Era of progress in Kashmir: President Droupadi Murmu

Samaan Lateef

Srinagar, October 11

President Droupadi Murmu on Wednesday said Kashmir had been unfurling a new era of progress, peace and prosperity with ramped up civic structure, development and improved healthcare services. She made her remarks at a civic reception hosted in her honour at Raj Bhavan in Srinagar this evening.

To inaugurate projects at Vaishno Devi shrine

• Murmu will visit the Vaishno Devi shrine on Thursday where she will inaugurate two projects — sky-walk and Parvati Bhavan — constructed for the ease of pilgrims.
• The sky-walk will ensure incoming and outgoing movement of pilgrims through different paths and Parvati Bhavan will accommodate at least 10,000 devotees.

J&K Governor Manoj Sinha posted on X that President Murmu’s life had been inspirational to him.

Earlier in the day, she addressed the 20th convocation of the University of Kashmir in Srinagar and urged students to actively participate in social service along with their studies. Murmu said that by doing this, the varsity students could bring social change and set an example. She was happy to note that alumni had brought glory to the university by serving the country.

Recalls Suyya’s contribution

• Recalling the work done by an expert, Suyya, about 1,200 years ago to save Srinagar from floods, the President says it can be termed as hydraulic engineering.
• Murmu hails alumni of the university, saying they have made the institution proud by serving the nation well.

Hailing the National Education Policy (NEP), she said it had focused on Indian knowledge system. Recalling the work done by an expert, Suyya, about 1,200 years ago to save Srinagar from the floods of Jhelum, she said it could be termed as hydraulic engineering. She said that the country had priceless treasures in every field of knowledge and science. It is the responsibility of the academic world to find ways to re-use such organically grown knowledge systems in today’s circumstances, she said. Referring to the motto of the University of Kashmir which means ‘let us move from darkness to light’, the President said that the more our youth moved towards the light of education and towards the light of peace, the more our country would progress.

After distributing gold medals among 21 toppers out of 462 students, she said: “I am glad to see 55% students enrolled here are girls while they make up 65% of the gold medallists and prize winners. Today’s awardees are our tasveer and taqdeer.”

She expressed confidence that the Nari Shakti Vandan Adhiniyam, 2023, would prove to be a revolutionary step towards women-led development in our country.

She urged the university to be alert in preserving the Himalayan ecosystem. She was happy to note that works related to glaciology, biodiversity conservation and the Himalayan Ice-Core Laboratory were at different stages.

The President also said that the University of Kashmir was blessed by the Hazratbal shrine. The President also hailed India’s G20 leadership.

(With inputs)