This was stated by Dr. Jitendra Singh while addressing the valedictory function of the 2-day National Conference on ‘Role of Academic-driven Start-ups in Developing Economy of J&K (RASE-2024) at National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the StartUp movement in India has picked up in a big way in the last one decade and the credit for this primarily goes to Prime Minister Narendra Modi who gave a call ‘Start-up India Stand-up India’ from the ramparts of Red Fort during his Independence Address.
At that time, he recalled, the number of Start-ups in the country was just 350-400 and today it has gone up to 1.5 lakh while India is rated number 3 globally in the StartUps. Dr. Jitendra Singh said, in the earlier years, the StartUp movement did not catch up with an equal pace in this part of the country.
He said, this has also been so because of the fact that in some of the states and UTs like Jammu & Kashmir, for several decades government job or Sarkari Naukri has been the main source of livelihood and that has conditioned the mindset of the youngsters as well as the parents.
It is, therefore, important to create awareness that Rozgar does not mean only Sarkari Naukri and that some of the Start-up avenues may be more lucrative compared to the salaried government job, he said. Emphasising the need to explore the regional resources, Dr. Jitendra Singh said, somehow the mindset gets stuck up with IT when we talk of Start-ups whereas in a region like Jammu & Kashmir the agriculture sector should be the main area of Start-ups.
Citing the example of Aroma Mission, he said, the Purple Revolution was born from small towns of Bhaderwah and Gulmarg, and is now being talked about countrywide while the Purple Revolution Tableau was also displayed on 26th January parade at Kartvya Path, New Delhi. He said, nearly 5000 youngsters have taken up lavender farming as agri Start-ups and are making handsome income.
He said, to begin with, the different institutions in J&K ranging from CSIR, IIT, IIM, AIIMS, SKIMS, SKUAST, NIT Srinagar, Government Medical Colleges, could come together for joint StartUp endeavours. The Minister spoke to the audience about the need for a fundamental shift in thinking to propel India’s economy toward the goal of a ‘Developed India’ by 2047.
He emphasized the importance of linking academic institutions such as SKIMS Soura, AIIMS, IITs, IIMs, and GMCs with industry partners to ensure sustainable growth and foster a supportive environment for startups. Dr. Jitendra Singh also reaffirmed the Ministry of Science and Technology’s commitment to supporting StartUps. He highlighted the government’s efforts to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship in various sectors in J&K.
On the occasion, Mr Vishad Mafatlal, Chairman, NFIL was the Guest of Honor. The Union Minister was welcomed by Prof. A. Ravindernath, Director, NIT Srinagar, who briefed the Minister about the contribution of NIT Srinagar towards startup culture and vision for future.
After that RASE-2024 Conference report was presented by Dr Thakur SKR, Sci/Engr-SF, ISRO and Director, DHE & VBITR. He also said that RASE 2026 will be held in Jammu. Mr. K. N. Raghunandan, National Organising Secretary, VB-USS and Mr Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB-DST delivered key note addresses on innovations and startups.
It was followed by Release of J&K Super 100 Programme, Releasing of RASE 2023 & RASE 2024 Proceedings and Vikist India Journal by the Union Miniter Chander Has Gupta, Secretary, DHE and other dignitaries. A formal vote of thanks was presented by Dr. Yashwant Mehta, Secretary of RASE 2024 and Dean P&D, NIT Srinagar.
Earlier panel discussion on Marketing and Fund Raising for Start-ups, was held in the 1st session. It was attended by experts from all across the country including Prof. Dr. Madhukarbai S. Padvi, VC, BMTU, Rajpipla, Dr. Sudipto Chakraborty, Director, NFIL Mumbai, Radheshyam Singh, President, NFIL Surat.
