SRINAGAR, 5 July 2025: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday commended the remarkable achievements of women in agricultural sciences and technology, describing their accomplishments as a symbol of a promising future for both Jammu and Kashmir and the nation.

Speaking at the sixth convocation of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K) in Srinagar, Mr. Sinha expressed pride in seeing women students excel across disciplines.

“Out of 150 students conferred with gold medals, 115 were women. Out of 445 certificates of merit, 334 were awarded to girls. Of the 5,250 degrees conferred today, 2,661 went to women students,” the Lieutenant Governor noted, adding that these numbers reflected a bright future for the region.

Mr. Sinha, who is also Pro-Chancellor of SKUAST-K, congratulated the university for producing a competitive and capable human resource for the farm sector, and praised its achievements in improving rankings and modernising its infrastructure.

Union Agriculture and Farmers’ Welfare Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan was the chief guest at the event, which was also attended by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister and SKUAST-K Pro-Chancellor Omar Abdullah.

Highlighting progress in the region, the Lieutenant Governor said, “Under the visionary leadership of the Prime Minister, the agriculture and allied sectors have become a mainstay of the country’s economy. Jammu and Kashmir’s Holistic Agriculture Development Programme (HADP) is a role model for agricultural revolution.”

He outlined four major goals set over the past five years to transform the farm sector into a sustainable, commercial, community-driven ecosystem to boost incomes and secure livelihoods.

Encouraging the graduating students, Mr. Sinha urged them to contribute to innovation and progressive farming, including agri-tech and food technology. “Your passion and ideas will shape the future of India’s agriculture sector,” he said.

Mr. Sinha also highlighted new academic programmes, centres of excellence, and research in advanced fields such as artificial intelligence, machine learning, gene editing, and speed breeding, bringing Jammu and Kashmir closer to becoming a knowledge-driven bio-economy.

SKUAST-K Vice Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai presented the annual report, outlining the university’s achievements in academics, research, and extension.