As part of the World Heritage Week celebrations, faculty from Department of Architecture, Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) participated in the week long deliberations organized by the Department of Archives, Archaeology & Museums, Jammu & Kashmir with the focus on conservation and preservation of heritage buildings and monuments in Srinagar and Jammu.
In Srinagar, the workshop brought together engineers, nodal officers, and representatives from various government departments to discuss effective strategies for safeguarding Jammu and Kashmir’s architectural heritage. Led by experts Dr Mehran Qureshi, Head Department of Architecture at IUST, and Mr Umar Farooq, Assistant Professor IUST, the sessions focused on heritage sensitization, sustainable conservation practices and the value of traditional construction techniques.
Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Mr Vijay Kumar Bidhuri and Director of Archives, Archaeology & Museums Mr Kuldeep Krishan Sidha emphasized the need for a balanced approach to development and heritage preservation. Dr. Qureshi highlighted the department’s future plans for heritage conservation, including community-focused workshops and collaborations to document and preserve traditional architecture.
In Jammu, a similar workshop held at Panchayat Bhawan focused on educating Nodal Officers, engineers, and other stakeholders on technical aspects of architectural conservation and heritage restoration. The session, inaugurated by Mr Bhupinder Kumar, Secretary Public Works, also aimed to establish a network of Trainers of Trainers (TOTs) across Jammu Division to continue disseminating conservation knowledge. Expert resource persons included Mr Rahul Bhosle, Superintending Archaeologist at the Archaeological Survey of India. Both events underscored the importance of preserving Jammu and Kashmir’s rich cultural heritage for future generations.
