Share your story and shine at JK Monitor!đ 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 Islamic University of Science and Technology (IUST) observed World Diabetes Day 2026 on Friday with a series of activities including MoU signing, felicitation ceremony, expert lectures and diabetes screening. The event was held at the Conference Hall of the Rumi Library, IUST.
The celebrations commenced with the inaugural session, which began with a welcome address by Dr. Muzafar Macha. Brief remarks were delivered by the District AYUSH Officer, Pulwama and the Directorate of AYUSH, Dr. M. Shafi Malik, along with a brief Yoga demonstration.
Addressing the gathering, Prof. Sheikh Aijaz Bashir, Dean Academic Affairs, IUST, highlighted the importance of such health awareness initiatives and the University's role in community health outreach. He stated that diabetes affects a substantial section of the global population and, despite widespread awareness about preventive measures and lifestyle modification, adherence remains a significant challenge. He noted that bridging the gap between knowledge and practice continues to be a critical area requiring collective intervention.
Dr. Shujad Hussain Shuja, Assistant Director, AYUSH, in his address, stated that with over 101 million people affected by diabetes in India, preventive intervention assumes paramount significance. He stressed the need to move beyond awareness towards tangible action, advocating a paradigm shift from a treatment-centric to a prevention-driven healthcare model.
He further emphasized that sustained lifestyle modifications, encompassing balanced nutrition, regular physical activity and effective stress management constitute the cornerstone of diabetes prevention and management.
A key highlight of the inaugural session was the signing of Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) and felicitation ceremony. The formal vote of thanks was proposed by Dr. Rais Ahmad Ganai, Head, Watson-Crick Centre for Molecular Medicine.
The technical session was chaired by Dr. Peer Bilal Ahmad, Director DIQA, co-chaired by Dr. Muzafar A. Macha, Associate Dean, School of Health Sciences and coordinated by Dr. Suhail Yousuf, Assistant Professor, FRISS. The session featured four expert lectures.
Dr. Mir Shahnawaz from Government Medical College, Srinagar spoke on 'Early action on diabetes... why it matters!', while Prof. Showkat ul Nabi from SKUAST Kashmir delivered a lecture on 'Experimental Modeling of Diabetes Mellitus and Diabetic Pathology in Laboratory Animals'. Prof. Anzar Khuroo from University of Kashmir spoke on 'Diversity of medicinal plants in Kashmir Himalayas' and Dr. Arshid Iqbal Wani from Directorate of AYUSH delivered a lecture on 'From Prediction to Prevention: An Integrated AYUSH and Modern Metabolic Approach to Type 2 Diabetes'.
Later in the evening a screening for Diabetes Mellitus using Random Blood Glucose and HbA1c tests was conducted for participants and staff. The programme witnessed enthusiastic participation from students, faculty, health professionals and staff.
