Srinagar: The National Institute of Technology (NIT) Srinagar Thursday celebrated World Science Day for Peace and Development in which speakers vowed to protect and conserve the environment with new inventions. The daylong event was organized by the Department of Physics.
Director NIT Srinagar Prof. Rakesh Sehgal was the Chief Patron, while as former NIT Director; Prof. A. M. Wani was the Chief Guest of the program.
Prof M F Wani (Dean Research and Consultancy) and Prof S K Bukhari (Registrar) were patrons of the programme. Dr. M A Shah, who is brain behind this scientific event has been supported by his colleagues, staff, and students and have been able to invite students from different parts of the valley.
In his key address, Prof. M F Wani urged students to use science for the benefit of humankind. Innovating destructive weapons is not a big deal for scientists but the main challenge is to save the environment which is a global concern, he said.
“We have recent examples of pollution in New Delhi and other places. We are ignoring our environment and it will be a disaster if we close our eyes on these burning issues,” Wani said.
“The real and current challenge prevailing in today’s world is environment. If we as a society don’t produce good human beings, then preservation of forests, water bodies will remain restricted to papers only,” he said.
Prof. A M Wani had taken over as Principal Regional Engg. College (REC) in 2002 and was responsible for streamlining its academic calendar and upgrading the REC to NIT and was designated as its first Director of NIT Srinagar.
Later he also shared his journey how REC Srinagar was upgraded to NIT Srinagar. How challenging it was to work during the 1990s with the audience, Prof Wani said.
He also appreciated Prof. Sehgal and the entire NIT team for working jointly to make the institute among the top-ranked NIT’s in the country. The teachers were felicitated by the a group of Deans including Prof B A Mir, Prof M S Mir and Prof Shahid Saleem, chairman CPU.
Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Rakesh Sehgal said it is a collective responsibility of technical intuitions to work for the preservation and conservation of the environment and water bodies.
“We should avoid those actions that will pollute or destruct the environment and encourage those things while science will benefit mankind,” he said. Prof. Sehgal said science is subject of experiments. There are certain failures and successes. We keep learning new things with each passing day, he said.
Registrar NIT Srinagar, Prof. Syed Kaiser Bukhari said the day highlights the significant role of science in society and the need to engage the wider public in debates on emerging scientific issues. It also underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives, he said.
“I am thankful to Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Sehgal, who is always supportive in allowing such events on the campus during the past 4 years of his tenure. He has taken NIT Srinagar to new heights and perception of institute has changed in these four years,” Prof. Bukhari.
Head Department of Physics, Dr. MA Shah said each year world science day for peace and development highlights the significant role of science in society. It underlines the importance and relevance of science in our daily lives, he said.
“Over the past several decades, science has emerged as a blessing for humankind. Now we can predict the weather, eclipses and other happenings in atmosphere. There is a need for the collective work to ease the sufferings of the common people by inventing new things,’ he said.
Dr. Shah said it also underscores the role scientists play in broadening our understanding of the remarkable, fragile planet we call home and in making our societies more sustainable.
He said the Physics department has arranged the Science Stars of the valley from the departments of Secondary Education, probably first time on a single platform to demonstrate the common phenomena of science in a simplified way.
About the program, Dr. Shah said the event coincides with the National Education Day and it witnessed a number of scientific programs including the Science quiz and Science Projects.
An overwhelming response has been received, he said. The quiz team from different institutions was declared first, whereas students from CUK were declared second.
Registrar NIT Srinagar, Prof. Bukhari presented a vote of thanks to the guests, deans, HoD’s, faculty members, and students for making the event successful.
He appreciated the role of Dr. MA Shah and stated that he is a man with the mission. In the future also, Dr. Shah will be conducting such programs aimed to benefit students and a larger audience, he said.
Earlier the day, Director NIT Srinagar, Prof. Sehgal along other dignitaries inaugurated the Holistic Health Garden (HHG) adjacent to the SEM Laboratory.
After Hands-on Demonstrations in Physics, Chemistry, Biology, Materials, Geo Sciences by the teachers under the coordination of Prof S Rubab and Prof M Ikram, there were number of science stalls outside the venue.
In the afternoon, Director MeT, Sonum Lotus gave a brief lecture about climate, which was followed by Mir Faizal on career counseling. This part was coordinated by Prof P A Ganaie.
The event was concluded by a Kashmiri song,” Azroz Sawnayee dilbar manayee…) by a group of students from Kothibagh Higher Secondary School. The different events were coordinated by Dr. Vijay Kumar, Dr. M. Zubair Ansar and Dr. Harkirat Singh.
