Atal Tinkering Labs transforming J&K’s innovation ecosystem: L-G Sinha

Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Thursday that Prime Minister Narendra Modi is transforming India into a society driven by innovation and country is a global leader in Artificial Intelligence, AI-driven solutions for various sectors and expanding its reach to design and development.

Sinha was speaking at the launch of ATL Sarthi at the University of Kashmir. The University serves as a nodal institution for the ATL Sarthi initiative, collaborating with NITI Aayog to establish robust monitoring mechanisms and strong institutional linkages with Atal Tinkering Labs (ATL) in schools across J&K.

An official spokesperson said the initiative will focus on providing mentorship, capacity building for ATL teachers, and guiding students in transforming ideas into commercial prototypes.

In his address, Sinha lauded the ATL Sarthi initiative aimed at connecting every Atal Tinkering Lab to larger ecosystem of guidance and mentorship. He also spoke on the steady transformation taking place in J&K’s innovation ecosystem at the school level by Atal Tinkering Labs.

“Jammu, Udhampur, Rajouri, Kulgam, Shopian, Srinagar and many other districts are witnessing significant rise of student-led innovation and equipping students with future-ready skills,” he said.

Sinha expressed gratitude to the Prime Minister Narendra Modi for 500 additional Atal Tinkering labs for Jammu and Kashmir, at a cost of Rs 100 crore, under the Frontier Region Programme. He said these additional labs will play a crucial role in inclusive innovation by starting Atal Tinkering Labs in remote and tribal areas.

The L-G also emphasised the need to increase the number of Atal Tinkering Labs in the Jammu division. He said these labs will provide the youth of the region with the vast opportunity to invent effective solutions to local problems in areas such as agriculture, handicrafts, tourism and disaster management.

He urged the youth of Jammu and Kashmir—the future innovators—to take advantage of the support provided by the Government of India and realize their dreams.

Sinha said the landmark Rs 1 lakh crore fund for research, development and innovation, for the next 6 years is accelerating progress in high-priority sectors, ranging from energy security to climate action and deep technologies like Quantum Computing and Artificial Intelligence.

He called upon the University of Kashmir to focus on skill development, and capacity building for Atal Tinkering Lab teachers, unlocking their potential and promoting creativity and innovation.

The Lieutenant Governor made a special mention of Atal Tinkering Lab students from across Jammu Kashmir for providing innovative solutions to address local problems and challenges. He also visited the stalls showcasing the innovative projects by the students of ATLs and interacted with the young innovators.