 Early Times Report
LEH, Feb 5: The Lieutenant Governor of Ladakh, Kavinder Gupta, today visited the University of Ladakh (UoL) Campus at Taru and underscored the pivotal role of education, research, and innovation in shaping Ladakh's future and contributing to the national vision of Viksit Bharat 2047.
Interacting with the faculty, staff, and students, the Lt Governor said that institutions like the University of Ladakh are the cornerstone of nation-building in geographically challenging regions. He lauded the University's rapid growth since its inception and described it as a symbol of Ladakh's aspirations, resilience, and intellectual strength.
Commending the world-class teaching and advanced laboratory infrastructure, the Lt Governor expressed special appreciation for facilities such as Genome Sequencing, ICP-MS, XRD, and the Centralised Interdisciplinary Science Instrumentation Centre (CISIC). He said that the availability of such cutting-edge facilities in a high-altitude region reflects Ladakh's emerging identity as a centre of excellence in higher education and research.
The Lt Governor noted that the University, which began with a handful of courses, is now offering around 72 academic programmes, including skill-based, agriculture, science, and technology-oriented courses. He emphasiSed that education must not remain limited to degrees alone but should create job creators, innovators, and responsible global citizens.
Highlighting the importance of research, entrepreneurship, and emerging technologies, Shri Kavinder Gupta encouraged the faculty to guide and mentor students towards opportunities in areas such as artificial intelligence, sustainable agriculture, renewable energy, and local innovation suited to Ladakh's unique ecology. He stressed that teachers play a decisive role in preparing Ladakhi youth to drive inclusive development while preserving the region's cultural and environmental heritage.
Reaffirming the UT Administration's full support, the Lt Governor assured that all necessary steps would be taken to further strengthen the University of Ladakh, including academic collaborations, exposure programmes, and capacity building of faculty and students. He said efforts would be made to bring reputed national institutions like IIM/IIT closer to Ladakh so that quality education is accessible within the region and brain drain is reversed.
The Lt Governor also highlighted the importance of value-based education, leadership, and peace studies, stating that Ladakh can emerge as a model for harmony-driven development through education. |
