Onlykashmir.in News Desk
Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir carried its bio-incubation outreach to Ladakh this week, with the university’s Innovation, Incubation and Entrepreneurship Centre organising a programme in Kargil to introduce young innovators to opportunities under its E-YUVA scheme, backed by the Biotechnology Industry Research Assistance Council.
The E-YUVA programme, short for Empowering Youth for Value-Added Translational Research, is designed to connect early-stage innovators with mentoring, technical guidance and institutional support to help move raw ideas toward viable products. Thursday’s outreach event, themed “New Ideas, Young Minds,” was held jointly with Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Kargil, an outreach centre affiliated with the University of Ladakh, and drew more than 80 young participants from a range of academic and technical backgrounds.
Participants spent the session interacting directly with subject experts and presenting early-stage ideas that organisers said held potential for development through the university’s bio-incubation ecosystem. Beyond formal presentations, the event featured interactive mind-mapping exercises intended to help attendees identify real-world challenges, generate fresh ideas and map out possible applications relevant to Ladakh’s local economy and environment.
The gathering was attended by LAHDC Kargil Councillor Manzoor Hussain, KVK Kargil head Dr Nasreen Fatima, faculty members from the University of Ladakh, and senior functionaries of SKUAST-K’s incubation wing, alongside the university’s E-YUVA coordination team, who also conducted the day’s technical sessions.
Speaking at the programme, SKIIE Chief Executive Officer Naveed Hameed Bhat said the Kargil outreach reflects Vice Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai’s push to extend the university’s innovation network to grassroots-level entrepreneurs beyond the Kashmir Valley. Bhat added that SKIIE is separately working to establish Innovation Clinics, envisioned as a structured mechanism linking young innovators with the technical and incubation resources needed to carry their ideas forward. Councillor Hussain welcomed the initiative and pledged continued local support for strengthening Ladakh’s innovation and entrepreneurship ecosystem.
Discussions during the programme touched on ideas spanning agriculture, biotechnology, environment and healthcare, areas considered particularly relevant to the high-altitude terrain and constrained growing seasons of Ladakh. The event concluded with an understanding between SKUAST-K, the University of Ladakh and local participants to sustain engagement through ongoing mentoring and capacity-building support under the E-YUVA framework.
