Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir Thursday conducted its second alumni meet at the Shalimar campus.
This year’s alumni meet was held during the 21-day freshers’ foundation program, IRTIQA, as an effort to encourage interactions between the newcomers and the alumni.
The SKUAST-K alumni meet was held to reconnect with its alumni for a greater role in the transformation of the varsity and society. The slogan of the meet was to relive, reconnect, restore, revitalise, and replenish. More than 250 SKUAST-K alumni attended the event physically and several overseas alumni attended virtually. The retired faculty and officers of the university also attended. The participants appreciated the efforts of the university in imbibing the culture of sharing and caring.
The event was supported by the ICAR-World Bank funded National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) for the institutional development of SKUAST-K.
Several senior government functionaries, administrative secretaries, officers from development departments, banks and business representatives who completed their education from SKUAST-K also attended. Retired faculty members and officers shared their memories and lauded the progress made by SKUAST-K in recent years.
A cultural function depicting the artistic talent of the alumni and the students marked the beginning of the event, followed by felicitation of alumni and graduate faculty, the release of Milan, and an endowment fundraising event.
Speaking on the occasion Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir A Ganai highlighted the achievements of the University in academic, research, extension and innovations. He highlighted the university’s endeavour towards globalization and overseas exposure to students and faculty. He exhorted the alumni to contribute their wisdom as well as enrich the endowment fund of their beloved alma mater. He highlighted the importance of the alumni in the development of an institution and added that the SKUAST-K alumni will be an important part of the university. He also gave an insight into the sustainable Agri-education model that SKUAST-K has developed to imbibe the culture of innovation and entrepreneurship among the students and faculty.
Vice Chancellor also paid rich tribute to Dr Zaka ur Rab, the former principal of the College of Agriculture, Wadura, who passed away recently. SKUAST-K presented a lifetime achievement award to Dr Zaka posthumously.
Describing him as the pioneer of agricultural education and extension in Kashmir, a tribute to Dr Zaka was read out at the event.
Director, Education, Prof MAA Siddique welcomed the guests and spoke about the importance of alumni meet and the role of the alumni in institution building. He presented the details of the achievements of SKUAST-K along with the details of the Endowment Fund.
The function was attended by Directors, Registrar, Deans, Associate Deans, Student Welfare Officers, HoDs and other staff of the University along with newly admitted students of SKUAST-K.
The event witnessed generous contributions from the alumni, graduate faculty, serving officers and faculty as well as students towards the fund.
Registrar, Prof TH Masoodi, proposed the vote of thanks. Several senior alumni also spoke on the occasion and thanked the university for organising the meet.
SKUAST-K alumni network has been formulated to strengthen the relationship between alumni and the university, promote fundraising, career development and mentoring in furtherance of academic & professional excellence of the University.
