Srinagar: The puppet show, Ba’and Paather and Science Mushaira enthralled the audience on the fifth day of the Vigyan Sarvatre Pujyate (Science & Technology is Revered All Over), Festival for All, organised by the Central University of Kashmir (CUK), University of Kashmir (KU), in collaboration with Vigyan Prasar, at Gandhi Bhawan in University of Kashmir, here Saturday.
The festival is being organised under Science & Technology Communication, Popularization & its Extension (SCOPE).
The day began with a puppet show ‘Science Vigyan’ and Ladishah by the Department of Convergent Journalism, under the guidance of Sr Asst Prof. Dr. John Babu Koyye Dr. John Babu said, “The purpose is to educate people about the importance of Science is 21st Century and how it is eradicating superstition.”
A ba’and group from Wathora led by Rayees Wathori performed on the topic, “Blessings of Science.” Using humour and satire, they showed the ill-effects of deforestation in Kashmir. Science songs were performed by Mr. Bilal Shahjahan and Science skit was done by CUK students under the guidance of Prof. Zahoor Ahmad Geelani. A Science mushaira, was also held under the guidance of Prof. M Gayasudin and Prof. Mehfooza Jan. Nine poets of Kashmiri and Urdu presented their poetry. Noted satirist, Zareef Ahmad Zareef, was guest of honour.
Speaking on the occasion, CUK, Vice Chancellor, Prof. Farooq Ahmad Shah, said, “Daily/common science application and relevance if not understood in vernacular language, has no meaning. The importance of science is to improve the quality of life,” he said.
Dean School of Media Studies and Project Coordinator, Prof. Shahid Rasool said, “The programmes organised today carried different messages, which will stay with us for whole life and the need of the hour, is to spread the same among the family members and society at large,” he said.
The presidium of the event, Head Urdu department, University of Kashmir, Prof. Aejaz Mohammad Sheikh, said, “All the performances had a message that is to save the environment and avoid using polythene and plastic. I think the success of this event will be if we apply the essence of these messages in our daily life.”
Earlier, on Friday, various activities were conducted under the theme “Inventions and innovations.” Speaking on the topic through online mode “Innovations and entrepreneurship in India”, Prof. Pawan K Dhar from JNU asked the CUK to establish a sustainable entrepreneurship ecosystem. He shared ideas of what can be done to strengthen and scale up innovations and entrepreneurship. He said how they (university authorities) can create junk Labs at CUK and activate them; teach national innovation foundation stories; connect with urgent national missions, establish organic content generators which can be further distributed across the state at nominal prices.
Prof. M. Ashraf Shah from NIT Srinagar, on the theme “The age of Nano technology” said, “We are in the age of Nano technology right now and within this decade we will have half of the products coming from it only. The technological revolution will have Nano products.” Prof. G. Jeelani of Deptt. Earth Sciences, KU, spoke on the topic “The relevance of Earth Sciences” while as Head Deptt of Biotechnology, CUK, Dr. Abid Hamid Dar, delivered a lecture on “Innovation in Biotechnology.”

KR Desk