Ganderbal, Sep 19: Central University of Kashmir (CUKashmir) organised an expert lecture on “Igniting Minds, Empowering Bharat: The True Power of Education” as part of its ongoing 100-day capacity-building and faculty induction programme for newly appointed teachers at its Tulmulla campus.
The programme was convened by Prof. Sandhya, coordinator of the induction programme, who welcomed Vice-Chancellor Prof. A. RavinderNath, senior officers, faculty members and participants.
In her address, Prof. Sandhya thanked keynote speaker B.R. Shankaranand, Akhil Bharatiya Sangathan Mantri of the Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal, for interacting with the newly appointed teachers.
She said the interaction would provide faculty members an opportunity to broaden their academic perspectives and understand the wider dimensions of the teaching profession. She highlighted the vision of India emerging as “Vishwaguru” and the role of teachers and educational institutions in realising it.
Prof. Sandhya also referred to the Bharatiya Shikshan Mandal’s role in promoting education rooted in Bharatiya traditions, values and “Bharatiyata”. She stressed the importance of organic and conceptual approaches to pedagogy through programmes such as NadiKoJaao, Pariwar Bane Pathshala and RFRF.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. A. RavinderNath said the university was working to keep pace with the changing national and global education landscape and create an academic ecosystem responsive to the aspirations of learners and emerging societal needs.
He said the university had taken significant steps towards implementing the National Education Policy-2020, particularly in academic flexibility, student engagement, curriculum review, youth empowerment and learner-centred approaches to higher education.
RavinderNath highlighted competency-based education, skill development, reskilling and upskilling, design thinking, innovation and the promotion of Indian Knowledge Systems as important areas of contemporary higher education.
He also stressed the need to empower young people through education and provide an academic environment that encourages creativity, inquiry, innovation and responsible citizenship.
Delivering the keynote address, Shankaranand urged teachers to dream and make sustained efforts to turn those dreams into reality.
He said a teacher’s responsibility went beyond imparting information or completing a syllabus, urging educators to move beyond the philosophy of “live and let live” and embrace the larger responsibility of “live and make others live” by creating opportunities for the growth, development and empowerment of others.
He stressed that teachers must remain lifelong learners and that learning should ultimately lead to giving.
Shankaranand also emphasised the importance of yoga in contemporary education and suggested that it should form an integral part of CUK’s academic environment to promote physical growth, mental peace and holistic well-being among students, scholars and faculty members.
The session was moderated by Dean, School of Business Studies, Prof. Syed Zahoor Ahmad Geelani, who also proposed the vote of thanks.
