At today’s convocation of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST-K) in Srinagar, girls dominated the honours—115 out of 150 gold medals were awarded to female students, along with 334 of the 445 Certificates of Merit. Of the 5,250 degrees conferred across undergraduate, postgraduate, and PhD levels, 2,661 went to women.
Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha, who is Chancellor of the University, remarked “Proud to see our daughters breaking barriers and leading the way in Agricultural Science and Technology.” “This remarkable achievement signals a bright and progressive future for Jammu & Kashmir—and for India.”
In a boost to the Kashmir’s apple industry, Union Agriculture Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan announced the establishment of a Rs.150-crore Green Plant Centre in the Valley. The state-of-the-art facility is aimed at improving the quality of apple cultivation and making India self-reliant in apple production.
Speaking at the sixth convocation of the SKUAST-K, Chouhan hailed Kashmir as “a land blessed with apple abundance” but stressed the need for high-quality planting material to boost productivity and unlock the region’s full export potential.
“This initiative will not only enhance the yield and quality of apples grown in Kashmir but also ensure that India reduces its dependence on imported planting material,” he said, adding that the Green Plant Centre would play a pivotal role in modernising horticulture practices in the region.
Jammu & Kashmir’s fruits, flowers, and vegetables are exceptional in taste and colour, he said, and reiterated his vision to make J&K a global horticulture hub.
He added that the Holistic Agricultural Development Program (HADP) is being implemented successfully in the region. Discussions were held on providing ‘Clean Plants’ under the Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH). Currently, farmers often import planting material from outside the state, which may carry viruses or bacteria. To address this, a decision has been made to establish a Clean Plant Center in J&K with a budget of ₹150 crore.
He noted that in 5,000 hectares of apple orchards, per-hectare yield has increased from 10 tonnes to 60 tonnes, a six-fold rise. “I want to see Kashmiri apples exported globally so that India doesn’t need to import apples anymore,” he said.
Chouhan conferred degrees upon the agriculture graduates.
He praised SKUAST-K’s accomplishments and expressed confidence that it would soon become the top-ranking state university. He noted that the university hosts students not just from Jammu & Kashmir, but from 30 Indian states and Union Territories, as well as from abroad, making it a nationally and internationally recognised institution.