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STATE
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Wed, Aug 19, 2026 01:07 PM
SMVDU Marks 23 Years of Knowledge, Innovation and Nation-Building , LG Sinha Calls for Global Research, Innovation and Industry-Academia Partnerships
JAMMU, August 19: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday attended the 23rd Foundation Day celebrations of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), felicitating achievers and outlining an ambitious vision for the university’s future role in research, innovation and nation-building.
Congratulating the university community, the Lieutenant Governor said that over the past 23 years, SMVDU has emerged as a centre of knowledge, innovation and values, producing students who are not only successful but also socially responsible.
“A university is not built by its buildings but by ideas, dreams and possibilities,” he said, stressing the importance of visionary leadership, dedicated faculty and curious students in building institutions of excellence.
Sinha highlighted SMVDU’s achievements in research and innovation, including around 140 research projects, international collaborations, an advanced AI and Deep Learning Lab, 14 patents and 30 start-ups. He called for stronger industry-academia linkages and greater efforts to commercialise research and innovations.
The Lieutenant Governor urged the university to maximise participation in the Centre’s research initiatives, including the ₹1 lakh crore research fund announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, and encouraged the Vice-Chancellor to constitute a dedicated team of faculty and students to pursue opportunities under the scheme.
He identified limited research, faculty shortages, weak accountability and inadequate industry linkages among the major challenges confronting Indian universities. Calling for a change in approach, he said institutions must move beyond asking “What should we teach?” to asking “What problems must we solve?”
Sinha said India’s youthful population, creativity and spirit of risk-taking are among the country’s greatest strengths, and universities must empower students to become creators of opportunities rather than merely job seekers.
He also stressed the importance of holistic education, including sports, arts, literature, debates and cultural activities, alongside science and technology. He called upon SMVDU to strengthen engagement with rural communities and develop solutions in areas such as healthcare, rural economy, urbanisation and digital innovation.
Presenting a vision for SMVDU towards 2040, the Lieutenant Governor called for advanced research facilities in artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology and climate science, digital learning networks for rural Jammu and Kashmir, and expanded international student-exchange programmes.
“The true measure of a university’s success lies in its students and alumni,” Sinha said, emphasising that research and innovation acquire real meaning when they address societal problems, improve quality of life and bring positive change to ordinary citizens.
He urged the university to harmonise modernity with human values and work towards becoming “a pilgrimage centre of knowledge, a laboratory of innovation and a guiding light for society.”
The Lieutenant Governor also invited suggestions from stakeholders for establishing a state-of-the-art International Museum of Goddess at Katra and inaugurated a Self-Help Group bakery unit at SMVDU.
Senior officials, members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the university’s Executive Council, heads of educational institutions, faculty members, staff and students attended the celebrations. ANB
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STATE
/
Wed, Aug 19, 2026 01:07 PM
SMVDU Marks 23 Years of Knowledge, Innovation and Nation-Building , LG Sinha Calls for Global Research, Innovation and Industry-Academia Partnerships
JAMMU, August 19: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday attended the 23rd Foundation Day celebrations of Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), felicitating achievers and outlining an ambitious vision for the university’s future role in research, innovation and nation-building.
Congratulating the university community, the Lieutenant Governor said that over the past 23 years, SMVDU has emerged as a centre of knowledge, innovation and values, producing students who are not only successful but also socially responsible.
“A university is not built by its buildings but by ideas, dreams and possibilities,” he said, stressing the importance of visionary leadership, dedicated faculty and curious students in building institutions of excellence.
Sinha highlighted SMVDU’s achievements in research and innovation, including around 140 research projects, international collaborations, an advanced AI and Deep Learning Lab, 14 patents and 30 start-ups. He called for stronger industry-academia linkages and greater efforts to commercialise research and innovations.
The Lieutenant Governor urged the university to maximise participation in the Centre’s research initiatives, including the ₹1 lakh crore research fund announced by Prime Minister Narendra Modi on August 15, and encouraged the Vice-Chancellor to constitute a dedicated team of faculty and students to pursue opportunities under the scheme.
He identified limited research, faculty shortages, weak accountability and inadequate industry linkages among the major challenges confronting Indian universities. Calling for a change in approach, he said institutions must move beyond asking “What should we teach?” to asking “What problems must we solve?”
Sinha said India’s youthful population, creativity and spirit of risk-taking are among the country’s greatest strengths, and universities must empower students to become creators of opportunities rather than merely job seekers.
He also stressed the importance of holistic education, including sports, arts, literature, debates and cultural activities, alongside science and technology. He called upon SMVDU to strengthen engagement with rural communities and develop solutions in areas such as healthcare, rural economy, urbanisation and digital innovation.
Presenting a vision for SMVDU towards 2040, the Lieutenant Governor called for advanced research facilities in artificial intelligence, robotics, biotechnology and climate science, digital learning networks for rural Jammu and Kashmir, and expanded international student-exchange programmes.
“The true measure of a university’s success lies in its students and alumni,” Sinha said, emphasising that research and innovation acquire real meaning when they address societal problems, improve quality of life and bring positive change to ordinary citizens.
He urged the university to harmonise modernity with human values and work towards becoming “a pilgrimage centre of knowledge, a laboratory of innovation and a guiding light for society.”
The Lieutenant Governor also invited suggestions from stakeholders for establishing a state-of-the-art International Museum of Goddess at Katra and inaugurated a Self-Help Group bakery unit at SMVDU.
Senior officials, members of the Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Shrine Board and the university’s Executive Council, heads of educational institutions, faculty members, staff and students attended the celebrations. ANB
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