Riyaz Ul Khaliq
KL NEWS NETWORK
SRINAGAR
In a first of its kind, army on Wednesday held a program in the Kashmir University and assured ‘all help’ to Kashmir University administration in infrastructure development.
The army’s Srinagar based 15 Corps donated two sixteen seater cabs, 500 books, 25 computer systems with printers, one photostat machine, 2500 blankets, luggage bags and camping tents to Kashmir University at a seminar titled ‘Inclusive Participation in Growth of Education’ which lasted for over 45 minutes. The move comes after Kashmir University administration had appealed “all stakeholders” including corporate sector of India to help the varsity post 2014 floods.
The seminar started with a small documentary – “Serving Higher Learning” – detailing work and ‘hicupps’ in development of Kashmir university. Students in the documentary talked about problems they encounter while researching on different subjects due to dearth of books while Chief proctor of Kashmir University, Dr Naseer Iqbal detailed about the initiatives taken by KU administration to mitigate the problems and also help provided by army to varsity.
Dr Naseer said that the program is “outcome” of KU Vice Chancellor’s appeal which was put in public post 2014 Kashmir floods. “KU belongs to everyone; so all the stakeholders would come to enhance infrastructure of KU,” he said in his welcome address.
“Some of the 15 Corps officers really worked hard for a few months to make this project a success,” he added.
In his address, KU Registrar, Prof Zafar Reshi said that with the expansion of campus, “we want to give meangningful education to students”.
“For this,” he said, “we need sound infrastructure.”
Post floods, he said, “We appealed people essentially corporate world to help KU to build infrastructure and army responded positively and today they are donating all these things.”
KU VC, Prof KI Andrabi who was the chief guest on the occassion said that his administration has recieved a campus lacking infrastructure. “We have had a legacy of infrastructural problems,” he said.
“Kashmir faced huge floods of 2014 and then financial crunch of state,” he said adding, “UGC has its own funding pattern for state universities.”
He said that although KU was not “physically affected” by floods but “we appealed corporate sector of India to come forward and help KU in infrastructure building”.
“Under Corporate Social Responsibilty (CSR), we appealed business houses to invest and help in building infrastructure of University,” VC said. “HDFC and Srinagar based 15 Corps of army were first to respond our appeal.”
He said that HDFC has desired to help KU but they want to ‘pay in dollars’ for which KU needs approval from Home Ministry, GoI. “The process in going on,” he said. He asked army officers present on the occassion to “spread KU’s appeal” to corporate houses.
“We are thankful to army for their generous response to our call,” he said.
He further said that the appeal of KU was well responded by United States (US) based Ashias.
“Some Ashias from our valley who have settled in US have desired to set up a reading room at KU’s Iqbal Library; a Mufti family wishes to start giving Gold Medals to best law graduates of KU, annually and they want to name the medal after the name of their grand father who has been a jurist,’ he informed the gathering adding, “some people are coming forward to support scholarships for the students.”
Speaking on the occassion, GoC 15 Corps, Lt Gen Subrata Saha said that the army is ready to provide any kind of help to the varsity.
“I express my sincere gratitude to Vice Chancellor, Prof K I Andrabi who allowed us to conduct this program in the campus,” Gen Saha said. “As well wishers of your future, prosperity and growth, army shall provide all help,” he said.
Gen Saha said that people need to “move beyond floods”. “Let us move with a hope; let flood chapter be closed,” he told the gathering. “There is a vision, path of prosperity and growth. And, it is our humble contribution to move on that path,” he asserted.
Gen Saha on the occassion said that the Goodwill Schools run by army have shone in the recenty declared JK BOSE results of matric and twelfth classes.
“Army runs 30 Goodwill Schools across valley; 96.42 % of our matric students passed with 20 distinctions while over 97 % twelfth class students succesfully passed the examination,” he said adding, “for 4942 students studying in these Goodwill Schools, 400 teaching and non teaching faculty has been engaged by army.”
He said that the army conducts different tours for its students and faculty to mainland India to “intereact, exchange and for mutual education”.
“This year, we have planned a tour for SKUAST; and we offer such a facility to KU as well,” he said asking KU administration if they wanted to send its faculty or students to outside state.
He added, “it is heartening for me, personally, to see a satellite campus of KU coming up in Kupwara.” “My first posting was in this frontier district; so if we can help KU in any possible way to develop the Kupwara campus, we are ready,” he said adding the sub-divisonal headquarter of army in North Kashmir district shall be at fore front in this endeavour.
Gen Saha applauded the KU administration for locations of these satelite campuses. “They can’t be affected by floods anyway as they located on high lands.”
Army has been holding different concerts and programs like Sukoon, he said saying if KU wishes to do the same.
Deputy Proctor of KU, Dr Aijaz Ahmad Wani presented the vote of thanks.
