In a bid to promote Folk music of Jammu & Kashmir Advisor to Chief Minister Prof Amitabh Mattoo today released the maiden issue of “JK Music Initiative –A Peer Reviewed Journal of Music” here at Govt. P.G College for Women Gandhi Nagar.Principal Secretary Higher Education Department Dr Asgar Hassan Samoon, Vice Chancellor, Central University of Jammu Prof Ashok Aima, Director Colleges, Higher Education Department, Prof. Z.A Chat, Nodal Principal, Dr. Satinder Singh, Principal, Govt. P.G. College for Women Gandhi Nagar Dr. Kaushal Smotra, Principal, GCOE, Jammu Dr. Raj Shree Dhar, Social Activist Saba Haji, members of Editorial Board of Journal were present on the occasion. Principals and Faculty of Music Department of Kashmir Division also participated in the Release Ceremony via Video Conferencing.Speaking on the occasion, Prof Mattoo stressed upon the need to promote regional and folk music/instrument as a subject in line with Regional/folk vocal studies for students to raise awareness besides getting students to actively partake in these fields for preservation of these traditional arts.He asked the concerned officers to evolve mechanism and schemes for promotion and preservation of classical, heritage and folk music and provide a forum for interaction among academicians and service sector, as a part of knowledge initiative.He said that students should be involved at an early age and be made conscious of our cultural heritage. For this, he asked implementing agencies to take up installation of Edusat in educational institutions especially those located in remote areas and start interactive classes in Music and its allied fields.
The Advisor was informed that PG programme in Music is running various educational institutions in state and the government is mulling to start the courses in Performing Arts in coordination with reputed institutions like National School of Drama, others.Principals and Faculty of Music Department of Kashmir Division also participated in the Release Ceremony via Video Conferencing.Speaking on the occasion, Principal Secretary Higher Education Department said that the Journal is a part of knowledge initiative undertaken with the idea to preserve the dying Arts, Dialects, oral traditions, Vakhs and diverse arts forms in its pristine glory and originality.Later, Principal Secretary to Higher Education Department Dr. Asgar Hassan Samoon, convened a meeting with the functionaries of various institutions to review the functioning of Edusat Hubs of the state colleges.Principal Secretary interacted with the coordinators of the Edusat Hub of Colleges of Kashmir Division via video conferencing and discussed the issues related to the functioning of Edusat Hub in various colleges of Kashmir Division.Director, Ahmedabad DECU Varinder Kumar, and his team from Hughes Communication were also present in the meeting.