Srinagar: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir held a two-day event with IIT Ropar for fostering startups and igniting tech-based agricultural innovations in Jammu and Kashmir Union Territory.
The event, ‘Igniting Deep Tech Revolution in Agriculture and Allied Sciences was organised by SKUAST-K’s Division of Veterinary Biochemistry, FVSc in collaboration with the incubation hub (AWaDH) of IIT Ropar.
On day one of the event, an interaction session and networking dinner was organised at SKICC Srinagar, in which Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai; Vice Chancellor, Baba Ghulam Shah Badshah University, Prof Akbar Masood; Chairman, J&K Board of School Education, Prof Parkishit Singh Manhas; Registrar, Central University of Kashmir, Prof M Afzal Zargar; delegates from IIT Ropar-AWaDH led by Dr Radhika Trikha; Dr Ashraf Ganie, Professor of Endocrinology, SKIMS, Srinagar; Nasir Shah, Additional Director, Science and Technology Department, J&K Govt; Director, PPMO, Prof Haroon R Naik; and faculty members from SKUAST-K participated.
At the occasion, Ex-HoD, Division of Veterinary Biochemistry, FVSc was felicitated with the lifetime achievement award for his contribution to the research and development in his field.
On the second day of the event, a roundtable discussion on the role of innovation and entrepreneurship in addressing challenges in the agriculture sector of Jammu and Kashmir was held. The session was chaired by VC, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Gani and Registrar, Central University of Kashmir, Prof Afzal Zargar was the moderator.
In his remarks, Prof Ganai said that SKUAST-K has become a leading agricultural university in the country for the promotion of young minds towards innovation. He said the university has set the goal to be the first innovation-led agri-university for producing future agripreneurs as per the NEP-2020 mandate.
Chairman, JKBOSE, Prof Parkishit Singh Manhas, who is also the director of State Council of Educational Research and Training (SCERT), in his remarks, while appreciating the SKUAST-K initiative, expressed his eagerness to replicate the model at the school level.
The organising secretary of the event, Dr Showkeen Muzamil, gave an overview of the program and elaborated on the mandate of iHUB.
Later on, a pitching session was held, in which about 50 innovators from various institutes of the union territory pitched their startup ideas. The innovators who were judged for pitching the best ideas will be funded through SPRINT scheme of AWaDH for commercialising their ideas from Rs 1 lakh to Rs 25 lakh.
Chief Operating Officer, IIT Ropar Technology and Innovation Foundation
AWaDH, Dr Radhika Trikha, at the occasion, said that the focus of AWaDH is to support the young minds who are working towards technology-based agriculture for solving grassroots problems across the country. She said they chose SKUAST-K and J&K as the first place for the implementation of this nationwide program. She also expressed her willingness to work with the J&K SCERT to extended the initiative in the J&K Schools to inculcate the innovation mind set in the young buds.
Ex-Principal, SKIMS Medical College, Srinagar, Prof Reyaz A Untoo; Judge, Munsiff Court Baramulla, Zahoor Ahmad; District Treasury Officer, Baramulla, Farooq Ahmad Lone; Auditor, Finance Department, Dr Mubashir Malik also participated in the interaction session and provided their valuable inputs.

KR Desk