J-K institutes should forge ties with global counterparts: CM

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti has asked the state's academic and technical institutions to catch up with the emerging knowledge-sharing scenario globally by forging cooperative relationship with their counterparts around the world.
"Unfortunately, Jammu and Kashmir's institutions are seen to be left out in the fast-changing academic scenario and it is time for them to pull alongside through exchange of ideas and knowledge," she said.
"Jammu and Kashmir needs more interaction with the outside world as there are lot of misconceptions about this place which have to be removed so that our enterprising young boys and girls reap the benefits of globalisation and economic liberalisation that swept the world when our state was embroiled in an unfortunate situation which was not of our own making," Mehbooba said while inaugurating the International Conference on Nanotechnology for Better Living here yesterday.

The 4-day conference is being organised jointly by National Institute of Technology (NIT), Srinagar and IIT Kanpur.
She said, "We have to connect to the larger world outside through physical connectivity, economic connectivity and knowledge connectivity to explore the full potential and capabilities of our youth."
Around 500 scientists and academicians from within and outside the country are attending the conference and will be presenting papers on how best to use the nanotechnology for the betterment of the humankind, she said.
"I have always felt that institutions best leverage their strengths for larger collective good when they choose to synergise and collaborate their ideas and knowledge," the Chief Minister said, adding that the institutions in this day and age are constantly identifying the areas where they can mutually reinforce their cutting edge advancements with other institutes and in the process enhance their core competence.

Vice-Chancellor of Central University of Kashmir, Mehraj-ud-Din, Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Khurshid Andrabi, Chairman, Board of Governors of NIT Srinagar, M J Zarabi, Director, IIT Kanpur, I Manna, NIT Srinagar Director Rajat Gupta, Chairman of ICNBL Kamal K Kar and scientist K L Chopra addressed the inaugural session.