At a most opportune time when the state of J&K finds itself at the cusp of educational reforms and coinciding with the 69th Independence day Celebrations, the Chinar Corps in concert with the State Education Department organized a very relevant and contemporary seminar on ‘Education in Kashmir: A Prism of Possibilities for the Youth and Future Leadership’. That this event was organized in the pristine lawns of Chasme-e-Shahi with direct blessings from Hazratbal shrine from one side and Shankaracharya temple from another, only added further spirituality to this important subject that affects the whole society.
A very renowned set of panelists that included Shaleen Kabra, IAS, A H Baba, Prof Vijaya Laxmi, Saleem Parvez, Prof Sunil Wanchoo and Ashima Kaul as Moderator carried the proceedings through five very absorbing sessions which saw the confluence of noted academicians, educationalists, students, journalists and Army personnel.
The seminar commenced with the opening remarks by Maj Gen Asit Mistry, GOC Kilo Force. It was followed by the Key Note Address delivered by Lt Gen Subrata Saha, Chinar Corps Commander who highlighted the pivotal role that education plays in defining the very character of humanity. Thanking the esteemed panelists and the audience present, he expressed hope that the seminar would throw new, vibrant and dynamic ideas for the betterment of the educational system in the valley and therefore the people.
The panelists addressed the important themes of Status of Education in Kashmir, Quality Education: a Dream for Kashmir, Role of Education in Peace Building, Goodwill School as a Concept, and Education as Key in Shaping Young Minds and the Future Leadership which generated interesting discussion and discourse.Click Here To Follow Our WhatsApp Channel
Appreciating the yeoman service being rendered by the Army in empowerment of the youth in the Valley especially in the field of education, the former Chief Secretary Md Shafi Pandit complimented the organizers and expressed hope that such initiatives would bring about desired direction in the our educational system. He also stressed on the need for moral education based on comparative study of different religions.
The seminar also highlighted the model of Army Goodwill Schools, which as an integral subset of the overall educational infrastructure in Kashmir, aims at affording quality education and thus opportunities to the children of remote areas.
The participation of the audience, which included academicians, media persons and students from local colleges and Kashmir University, was excellent. A number of very relevant points were raised, specially by the students who spoke from firsthand experience. The entire gathering was unanimously appreciative of the incisive observations, points and recommendations made by these young ignited minds during the course of the seminar.
The Chinar Corps Commander in his concluding remarks reinforced the need to sustain concerted steps by all stakeholders in ensuring progressive improvement in all spheres of education to enable the future leadership which is the youth of Kashmir to face any future challenges.