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@article{183751,
        author = {Dr. Radha Narayan},
        title = {INDIAN ENGLISH LITERATURE AND LANGUAGE AS AN INSTRUMENT OF NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT: A STUDY WITH REFERENCE TO RAJA RAO},
        journal = {International Journal of Innovative Research in Technology},
        year = {2025},
        volume = {12},
        number = {3},
        pages = {2732-2738},
        issn = {2349-6002},
        url = {https://ijirt.org/article?manuscript=183751},
        abstract = {The history of Indian English literature is deeply intertwined with the intellectual and cultural trajectory of modern India. As a medium of expression, the English language has served not merely as a colonial inheritance but as a powerful tool of self-definition, resistance, and nation-building. This paper explores the role of Indian English literature and language as an instrument of national development, with particular reference to the works of Raja Rao. Raja Rao, one of the most influential pioneers of Indian English fiction, redefined the creative possibilities of the English language by infusing it with the rhythms, idioms, and metaphysical depth of Indian thought. His seminal novel Kanthapura exemplifies how literature can mobilize political consciousness by narrating the story of India’s struggle for independence through a distinctly Indian lens while still using English as the vehicle of communication. By bridging Indian philosophical traditions with Western narrative techniques in works like The Serpent and the Rope and The Cat and Shakespeare, Raja Rao demonstrated how language could act as a mediator between cultures and as a means of shaping national and spiritual identity.
This study argues that Raja Rao’s use of English contributes to national development not only by articulating the historical realities of colonial and postcolonial India but also by envisioning a synthesis of cultural values that promote self-reliance, ethical growth, and intellectual resilience. His works underscore the idea that Indian English literature, when rooted in indigenous sensibilities, becomes an instrument for collective self-awareness and progress. By situating Raja Rao within the broader discourse of Indian English writing, the paper highlights the enduring relevance of literature and language as catalysts of social transformation and nation-building.},
        keywords = {Raja Rao, Indian English Literature, National Development, Cultural Identity, Language and Nation-Building.},
        month = {September},
        }