Governor N.N. Vohra visited the Institute of Kashmir Studies (IKS) University of Kashmir, and had extensive interactions with the Faculty and Post–graduate scholars at the Institute.Governor, who is the Chancellor of the University and the Chairman of Governing Body of IKS, in his interactions with the research scholars and the Faculty, emphasized the need for making the Institute a vibrant centre of excellence for undertaking quality research on social, cultural, historical and other issues of contemporary relevance.He urged the IKS scholars to pursue research on identified issues relating to the core areas of the Institute’s Charter and, side by side, also undertake analytical studies of major contemporary problems and challenges which face India and her neighbours. Governor observed that there is need to strengthen the Institute’s infrastructure and research facilities and added that IKS must have wide ranging research programmes which, besides encompassing pure research, also pursue inter-disciplinary studies of the major problems in the South Asia region.
Such comparative studies would be of great relevance to policy makers. He also suggested inter institutional linkages being developed with selected national and international institutions some of which are also doing eminent researches on issues relating to South Asia region.Governor urged the scholars and Faculty to give wide publicity to their research findings and also advised the Vice Chancellor, who is Director IKS, forfollow up on the career paths of the pass outs of the first three batches of the Masters Programme to assess the usefulness of the teaching being carried out at IKS. Prof. Khurshid Iqbal Andrabi, Vice Chancellor, University of Kashmir and Director IKS, participated in the interaction session.Later, Governor laid the foundation stone of New Administrative Block and a Laboratory Block at the Main Campus and visited the Health Club of the University. He also inaugurated two blocks of the Sheikh-ul-Alam Boys Hostel at University’s Zakura Campus. Governor took a round of the new Hostel Blocks and viewed the facilities being provided to the hostel students.