Kashmir's Science Congress Puts Research To The Test

(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer) By Syed Sammar Mehdi

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Srinagar- The lecture hall at the Islamic University of Science and Technology was filled with researchers, students and academics on Wednesday as the second day of the JK Science Congress moved between a sweeping history of scientific innovation and a more immediate question: how can research improve life in Jammu and Kashmir?

The question surfaced during a plenary lecture by Vinod Kumar Gaur, a former secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences and an honorary emeritus scientist at the CSIR Fourth Paradigm Institute in Bengaluru.

Speaking on science education and research during a period of rapid transformation, Dr. Gaur pointed to the Green Revolution as an example of how scientific innovation can help societies confront difficult challenges.

He described scientific progress as a process that begins with observing nature. The human mind, he said, can recognise patterns in the natural world, triggering cognitive intuition and inspiring new designs.

His remarks came as the Congress placed science within a broader discussion about the future of Jammu and Kashmir, where researchers and policymakers are increasingly looking toward technology, innovation and scientific knowledge to address development challenges.

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The next plenary lecture shifted the discussion from discovery to application. Srinivas Hotha, a professor of chemistry at the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research in Pune and a Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry, spoke about translating research findings into benefits for society.

The difference is significant for a region where universities and research institutions generate work in fields ranging from science and engineering to emerging technologies, while communities face practical questions involving development, resources and the environment.

The Congress sought to bring those worlds closer by giving researchers a place to present their work and discuss its possible applications.

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Technical sessions followed the plenary lectures, with participants presenting research in diverse areas of science, innovation and emerging technologies. At the Civil Mechanical Engineering Block, researchers and scholars displayed their work through poster presentations, creating another forum for academic exchange.

The programme also moved beyond laboratories and lecture halls. Proceedings ended with a cultural programme at the Nund Reshi Auditorium, adding a local cultural element to a gathering otherwise devoted to research and technology.

The three-day Congress, which began on Sept. 29 and runs through Oct. 1, has brought together scientists, academicians, researchers and students under the theme“Science, Innovations and Emerging Technologies for Sustainable and VIKSIT J&K.”

Its stated aim is knowledge exchange and interdisciplinary dialogue, with particular attention to the role science can play in addressing contemporary challenges and supporting Jammu and Kashmir's development.

The real test begins after the lectures end, when research moves from ideas to applications. That journey may help define how science frames Kashmir's future.

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