and history takes form in our minds. 

As an individual, we want to be remembered for what we believe we are worthy of being remembered for. However, for any third person to remember an artist, the impact the artist left on them, is what comes to their mind first. 

While millions believe their beloved Chandler to have passed away, others may think about Perry’s  humbleness and generosity first. It depends upon perspectives. 

A fan commented on a related social media post, “This raises a question if we all want to be remembered in a way that we wish to be or be happy that we are remembered.”

On the other hand, there is a very serious conversation that was opened up about when Matthew Perry talked about how he wanted to be remembered. He has been one of the most loved people in the world yet his journey towards sobriety and overcoming his addiction problems in each season has been overlooked. As mentioned earlier, many fans didn’t know or knew little about his sobriety and the way he was struggling to overcome his addiction yet made such a lovable character with all the jokes and sarcasm for the people. Giving him what he asked for, the belief to remember him with the idea of him healing and helping others overcome addiction is the least his fans can do as a community.

Debates on this can go on, but an actor like Matthew Perry is to be remembered and cherished. He put happiness and joy in our hearts and left only words of appreciation for him in our mouths. Whether or not his way of being remembered worked, it is sure that he has left a hole in our hearts that can never be filled. Rest in Peace, Matthew Perry.

Aanya Mehta

[email protected]

Image credits: koimoi.com

 

Keep Reading
By
Arts & Culture

In Fond Remembrance of Chandler Bing

By

As the world mourns actor Matthew Perry’s passing, let’s delve into why his most famous character has had a lasting impact on media and culture.

Few characters have left a lasting mark on the realm of humour quite like Chandler Bing. Matthew Perry’s character on ‘Friends’, as the resident funnyman of the ensemble cast, became a symbol of relatable comedy for an entire generation and continues to do so even in 2023, which unfortunately became the year of the actor’s sad demise. Reminiscing on his most beloved role, let’s break down why it has had such an enduring impact on popular culture decades after the show drew the curtains.

Defined by his distinctive wit, Chandler was a crucial ingredient in the success of ‘Friends’. His quick one-liners and mastery of sarcasm quickly became the exact kind of comedy he would go on to be known for. More specifically, the character’s way of finding humour in difficult situations, coupled with Perry’s deadpan delivery, is what made the audience see themselves in him and fundamentally changed the way people appreciate humour.

Sarcasm had long been a powerful force in storytelling, long before the character of Chandler came along. Classic examples include Rick Blaine in ‘Casablanca’, who displayed the strength of humour as a coping mechanism in the face of adversity, or Alex Keaton in the sitcom ‘Family Ties’, whose witty remarks in family settings made him emerge as the hilarious fan favourite.

However, what perhaps differentiated Chandler from similar pursuits of comedy in the past was an added layer of relatability. The use of self-deprecating humour struck a chord with fans as they watched him face insecurities when it comes to both his personal and professional endeavours, and that is something that is inevitably tied to the human experience. Getting through tough times eventually, but laughing at yourself on the way there, proves to be better than sulking throughout. This is what Chandler Bing essentially embodied, and Matthew Perry’s charming portrayal made it look easy.

Another important aspect of Chandler’s likeability was that he portrayed vulnerability and sensitivity in a time when the’macho’ persona was the norm for most male characters. His shy and awkward demeanour made a generation of young men feel like it was okay to not put on a tough exterior all the time.

The sitcom’s success further helped the character reach a wider audience as it continued to gain international fame. For many Indians, ‘Friends’ was their first exposure to Western media. Chandler Bing became a cultural icon, with his most famous dialogues being quoted and referenced often. His influence permeated other sitcoms and characters, and classic meme formats stemmed from his character. His comedic style became and stayed a prevalent element in contemporary media.

However, like anything else, and rightfully so, Chandler Bing was not free from criticism. Given the social atmosphere at the time the show was filmed, various jokes that were made reinforced harmful stereotypes. Newer audiences therefore have a harder time accepting some of the humour used in certain dialogues between the characters and the show in general. Nevertheless, the legacy of Matthew Perry’s beloved character has remained, and his influence is felt everywhere in media and culture.

So today, as you mourn Matthew Perry’s passing, maybe rewatch your favourite ‘Friends’ episodes and let Chandler Bing reiterate the fundamental lesson that laughter has the power to make any situation feel at least a little bit better.

Read also: 5 Best American Sitcoms of the 90s that Still Remain Classics

Featured Image Credits: Medium

Arshiya Pathania
[email protected] 

Keep Reading
By