Kashmir Chapter of University of Jammu’s Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence to preserve manuscripts, map languages and fund young scholars; Sinha says future-ready institutions must pair emotional intelligence with technology
BuzzBytes
Highlights
• LG Manoj Sinha laid the foundation stone of the University of Jammu’s Kashmir Chapter for regional studies.
• The Centre will preserve manuscripts, build digital archives and map the region’s languages.
• A region cannot be understood through geography alone, the LG said.
• Emotional intelligence and technology must go hand in hand in the age of AI, he said.
Srinagar, October 28: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday laid the foundation stone of the Kashmir Chapter of the Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence of the University of Jammu.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor said that the Centre represents a unique and forward-looking confluence of regional studies, culture, dialects and emotional intelligence. Highlighting the rich civilisational heritage of Jammu Kashmir, he said the initiative would strengthen cultural, historical and human connections while preserving the region’s diverse intellectual and linguistic traditions.
The Lieutenant Governor observed that 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.
He observed that the Centre’s wide-ranging objectives, including preservation of manuscripts, creation of digital archives, linguistic mapping, ethnographic studies, research on pilgrimage and tourism, mountain ecology, local entrepreneurship and fellowships for young scholars, are unique endeavours by the University. He said such initiatives would contribute to building a shared repository of knowledge for future generations.
The Lieutenant Governor also underlined four key factors that make such a Centre relevant in contemporary times: the need to balance global connectivity with local identity, the urgency of preserving endangered languages and knowledge systems, the importance of interdisciplinary approaches to complex challenges, and the growing recognition of emotional well-being in education. He said that while technology is transforming societies, the preservation of cultural roots and human values remains equally important.
Speaking on the role of universities in the age of rapid technological change and artificial intelligence, the Lieutenant Governor said that emotional intelligence and technological capability complement each other. He stressed that future-ready institutions must encourage continuous learning, adaptability, ethical awareness and multidisciplinary collaboration.
The Lieutenant Governor also noted that the main Centre at Jammu University’s campus in Jammu and its Kashmir Chapter have the potential to emerge as a model institution for research, contributing to knowledge creation, cultural preservation and human-centred development while enhancing the global standing of the universities of Jammu Kashmir.
University of Jammu Vice-Chancellor Prof Umesh Rai, speaking on the sidelines of the event at Rakh-e-Arth, Bemina, said the Centre was established to reconnect people with their roots, cultural traditions, oral history and value systems. “Trees that are not connected to their roots get uprooted during a storm. Similarly, it is important for us to remain connected with our culture, traditions, oral history and value systems,” he said, adding that the Kashmir Chapter would support research scholars, scientists, historians and social scientists working in the region.
Prof Umesh Rai, Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu; 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 attended the foundation ceremony.
Dr GV Sundeep Chakravarthy, SSP Srinagar; Jatin Kishore, Deputy Commissioner Budgam; Shruti Awasthi, Regional Director, IGNCA, and senior officials of the civil and police administration were also present.
