Sayima Nargis, a PhD research scholar at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology-Kashmir (SKUAST-K), has been selected for the LOTUS Programme FY2026, an India-Japan science exchange initiative supported by the Japan Science and Technology Agency (JST), the university said on Thursday.Nargis is pursuing her doctorate in the Division of Plant Pathology under the supervision of Dr Tariq Rasool Rather, Professor of Plant Pathology at the university’s Advanced Research Station for Agriculture (AARC).
As part of the programme, she will undertake research at the Institute of Plant Science and Resources at Okayama University in Japan.
Her research proposal has been approved under the ASPIRE-Type Research Framework (e-Rad Project No. 26290341), according to the university.During the programme, Nargis will work in areas including molecular genetics, multi-omics, plant immunity and disease resistance. The programme will provide her with international research exposure and an opportunity to participate in scientific collaboration between India and Japan.
SKUAST-K Vice-Chancellor Dr Nazir Ahmad Ganaie congratulated Nargis on her selection and appreciated the efforts of the faculty members involved in her academic and research mentorship.
Ganaie said he hoped the achievement would encourage other students and research scholars at the university to pursue academic excellence and explore international research opportunities.
