Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!🌟 Welcome to JK Monitor, where every story matters and every achievement is celebrated! We invite you to share the remarkable journey of your life and showcase your accomplishments to the world. Join our exclusive interviews that honor exceptional individuals just like you. AWANTIPORA: The Centre for Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development (CIED), Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST), today inaugurated a week-long Advanced Entrepreneurship Skill Development Programme (AESDP) on “Innovative Approaches to Fruit Preservation and its Value Addition” being held from March 09–03, 2026. The workshop is being organized in collaboration with the Department of Food Technology, IUST
Dr. Rakesh Mehra, Director, Innovation Himgiri, New Delhi, attended the programme as the Chief Guest. Experts from MSME Srinagar, IUST, and SKUAST, along with Mr. S. P. Qalander, Industry Consultant, and other industry partners, are serving as resource persons for the programme and interacting with trainees to share insights on modern techniques of fruit preservation, value addition, and entrepreneurship opportunities in the food processing sector.
In his address, Dr. Rakesh Mehra appreciated IUST’s efforts in promoting innovation, skill development, and entrepreneurship among students and youth. He noted that India is poised to emerge as a global food factory and encouraged participants to leverage the vast opportunities in the food processing sector and pursue entrepreneurship as a viable career path.
In his inaugural address, Prof. Parvez A. Mir, Director, CIED IUST, emphasized that vocational education must form the core of economic as well as social development in the country. He highlighted the importance of government initiatives aimed at skill enhancement among youth from an early stage and noted that IUST is making sustained efforts to equip young people with entrepreneurial and technical skills through structured programmes and training initiatives.
The programme is coordinated by Dr. Basharat A. Dar, Coordinator, EDC/CPMSB, who also highlighted various government initiatives promoting youth entrepreneurship, including the YUVA Scheme, and encouraged participants to explore opportunities in the food processing sector. The programme aims to provide hands-on exposure and expert guidance on innovative fruit preservation techniques and value addition, fostering entrepreneurial ventures in the agri-food sector.
