IME, Bhaderwah Campus and Dept of Environmental Sciences celebrate International Mountain Day cum gender sensitization workshop at Jammu University

Jammu, Dec 26- Institute of Mountain Environment, Bhaderwah Campus, University of Jammu in collaboration with the Department of Environmental Sciences organised an international mountain day cum gender sensitization workshop at University of Jammu. 

Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor and Chief Guest on occasion complimented the Institute of Mountain Environment and Department of Environmental Sciences for organizing the workshop as an important and relevant theme.

He appreciated the participation of senior faculty members and female researchers from different streams of the university and urged that the benefit of the such workshop must reach those for whom these are intended. He emphasized the importance of inter- and multi-disciplinarity in academia and research. Prof. Rahul Gupta, Rector, Bhaderwah Campus lauded the efforts of IME who proactively organise such days of such international importance. Prof. Anuradha Sharma, head of the Department of Geography and keynote speaker, emphasised upon the essential roles that mountain women play in ensuring the sustainable development of mountains. She highlighted the challenges and concerns the women face and suggested strategies that may be used for the economic, social, and political welfare of mountain women.

Dr. Tanushree Srivastava, manager and head of the western Himalaya Mountain ungulate Project J&K and MS. Oyndrila Sanyal researcher in CORD, University of Kashmir in their respective presentations shared their experiences dealing with the difficulties they face and the strategies they adopt to overcome while achieving the best. As the efforts of mountain women go unnoticed and unrecognised,  gender transformative change is necessary to bring about meaningful change towards sustainable development, observed Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Organising Secretary while introducing the theme.

This was followed by a focused panel discussion that involved Prof. Anuradha Sharma, Head, Department of Geography; Prof. Neeru Sharma, Department of Home Sciences; Prof Vishav Raksha, Director, Centre for Women’s Studies;   Prof. Renu Nanda, Head, Department of Education; Prof. Seema Langer, Dean, Faculty of Life Sciences;  Prof. Veenu Kaul, Head Department of Botany,  Prof. Namrata Sharma, Department of Botany;  Prof. Alka Sharma, The Business School, University of Jammu. The question-answer-based panel discussion focuses on two major questions, on how we can enhance the participation of women in mountain research? and what as an Institute we can do for the welfare of mountain women. The issues raised by the researchers were taken one by one by the panellists and the recommendations were summed up by Prof. Neeru Sharma. Prof. Anil Raina, former Rector, of Bhaderwah Campus, the Guest of honour of the event complimented the field researchers who are a source of inspiration and encouragement for individuals who wish to undertake challenges but lack the motivation to do so.

Others presented on the occasion included Prof. Rajkumar Rampal, Special Guest on the occasion, Prof. Piyush Malaviya, Head Department of Environmental Sciences, Prof. Parmil Kumar, Head Department of Statistics,Dr. Deepika Slathia, Dr. Rakesh Attri, Dr. Tawqi Bashir, CORD, University of Kashmir, Dr. Pankaj Chandan, Director NDF, Dr. Arti Sharma, Dr. Harish Chander Dutt, Dr. Skarma, Dr. ChheringTandup, IME Bhaderwah Campus, Dr. Shayan Javeed, IME Bhaderwah, Research scholars from department of Botany, Zoology, Environmental Sciences, Home Sciences and Department of Remote Sensing and GIS