(Inauguration) Ahmednagar, September 14, 2025 — The Department of English, BPHE Society’s Ahmednagar College, inaugurated its innovative initiative Poetic Pharmacy on Wednesday, September 10, 2025, at 10:30 a.m. The event was graced by Principal Dr. Noel Parge, Vice Principal Dr. Pritamkumar Bedarkar, Dr. Bhalsing, Non-Grant Coordinator Dr. Sayyed Razak, and Registrar Mrs. Kalpalata Bhingardive.
(Inauguration) At the opening ceremony, Principal Dr. Parge symbolically turned the signboard from “Closed” to “Open”, declaring the pharmacy functional. This was followed by a ribbon-cutting ceremony. The programme was compered by Janhavi Santhana, a second-year BA English student.
On this occasion, dignitaries were felicitated with a specially designed “Faculty Survival Kit”, which included daily essentials like tea bags, biscuits, notebooks, pens, chocolates, and bookmarks—each playfully labeled like medicines. For instance, chocolates were humorously tagged as “Choco Drill,” a mood-uplifting remedy. This witty idea drew much appreciation.
What is the Poetic Pharmacy?
Unlike conventional pharmacies, this one dispenses poetry instead of medicines. The Poetic Pharmacy catalogues a total of 22 student-related “ailments” and 10 faculty-related “ailments.” These are grouped into four categories: Mind and Mood Disorders, Student Life Syndromes, Low Mood Disorders, and Real Issues. Each ailment is given a humorous name—such as Self-Doubt Syndrome, Failure Flu, Lecture Coma (when students feel no urge to attend class), Deadline Panic, Exam-IT (exam-related anxiety), or Mom’s Food Withdrawal (for hostel students missing home-cooked meals). Faculty ailments include Syllabus Overloaditis, Multitask Burnout, and Late Submission Flu.
For every creatively named disorder, the English Department prescribed a poem, given to visiting students as a “poetic prescription.” Through this imaginative exercise, literature became a medium for healing, reflection, and joy.
The initiative also had clear educational aims: to encourage students to recite poems in public, strengthen critical thinking, apply literature to real-life situations, build confidence, and cultivate creativity as a path to emotional well-being.
Head of Department Dr. Aashita Bandelu, in her address, highlighted the department’s tradition of creative activities and expressed the vision of extending such initiatives beyond the college into society. Principal Dr. Parge lauded the ingenuity of the project and extended his best wishes.
The concept of Poetic Pharmacy was envisioned by Dr. Nimisha Bandelu and Ms. Tejal Sonawane, with the idea of naming the ailments and prescriptions developed by Ms. Sonawane.
The project was fully conceptualized and executed by DSC English Major students under the course Appreciating Poetry. Students actively involved included Mukhtiyar Haq (M.A. II), Nagori Rashidul (M.A. II), Ruqaiya Merchant (T.Y.B.A.), Bhumi Ghawari (T.Y.B.A.), Arbina Shaikh (S.Y.B.A.), Anjali Jangid (S.Y.B.A.), Anushka Sewani (S.Y.B.A.), Janhavi Santhana (S.Y.B.A.), Anas Pathan (S.Y.B.A.), Aditya Kshirsagar (S.Y.B.A.), Kunal Jha (F.Y.B.A.), Sahil Shelar (F.Y.B.A.), Preeti Arole (F.Y.B.A.), Pragya Shinde (F.Y.B.A.), and Fatima Kagzi (F.Y.B.A.).
The project was carried out under the guidance of Dr. Aashita Bandelu (Head, Department of English) and Dr. Kamlakar Bhat, with valuable support from Dr. Ashok Borude, Dr. Parag Athawale, Mr. Gaurav Misal, and Ms. Gayatri Nair.
The English Department has consistently fostered creative initiatives. In 2024, the Book Brewhouse reading and discussion club was launched by Ms. Tejal Sonawane and continues to meet regularly. The department has also organized film-screening discussions, the first-ever Treasure Hunt on campus, and several other innovative events.
Through these initiatives, the Department of English at Ahmednagar College continues to nurture creativity, critical engagement, and holistic learning, while envisioning many more innovative projects for the future.