Government College for Women Udhampur organized a two day international conference on the theme “Science for Survival: To Explore the Unexplored Dimensions”.
Principal Secretary, Higher Education Department, Alok Kumar was the chief guest of the event, who joined the conference through virtual mode. Director Colleges, Prof. (Dr.) Yasmeen Ashai was the guest of honor and she also joined through virtual mode.
The special guests of the event were Additional District Development Commissioner, Udhampur, Ghan Shyam Singh; Additional SP Anwar -Ul- Haq; Dr. Udhay Bhanu, principal GDC Ramnagar, Rajinder Kumar Digra, District Information Officer, the Principals of various government colleges of Jammu division also graced the occasion with their presence.
Dr. Monika Sharma, Principal of the college and convener of the conference presented a formal welcome address to the chief guest, guest of honor, resource persons and other dignitaries.
She also welcomed the resource persons who have joined this conference from overseas through virtual mode. In her welcome address, the principal raised the critical global issues and grand challenges such as climate change, pandemics, energy security, water management, and food shortage and she also hoped that the conference will put some light on these issues which eventually will lead to the solutions.
Dr. Anita Sharma, co-convener of the conference gave introductory remarks on the theme of the conference. She asserted without science there is no human growth, no technological advances and no knowledge generation and she explained the significance of the conference by expressing her ideas on it.
She believed that scientific knowledge, scientific conferences are important avenues for researchers to share and discuss research findings. It also acts as a platform to exchange ideas and insights and to network for collaboration and career development.
It can benefit the student in so many ways. Dr. Kewal Kumar, organizing secretary of the conference, briefed the proceedings of the conference. He explained the motive behind organizing such a mega event.
He stated that the institution is an undergraduate institute having girl students only and the students mostly belong to rural background. Most of the girls even don’t know what a conference is, what happens in a conference?
So, this conference is an attempt to ignite the young and budding minds towards scientific approach. The students through this conference shall learn the significance of the research and innovation.
Keynote speaker, Dr. OP Vidyarthi (Retd. IFS), former principal chief conservator, Forest department, UT of J&K deliberated on the theme of the conference with the presentation entitled “Decade of Ecosystem Restoration: Challenges of Solution.''
He argued that there is a need to restore our nature & environment. He further discussed the bio-diversity of the region. He also impressed upon the need to restore cultural values to restore the ecosystem.
He advised to practice eco-friendly farming, rejuvenation of herbal cure, preservation of Biodiversity hot spots to conserve rare, endemic, threatened species of ornamental, medicinal.
He also stressed that edible plant taxa need to be promoted for maintaining ecosystem resilience and livelihood security. Scientific advancements, Genetic engineering & conservation strategies can play a crucial role in ecosystem management, he opined.
Dr. Yasmeen Ashai, Guest of honor of the conference appreciated the fact that the college has organized the conference on such a topic which is current and is of paramount importance in today’s time.
She stressed that science and technology have to move simultaneously in order to achieve efficient results with minimum failure. She also hoped that colleges of JKUT will frequently organize such endeavors in future.
Alok Kumar, Chief Guest of the conference deliberated upon the sustainable development and argued that the science must continue its wonders and experiments but it must be evaluated and checked on regular intervals.
Scientific discoveries and inventions should not be done at the expense of the destruction of mother nature. Science shall develop but sustainably. He conveyed his wishes to Dr. Yasmeen Ashai, Director Colleges, Higher Education Department, Krittika Jyotsna, Deputy Commissioner Udhampur, Dr. Monika Sharma, Principal of the college and the students and fraternity of the college for organising an academically-driven event on such a topical subject.
An exhibition was held during the conference where the Department of Information and Public Relations put on display a photo exhibition, while the Students of the college exhibited the traditional heritage in the exhibition.
UMEED also put up its local products of handicrafts. Research oriented posters were also presented by the students and alumni of the college.