Secretary of the Science & Technology Department, Dr. Shahid Iqbal Chowdhury, inaugurated the Immersive Virtual Reality Lab (IVRL) at the Division of Veterinary Anatomy, Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, Shuhama, SKUAST-Kashmir. The lab, developed with major funding from NABARD, is the first of its kind in any Indian university and is among the world’s finest curriculum-based VR facilities.

The lab, named Skills Hub Centre, features state-of-the-art Augmented Reality (AR), Virtual Reality (VR), and 3D technologies applicable across Veterinary and Medical sciences, including Anatomy, Physiology, Pathology, Gynecology, Medicine, Surgery, Radiology, and other clinical disciplines. The facility will enhance students’ practical understanding, foster research, and overcome ethical limitations of working on real specimens.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Shahid Iqbal congratulated SKUAST-K for its innovative projects and emphasized the need for introducing advanced methodologies in teaching and research. He also called for better collaboration between scientific institutions to bridge existing gaps.
Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai highlighted the lab’s significance in competitive student training and praised the efforts of Dr. Firdous A. Dar, the principal investigator of the IVRL project. He invited students, researchers, and faculty from related institutions to utilize the facility in a regulated manner.
Prof. Riaz A. Shah, Dean FVSc & AH, welcomed the guests and expressed hope that the lab would enhance practical skills and promote innovation among students. The inauguration concluded with a demonstration of the lab by Dr. Firdous Ahmad, a vote of thanks by Prof. A.R. Chowdhury, and session coordination by Dr. Andleeb Rafiq.