Event pays homage to April 22 victims, sends a message of peace, normalcy

Pahalgam : The two-day National Conference on Nano and Supramolecular Chemistry (NCNSC-2025) concluded on Friday in Pahalgam, blending high-level scientific discourse with a poignant message of solidarity for Kashmir’s tourism sector. The conference, organized by the Department of Chemistry at NIT Srinagar, brought together speakers and researchers from across the country to discuss advancements in nanoscience while also addressing the region’s recent challenges.
The conference’s second day featured insightful talks on cutting-edge research. Noteworthy presentations included: Designing Colloidal Nano drugs for Neurodegenerative Diseases” by Prof. Nikhil R. Jana from the Indian Association for the Cultivation of Science, Kolkata, “Atomically Dispersed Catalysts for CO2 Reduction Reaction: Insights from First Principles Simulations” by Dr. Manzoor Ahmad Dar from the Islamic University of Science and Technology, Kashmir and “Towards Selective Hydrocarbon Activation: Microkinetic Simulations arm Ab Initio Catalyst Design” by Dr. Fatima Jalid from NIT Srinagar.
The event also included poster and oral presentation sessions, with awards given to top participants. In the poster category, Dr. Feroz Sofi took first place, followed by Dr. Waseem Arif from NIT Srinagar and T.M. Amarnath from BARC. For the oral presentations, De Kiesar Sadeeq from the University of Kashmir secured the first position, while Dr. Nivvedita from IIT Roorkee came in second. A significant focus of the conference’s second day was to pay homage to the victims of a recent tragic incident in Pahalgam on April 22, which has since impacted the local tourism industry. In her inaugural address for day two, Prof. Kowsar Majid, Head of the Department of Chemistry and Chairperson of the conference, expressed her heartfelt condolences. She emphasized that tourism is a vital source of sustenance for countless families in Kashmir and described the region as a “jewel in the crown of our great democratic nation.”
Prof. MA Shah, Dean Alumni and International Affairs at NIT Srinagar, echoed this sentiment, stating that hosting the conference in Pahalgam was a way to send a message that “everything is okay in Pahalgam” and to support the revival of tourism, which is the “backbone of Kashmir.” Participants from across the country praised Kashmir’s natural beauty and committed to becoming “ambassadors of trust” to encourage others to visit the region. The conference concluded with a formal vote of thanks by Organising Secretary Dr. Ravi Kumar, and final remarks by Prof. Kowsar Majid. She acknowledged the support of the conference sponsors, NIT Srinagar administration, and all the participants, making the event a resounding success both scientifically and symbolically.