Hon'ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi is transforming India into a society driven by innovation, Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha said earlier today. He said India is a global leader in Artificial Intelligence, AI-driven solutions for various sectors and expanding its reach to design and development. He was speaking at the launch of ATL Sarthi at University of Kashmir.

The University serves as a nodal institution for the ATL Sarthi initiative, collaborating with NITI Aayog to establish robust monitoring mechanisms and strong institutional linkages with Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in schools across J&K. The initiative will focus on providing mentorship, capacity building for ATL teachers, and guiding students in transforming ideas into commercial prototypes.

In his address, the Lieutenant Governor lauded the ATL Sarthi initiative aimed at connecting every Atal Tinkering Lab to larger ecosystem of guidance and mentorship.

“The Atal Tinkering Lab is a fitting tribute to former Prime Minister Shri Atal Bihari Vajpayee. These Labs are empowering our young students and providing them with the tools for new discovery and self-development, and imparting skills like problem-solving. By nurturing the curiosity of India's 'Amrit Generation,' ATL labs are laying the foundation for a developed and aspirational nation,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor also spoke on the steady transformation taking place in J&K’s innovation ecosystem at the school level by Atal Tinkering Labs.

 Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Kulgam, Shopian, Srinagar and many other districts are witnessing significant rise of student-led innovation and equipping students with future-ready skills, he said.

The Lieutenant Governor expressed gratitude to the Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for 500 additional Atal Tinkering Labs for Jammu and Kashmir, at a cost of Rs 100 crore, under the Frontier Region Program.

He said these additional labs will play a crucial role in inclusive innovation by starting Atal Tinkering Labs in remote and tribal areas.

The Lieutenant Governor also emphasised the need to increase the number of Atal Tinkering Labs in the Jammu division. He said these labs will provide the youth of the region with the vast opportunity to invent effective solutions to local problems in areas such as agriculture, handicrafts, tourism, and disaster management.

The Lieutenant Governor highlighted that under the leadership of Hon’ble Prime Minister, innovation is no longer limited to industries; it has become a permanent part of our society.

He urged the youth of Jammu and Kashmir—the future innovators—to take advantage of the support provided by the Government of India and realize their dreams.

The Lieutenant   Governor said the landmark Rs 1 lakh crore fund for research, development and innovation, for the next 6 years is accelerating progress in high-priority sectors, ranging from energy security to climate action and deep technologies like Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

He called upon the University of Kashmir to focus on skill development, and capacity building for Atal Tinkering Lab teachers, unlocking their potential and promoting creativity and innovation.

The Lieutenant Governor made a special mention of Atal Tinkering Lab students from across Jammu Kashmir for providing innovative solutions to address local problems and challenges. He also visited the stalls showcasing the innovative projects by the students of ATLs and interacted with the young innovators.

The occasion also witnessed the release of the coffee table book celebrating the successful innovations by the ATL students from Jammu Kashmir. The representatives of Corporate and Foundation partners also briefed on their CSR initiatives aimed at fostering a stronger innovation ecosystem in the UT of J&K.

Dr. Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State ( Independent Charge) for Science & Technology, Earth Sciences, MoS PMO, Personnel, Public Grievances & Pensions, Atomic Energy & Space also graced the launch ceremony.

Shri Atal Dulloo, Chief Secretary; Dr. Deepak Bagla, Mission Director, Atal Innovation Mission, NITI Aayog; Shri Shantmanu, Additional Chief Secretary, Higher Education Department; Prof. Nilofer Khan, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir; Shri Ram Niwas Sharma, Secretary School Education; Ms. Deepali Upadhyay, Program Lead, Atal Innovation Mission; Prof. Naseer Iqbal, Registrar, Kashmir University; senior officials, heads of educational institutions, faculty members, teachers, and students of Atal Tinkering Labs were present.