Baramulla February 01:(KNS) Government Degree College, Baramulla organized a send-off function in honour of Prof. (Dr.) Mushtaq Ahmad Lone, Principal of the college who was elevated to Dean, Academic Affairs, Cluster University, Kashmir. The event witnessed a plenteous participation from faculty, non-teaching, and ancillary staff of the host college.
Prof. Lone served GDC Baramulla in the capacity of Principal for a brief but meaningful spell, spanning over 13 months. His stay, though brief, made an impact, which is beyond description and measurement. He joined at a time when the college had to face the National Assessment and Accreditation Council (NAAC) that assesses and accredits Higher Education Institutions (HEIs) on an eight-grade ladder. Prof. Lone, using his cumulative experience, wisdom, and expertise caught the pulse of the institution and conceived a workable plan to realize the longed for target – Grade ‘A’ in NAAC assessment. The college not only sustained Grade ‘A’ but also improved significantly its Cumulative Grade Point Average (CGPA) under the auspicious and able supervision of Prof. Lone. The HEIs, across the country, were facing tough times, given the declining trend observed in NAAC grading, as some of the premier institutions could not even sustain the existing grades. Nevertheless, Prof. Lone while utilizing the available resources (both human and material) and reposing faith in his team of dedicated workers, lead from the front and scripted a history by enabling the college to sustain the grade ‘A’ with inflated CGPA. Hats off to his (Prof. Lone) class, dedication, and selfless efforts, which ascended GDC Baramulla to new heights.
Prof. Lone was also instrumental in enriching the institution in new and novel ways. He acted like a harbinger who could sense what follows the next and would prepare for any upcoming challenge with utmost adeptness and fineness, which his team emulated, thoroughly. Prof. Lone is an administrator par excellence who implemented the Digital Initiative of Higher Education during his short stay and brought in sweeping changes in the institution. He was all-inclusive in allocating and giving out the shares for scaling up and upgrading the departments, laboratories, and skill centers besides being mindful of upskilling and enriching the teaching and non-teaching staff. Prof. lone ensured the establishment of Innovation and Incubation Centre in the college, which enables students to get first-hand experience in entrepreneurship, to promote innovation driven activities at the institute and to provide comprehensive and integrated range of support including space, mentoring, training programs, networking and an array of other benefits. Words fall short to count and report the quality of efforts put in by Prof. Lone in transforming GDC Baramulla as a Centre for Excellence, a status granted by Higher Education Department, UT of Jammu and Kashmir. While waving goodbye to the college, he added another feather to its kitty, that is, District Green Champion Award 2021-2022, granted by Ministry of Education, Government of India.
The members present in this emotionally charged send-off ceremony tried to give vent to their emotions and spoke their heart out about the different aspects of Prof. Lone’s charismatic personality. Prof. A. M. Chalkoo, Secretary, Staff Council of the college began with congratulatory remarks in honour of Prof. Lone on behalf of teaching, non-teaching, ancillary staff, and students of the college. He tabled a brief account of academic and professional journey of Prof. Lone and alluded to a host of works accomplished under his leadership. Dr. A. R. Malik, Head, Department of Botany while making public the academic and professional expeditions of Prof. Lone, said, “Words are scarce to define Prof. Lone as an academician, administrator, leader, and a person with humane heart.” Other speakers who expressed their love, affection, expatiated life, and works of Prof. Lone were Prof. Syed Rehmat Shah, Head, Department of Zoology, Prof. Mohammad Aslam Bhat, Department of Botany, Dr. Navshad Ahmad Wani, Head, Department of Psychology, Dr. Kaiser Ahmad Dar, Department of Psychology, and Dr. Syed Masarat Geelani, Head, Department of Urdu.
The speakers highlighted the various facets of Prof. Lone’s life and yearned to follow the track and benchmarks set by this exemplary academician and able administrator. Integrity, honesty, and sincerity of effort in planning and executing academic and administrative chores are some of the cardinal and defining traits of Prof. Lone. He would always prioritize institutional and student-centric works over his personal and other engagements.
Prof. Lone in his spellbinding address thanked teaching and non-teaching faculty, students, and other stakeholders for organizing a farewell ceremony in his honour. He shared his academic, personal, and professional experiences loaded with knowledge and wisdom with the audiences. He also shared few success stories with the audiences and underscored the importance of selflessness, sincerity of effort, decisiveness, initiative, integrity, clarity of intention for a successful and serene life here and hereafter.
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GDC Baramulla would remember Prof. Lone for n number of reasons and wishes him health, happiness, and prosperity in all endeavours of life.(KNS)