VC emphasises alumni role in strengthening JU

Describing the alumni as a cornerstone of the University of Jammu, Vice-Chancellor Umesh Rai sought their continued role in strengthening the academic and cultural fabric of the institution.

“An institution that does not celebrate its alumni loses the opportunity to inspire its future,” the VC said while addressing the general body meeting of the University of Jammu Alumni Association (UJAA) on the campus this evening.

The VC, who is also the patron of UJAA, said the alumni are not mere former students, but the living legacy of the institution, hoping that they too would play their significant role in making their alma mater an institution of overall excellence in academics, sports, intellectual discourse and extra-curricular activities.

The VC urged every department to compile detailed alumni records and reach out with meaningful, activity-based collaborations. Whether through mentoring, lectures, cultural events, entrepreneurship guidance or creative arts, he stressed the need to tap into the wealth of experience that alumni across fields such as judiciary, administration, academia and industry bring back to the university.

Highlighting the emotional connect between the alumni and their alma mater, the VC underlined that time and contribution — not just monetary, but experiential — are the true markers of belonging. He noted that the strength of an alumni network is not built through occasional meetings but through sustained engagement and shared ownership of institutional growth.

Indu Kanwal Chib, a JKAS officer and an alumni of the university, urged fellow alumni to look beyond monetary contributions and invest what truly matters—time, presence and participation. “No one is asking for your money. We’re asking for your time,” she stressed.