CUK holds DIC’s Steering Committee meeting

Ganderbal, Nov 2: The Steering Committee Meeting of the Design Innovation Centre (DIC), Central University of Kashmir (CUK), was held at the varsity’s Green Campus here on Saturday, with Vice Chancellor, Prof A Ravinder Nath in the chair.

A statement of CUK issued here said that speaking on the occasion, Prof Nath, outlined his vision for strengthening the DIC and emphasised the importance of integrating its activities with the upcoming School of Interdisciplinary and Vocational Studies.

He reiterated the need to position the DIC as a foundational platform for fostering innovation, enhancing local craftsmanship, supporting entrepreneurship and skill development, and aligning with national educational and developmental priorities.

Director DIC, Shahid Rasool, gave a detailed account of the Centre’s achievements since its establishment under the National Initiative for Design Innovation (NIDI), Ministry of Education.

He elaborated on the structure and functioning of the DIC, various training programmes and workshops conducted over the years, prototypes developed in the areas of crafts, herbal medicine, food technology, and design products, and the status of ongoing admissions.

He also gave a comprehensive review of the financial position, fund utilisation pattern, and future expansion and development plans of the Centre.

The meeting was attended by external experts Prof Manish Arora, Coordinator DIC, Banaras Hindu University; Sudhakar N Rao, Director of the Culinary Academy of India; and Shahid Rasool, Principal Scientist, the Indian Institute of Integrative Medicine, who provided valuable insights based on their experiences in design innovation, product development, and institutional collaboration.

Rao stressed the need to ensure that the Food Processing Laboratory adheres to university standards and suggested that the food products developed in the lab should initially be marketed within the university before being scaled to wider markets.

He recommended building collaborations with institutions such as SBI, J&K Bank, and other agencies to support food entrepreneurship and innovation-based ventures.

Prof Manish Arora emphasized the importance of forging strong national-level partnerships to ensure the long-term sustainability of the DIC.

He highlighted the need to link the Centre’s activities with the national vision of Viksit Bharat @2047 so that it remains relevant, vibrant, and growth-oriented in the years to come.

Shahid Rasool, Principal, IIIM, underscored the vast potential of herbal medicine, aroma technology and natural product innovation in the region and recommended a more focused and research-driven approach in these areas.

Presenting the meeting agenda, Joint Director DIC, Javaid Ahmad Wani, underscored the urgent need to cultivate design thinking among local artisans to help them move beyond traditional patterns and adopt a more innovative, user-centric approach to product development.

He emphasised that strengthening creative problem-solving skills at the grassroots level is essential for enhancing the quality, appeal, and marketability of Kashmiri crafts in national and international markets.

Firdous Ahmad Sofal, Coordinator, gave an overview of the Centre’s functioning since its inception and stressed the need for relocating and strengthening the spoke centres to ensure that the DIC extends its reach across south, central, and north Kashmir.

Spoke coordinators, Farooq Ahmad Shah and Mansoor Ahmad Lone, shared their views and suggestions regarding outreach, training activities, and engagement with local artisans and communities.

Firdous Ahmad Sofal proposed the vote of thanks.