In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family

SRINAGAR: A two-day workshop on “Entrepreneurial Mindset and Idea Validation”, organised by the SKUAST-K Innovation and Incubation Entrepreneurship Centre (SKIIE) in collaboration with T-Hub, Hyderabad, concluded today at the Shalimar Main Campus.

The workshop aimed to equip students and budding entrepreneurs with an entrepreneurial mindset and practical tools to assess, refine and validate business ideas before taking them to market.

Experts from T-Hub, along with SKIIE mentors, conducted interactive sessions on opportunity recognition, design thinking, customer discovery, lean start-up methodology and pitch building. The sessions combined conceptual inputs with hands-on exercises and group activities.

Participants worked in teams to identify problem statements, test assumptions and refine their ideas through iterative feedback. The workshop concluded with team presentations, reflecting improvements in problem identification, solution development and pitching.

Speaking at the valedictory session, Naveed Bhat, CEO, SKIIE, highlighted the importance of collaborations with national-level incubation and innovation ecosystems such as T-Hub in providing students exposure to industry-oriented frameworks, mentorship and startup networks. He said nurturing an entrepreneurial mindset among students can help them identify and develop opportunities in agriculture, allied sciences and rural enterprise.

The T-Hub experts appreciated SKUAST-K’s growing entrepreneurship ecosystem and expressed interest in continuing the collaboration through mentorship, training and access to wider startup networks. They encouraged participants to further develop their ideas and approach SKIIE for incubation support.

The SKIIE team expressed confidence that the workshop would contribute to strengthening a culture of innovation and entrepreneurship on campus, with participating teams encouraged to take their validated ideas forward through the SKIIE incubation ecosystem.

Your voice can reach the world: At JK Monitor, we firmly believe that every well-researched idea has the power to inspire change beyond geographical boundaries. We are delighted to share an encouraging message from one of our esteemed contributors, Dr. Rakesh Verma (J&K Forest Services). “His article, ‘When Trees Become Rights-Bearing Citizens: A Lesson from Canada for India’s Ecological Future,’ published on JK Monitor, received appreciation from La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, the French non-profit organisation that founded and promotes the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.”.  Read the message here
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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