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. SRINAGAR: Lieutenant Governor Shri Manoj Sinha today laid the foundation stone of the Kashmir Chapter of the Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence at the University of Jammu, marking a significant step towards strengthening research, preserving the region’s rich cultural heritage and promoting interdisciplinary academic inquiry.
Addressing the gathering on the occasion, the Lieutenant Governor described the Centre as a unique and forward-looking convergence of regional studies, culture, dialects and emotional intelligence. Emphasising the rich civilisational heritage of Jammu and Kashmir, he said the initiative would strengthen cultural, historical and human connections while safeguarding the region’s diverse intellectual and linguistic traditions.
The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that understanding a region requires a perspective that extends beyond its geographical boundaries, noting that its identity is shaped by a complex interplay of language, culture, traditions and lived experiences.
“A region cannot be understood through geography alone. Languages, folklore, cultural practices, arts, faith, traditions and lived experiences together shape the identity of a place. The integration of regional knowledge with emotional intelligence would form the soul of the new Centre and help create a deeper understanding of society and the people,” he said.
Highlighting the Centre’s extensive academic and research mandate, the Lieutenant Governor observed that its proposed initiatives represent distinctive and significant endeavours by the University of Jammu. These include the preservation of manuscripts, the creation of digital archives, linguistic mapping, ethnographic studies, research on pilgrimage and tourism, studies on mountain ecology, promotion of local entrepreneurship and the establishment of fellowships for young scholars.
He said these initiatives would contribute to the creation of a shared and enduring repository of knowledge, ensuring that the region’s cultural, linguistic, historical and intellectual wealth is documented, preserved and made accessible to future generations.
The Lieutenant Governor also outlined four key considerations that underscore the relevance of the Centre in the contemporary world. These include the need to balance global connectivity with the preservation of local identity; the urgency of protecting endangered languages and traditional knowledge systems; the importance of interdisciplinary approaches in addressing complex societal challenges; and the growing recognition of emotional well-being as an integral component of education.
He observed that although technological advancements are transforming societies at an unprecedented pace, preserving cultural roots, human values and the distinctive identities of communities remains equally important.
Reflecting on the evolving role of universities amid rapid technological transformation and the growing influence of artificial intelligence, the Lieutenant Governor stressed that emotional intelligence and technological capability are complementary rather than competing attributes.
He emphasised that future-ready academic institutions must foster a culture of continuous learning, adaptability, ethical awareness and multidisciplinary collaboration to prepare students and researchers for emerging challenges and opportunities.
The Lieutenant Governor further observed that the main Centre at the University of Jammu’s Jammu campus, together with its Kashmir Chapter, has the potential to develop into a model institution for research and academic excellence. He expressed confidence that the initiative would advance knowledge creation, cultural preservation and human-centred development while enhancing the global standing of the universities of Jammu and Kashmir.
Among those present at the foundation stone-laying ceremony were Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu; Shri Anshul Garg, Divisional Commissioner, Kashmir; Dr. Neelu Rohmetra, Dean, Research Studies; Dr. Guneet Singh Sudan, Director, Sub Office Kashmir; Prof. Sangita Gupta, Dean, Planning and Development; and faculty members of the University of Jammu.
Dr. GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Shri Jatin Kishore, Deputy Commissioner, Budgam; Ms. Shruti Awasthi, Regional Director, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA); and senior officials of the civil and police administrations were also present on the occasion.
