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

JAMMU: The University of Jammu is celebrating a proud moment as four talented students from its pioneering Design Your Degree (DYD) programme — Narayan Choudhary, Divya Verma, Sarnish Kour, and Radhey Sharma — have secured the First Prize at the National Level Business Plan Competition, Spark Tank – The Entrepreneurship Club SAMADHAN 2025. Along with the top honour, the team also brought home a cash award of ₹11,000.

Hosted by the University Business School at Maharaja Ranjit Singh Punjab Technical University, Bathinda, the competition drew participants from some of the country’s leading institutions, including NIT Jalandhar, Symbiosis International (Deemed University), Christ University Bengaluru, Chandigarh University, and Jain University Bangalore. Amid tough competition, the DYD team stood out for their clarity of thought, confidence, and transformative idea.

Their winning proposal, Agri-Vimaan: The Shared Drone Network, is a forward-looking digital dispatch platform aimed at transforming agricultural logistics and empowering farmers through technology. The jury — comprising Dr. Lokesh Jindal (Professor, Dept. of Entrepreneurship, JNU Delhi), Dr. Anuradha Jain (Director, Vivekananda Institute of Professional Studies, New Delhi), and Mr. Vikas Garg (CEO, Bafflesol Technologies, Gurugram) — praised the team for their originality, feasibility, and strong presentation.

This achievement reflects the growing innovation culture nurtured at the Skill, Incubation, Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (SIIEDC). The students expressed heartfelt gratitude to the Hon’ble Vice Chancellor, Prof. Umesh Rai, for his visionary encouragement of student entrepreneurship, and to Prof. Alka Sharma, Director SIIEDC, whose consistent mentorship and support played a key role in shaping their journey in the University’s 4-year DYD programme.

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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