Sdr. PBS Lamba, Major General, Indian Army, Prof. Adarsh Pal Vig, Director, HLL Ltd, Dr. Amit Kansal, Director, NHPC, Mr. Abhinay Sharma, Founder, Abhinay Maths, Nasir Shah, Additional Director, JKSTIC, Vipul Gupta, Founder, Reequil India Pvt Ltd, Prof. Manjit Bansal, Dean, MRS PTU Bhatinda. The discussion was moderated by Dr. Dinesh Rajendran NIT Srinagar.
Later Mr. Vishad Mafatlal, Chairman, NFIL, Prof. A. Ravindernath, Director, NIT Srinagar, Rajesh Kumar Pathak, Secretary, TDB-DST, Vijay Kumar Nadda, Organising Secretary, Vidya Bharti (NZ) and Bal Kishan, Jt. Organising Secretary, Vidya Bharti (NZ) distributed the prizes, monemtoes and certificates among the participants.
The conference was organised in National Institute of Technology Srinagar in association with the Department of Holistic Education, Central University of Kashmir, ICAR CITH, JK DST, & SKUAST Kashmir. This two-day national conference was sponsored by TDB DST, JK Science Technology and Innovation Council, JK DST, J&K Bank and NFIL.
Prof. A. Ravinder Nath, Director, NIT Srinagar & Vice Chancellor, Central University of Kashmir was the Chief Patron, Prof. Atikur Rahman, I/c Registrar, NIT Srinagar was the co-patron of the conference. The mega event was being held under the leadership of Prof. Najeeb Ud Din, Chairperson IIEDC.
Dr. Yashwant Mehta, Dr. Vijay Kumar, Dr. Dinesh Kumar Rajendran, Dr. H S Pali, Dr. Neeraj Gupta, Mr. Shahid Abbas Mir, Dr. Jitendra Gurjar and Dr. Sparsh Sharma are the sectreies of the conference. While Dr Ramjit Singh and Prof. Sandhya Tiwari are the coordinators from Central University of Kashmir.
Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. A Ravinder Nath said this conference was aimed to explore and discuss the crucial role that academic-driven start-ups play in contributing to the economy. Startups often spur economic development in regions that might otherwise rely on traditional industries, contributing to regional growth and diversification, he said.
Prof. Ravindernath said that two-day conference examined how educational institutions, particularly those focused on technology and technical education, can foster a culture of entrepreneurship and innovation, thereby benefiting students and society through start-up ventures.
“The main objectives of the conference were aimed to highlighting the importance of academic-driven startups by showcasing the impact that startups originating from academic institutions can have on the economy, job creation, and innovation,” he said. Prof. Ravinder Nath said that the conference was aimed at collaboration between educational institutions, government bodies, and industry to create a conducive ecosystem for start-ups.
Secretary TDB-DST Rajesh Kumar Pathak said that the conference explored the potential for tech institutions to adopt villages and create a startup-friendly atmosphere in rural areas. He said this conference was aimed to bridge the gap between academia and Industry. It was beneficial for the participants who are attended this conference from various parts of the country,” he said.
He further explained that there are various opportunities in TDB for young innovators and start-ups and participants can explore these funding possibilities. Dr. M.K. Verma, Director of CITH said this conference is important for recognizing and supporting academic-driven start-ups. "By focusing on skill education and support systems, we are paving the way for significant economic and social advancements," he explained.
Dr. Verma also stressed the need to bring these efforts to rural areas and to encourage an entrepreneurial mindset from a young age. Dean P&D, Dr Yashwant Mehta said that academic-driven startups are pivotal in transforming Jammu and Kashmir's economy through innovation and entrepreneurship.
This conference will showcase their potential to create jobs and drive innovation, fostering a collaborative ecosystem crucial for sustainable growth, he said. CEO of NIT’s GIF Shahid Abbas Mir said that startups play a crucial role in driving economic growth, fostering innovation, and creating jobs.
They are a significant source of new job opportunities, which can help reduce unemployment rates and introduce new products and services, boosting economic activity and consumer spending, he said. It is pertinent to mention here that NIT Srinagar hosted the 3rd conference of RASE Conferences Series after NIT Jalandhar and NIT Kurukshetra.