Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Wednesday kick-started its flagship student orientation-cum-foundation program, IRTIQA 2023. 

In line with NEP-2020, SKUAST-K every year holds the three-week freshers program, IRTIQA or evolution, with an aim to acclimatise the newly joined students with the varsity and orient them towards their future goals and purpose of life. This year’s theme of the orientation program is love each other and innovate with the vision to achieve excellence (LEED to LIVE).

Commissioner Secretary, Science and Technology Department, Saurabh Bhagat was the chief guest at the inaugural function of the IRTIQA attended by all the freshers and sophomores of the university, besides officers and faculty of the SKUAST-K, officers of the J&K CST, besides invited guests. 

While praising SKUAST-K for holding this unique program, Saurabh Bhagat in his address, said it needs to be emulated in all the Polytechnique Colleges and ITI of J&K. He praised SKUAST-K for its work including the creation of an innovation ecosystem under NAHEP and developing the Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP), which is leading the agriculture transformation of whole J&K. 

Bhagat said the HADP has now become the talk of the highest offices of the country and different states are working to formulate similar programs for the development of the agriculture sector. 

At the occasion, he also presented a Rs 2 crore cheque to SKUAST-K on behalf of J&K Council of Science and Technology (JKCST), and assured full support of his department to the university in its research and innovation endeavours. He also presented another cheque of Rs 8 lakh for conducting the J&K Agri-Med Science Congress. 

Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, said the purpose of IRTIQA is to provide the students a chance to showcase their talent and make their stay at the university enjoyable and stress-free. Addressing the students, he said, “It is now your responsibility to lead the country and J&K to become a developed nation, where justice, equality, human development and science and technology-led growth are hallmarks.”

Director, Education, SKUAST-K, Prof MAA Siddique, the main coordinator of the foundation program, in his welcome address, gave an overview of the 21-day program. Prof Siddique, who is superannuating at the end of this month, in his emotional address to the students, congratulated them for choosing SKUAST-K for their education, which he said, “Is a place where dreams take roots and aspirations soar.” Dean, Students Welfare, SKUAST-K, Prof Rafiq A Shahardar, proposed the vote of thanks.

On the occasion, Rs1.57 crore scholarship money under HADP was also distributed among the postgraduate and PhD students of the university.

On the side-lines, SKUAST-K innovators, startups, entrepreneurs and artists had set up various stalls to display their innovations and products.

The cultural performance by the students, representing the cultural diversity of the varsity and country was the limelight of the event.