Dr Jitendra Singh appreciates early development of Covid vaccine in India; Salutes Indian Scientists’ resilience, devotion

Jammu: Appreciating Prime Minister, Narendra Modi’s keen interest towards exploring and encouraging technological innovations in India, Union Minister of State for Development of North Eastern Region (DoNER) and Prime Minister’s Office, Dr Jitendra Singh, today said that the cumulative experience and knowledge gives a sense of scientific intuition and it was the PM, who for the first time, let the government diversify the applications of Space Technology and scientific innovations in the country.

“PM of India and his team has the capacity and courage to take revolutionary decisions for future technological advancements”, Union Minister maintained while addressing ‘National Science Day’ organized with the theme “Future of STI: Impact on Education, Skills and Work” by the Department of Students Welfare, University of Jammu here.

Dr Jitendra Singh said that with a reasonable degree of evidence, space technology has entered every Indian household in one form or the other and the space technology is finding its applications everywhere be that the smart city projects, agricultural technology, remote sensing, railway technology and disaster management in India.

Addressing the academicians, scholars and students on the National Science Day, Dr Jitendra said that the space technology in India is progressing by leaps and bounds under the present Government and the country is now on the verge of sending humans to space through its ‘Gaganyaan Mission’. He advised the academicians, scholars and students to visit all the important scientific institutes like Baba Atomic Research Centre, Vikram Sarabhai Space Center and other important scientific installations so as to realize the fact that science cannot be achieved without the passion.

Spelling out on the advancements of Nuclear Technology in India, Dr Jitendra praised Dr Homi J. Baba, Indian Nuclear Physicist for his immense contribution in the field saying that nuclear energy is going to be one of the most common sources of energy for increasing needs of India especially when the country is focusing on clean sources of energy.

He further said that scientific perseverance has gained momentum from the last seven years under Prime Minister’s guidance and the recently announced National Education policy is one of best steps ever initiated taking the scientific studies in the vernacular form.

Speaking on early development of COVID-19 vaccine in India as compared to most developed countries in the world, Dr Jitendra Singh said that the resilience exhibited by the Indian Scientists has no comparison. It is now evident from the fact that India has been able to export COVID vaccine to most of the medically advanced nations across the globe besides ensuring its adequate availability in India.

Listing out various scientific developments taking place in J&K since the past many years, Dr Jitendra highlighted some of the achievements like Cannabis Medicine Project by the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine with Canadian collaboration, establishment of National Institute of High Altitude Medicine at Bhaderwah, setting up of department of Space Studies at Central University of Jammu which will be a catalyst towards development of scientific temper among the science students and scholars in J&K.

Earlier, Dr Singh felicitated the students with academic excellence awards in presence of Professor Manoj K. Dhar, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu.

The awards were distributed among the prize winners of different competitions like quiz, debate and poster making held in different science faculties and departments of the University of Jammu. Besides, best papers published during 2019-20 by the research scholars of Botany, Statistics, Biotechnology, Chemistry, Computer Sciences, Physics and Mathematics were also awarded in the event.

Vice-Chancellor JU, in his detailed presentation, highlighted some of the major achievements of the University which inter alia included Rs 20 crore under RUSA 1, Rs 100 crore from Union Ministry of Human Resource Department under RUSA 2.0 along with other nine Universities in the country. He said that Jammu University is a NAAC A+ and has been conferred Category 1 University with full autonomy by the UGC. Besides, the Business School has been accredited for its flagship MBA programme by prestigious NBA and AICTE. He said that The School of Biotechnology has been ranked A, an evaluation conducted by the Department of Biotechnology, Govt of India and it is in the 10 first Departments of the Country, which has been selected further for funding by DBT. Also, DST has recognized the University under the PURSE programme, we are at the moment under Phase II programme of the PURSE with Rs 16.75 crore. We have UGC SAP sponsored Departments, DST (FIST) Departments and many research projects with extramural fundings, said Prof Dhar. He further underlined that the University inspite of COVID-19 has conducted 60 workshops, 18 conferences, 13 symposia, 12 benchmark series lectures, 52 cultural events, 36 sports events, 12 faculty development programmes and 10 seminars in the last one and a half years.

During Lockdown, University was not far with its outreach activities and in this Direction University came forward in the creation of Quarantine Centre and Wellness Centre in both off-site Campuses of Bhaderwah and Kathua. University provided real-time PCR machines and high-speed centrifuges for the testing facility by strengthening Govt Medical College, Jammu. Prof Dhar said that high powered research committee. Besides academics, University is also focusing on entrepreneurship and innovations in the University ecosystem and in this regard University has setup University Business Incubation and Innovation Centre, Skill Development Centre and Industry-Academia Interface and Section 8 Company.

Prof Dhar also draw the attention of the Hon’ble Minister to the major project to be undertaken by the University under Research Cluster which will house 7 innovations Centres that comprise of the centre for Nano Technology & Material Science, Virology, genomic, Climate change & Biodiversity and conservation & corporate governance. He outlined the need for the establishment of collaborative research projects with Department of Space and Dept. of Atomic Energy in the University of Jammu for training of the youth of the region for setting up of entrepreneurial ventures and startups.

Among others Prof Ashok Aima, Vice-Chancellor, CUJ, Dr Srinivasan Reddy, Director, IIIM, Jammu, Dr. Shashi Sudhan Sharma, Principal, GMC, members of the civil society, Deans and Heads of Department, officers, teaching faculty, scholars and students were present on the occasion.