Onlykashmir.in News Desk
The Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) on Tuesday inaugurated the Vice-Chancellor’s Sports Festival at Sheikh Ul Alam Sports Ground, Shalimar Campus, with the aim of promoting physical fitness and mental well-being among students.
Organised by the Department of Students Welfare, the festival began on November 3 and will conclude on November 10. It is being held for students of the Faculty of Horticulture and the College of Agricultural Engineering and Technology.
Vice-Chancellor Prof. Nazir Ahmad Ganai inaugurated the festival in the presence of Prof. Raihana Habib Kanth, Director Extension, and Prof. Naved Qaiser, Director Education, who attended as Guests of Honour.
Addressing the gathering, the Vice-Chancellor stressed the importance of a healthy and active lifestyle. He encouraged students to take part in sports and physical activities, pointing to their role in promoting fitness, happiness, stress management and mental well-being. He also urged students to remain grateful to their parents and to acknowledge the sacrifices and efforts they make to support their children’s education.
Dean Students Welfare Prof. Javeed Ahmad Mugloo welcomed the dignitaries and thanked the Vice-Chancellor for his continued support to student welfare and development initiatives.
The Organising Secretaries, Dr Seemi Lohani and Dr Muzammil, informed that the week-long festival will include a range of indoor and outdoor events. These are cricket, football, volleyball, basketball, tug of war, badminton, chess, carrom and sprint competitions, with separate contests for boys and girls. Winners and runners-up in the different events will be felicitated with trophies and certificates of appreciation.
The festival reflects SKUAST-K’s efforts to build a vibrant campus environment through sports, teamwork, discipline and the holistic development of students.
Sports and co-curricular activities have become an important part of university life, particularly in professional and technical institutions where academic schedules are demanding. Events of this kind give students a chance to relax, build friendships across departments and develop leadership qualities that classroom learning alone may not provide. The inclusion of both team games such as football and volleyball and individual contests such as chess and sprints ensures that students with different interests and abilities can take part.
By combining physical activity with indoor games, the programme also recognises that well-being has more than one dimension. University administrations across the country have increasingly highlighted stress management among students, and structured sports festivals are seen as one practical way of addressing it. With a full week of competition scheduled, the Shalimar Campus is expected to remain lively until the closing ceremony on November 10.
