SKUAST-Jammu organises workshop on Soft Skills for Entrepreneurship

JAMMU, February 22: Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, SKUAST-Jammu, in collaboration with ICAR-National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad and NAHEP-IDP, SKUAST-Jammu, on Wednesday organised one-day awareness workshop for the final year veterinary students on soft skills for entrepreneurship development at its R.S Pura campus.

 The workshop was organized under the able guidance of Prof. Nazir Ahmed Ganai, Vice-Chancellor, SKUAST-Jammu. This one-day awareness workshop, as a part of National Agricultural Higher Education Project (NAHEP) Component 2A of NAARM, Hyderabad was organised with an objective to create awareness among veterinary graduates on soft skills, innovativeness and entrepreneurship.

Dr. Arun Kumar Manhas, Managing Director, JK Agro Industries Development Corporation Ltd., UT of J&K, inaugurated the awareness workshop as the Chief Guest.

 He highlighted the importance of soft skills in the context of veterinary entrepreneurship and encouraged the students with a few successful cases of entrepreneurship.

 Dr. R.K Sharma, Prof & Head, Animal Nutrition, who presided over the inaugural function, spoke about the importance of soft skills for entrepreneurship among veterinary graduates and congratulated the students for being selected for this important workshop. He gave a detailed account of various sessions to be undertaken by resource persons in the workshop

At the outset, Dr. Pranav Kumar, Assistant Professor, Division of Veterinary and Animal Husbandry Extension Education and the Programme Director of the Soft Skills Development workshop welcomed the dignitaries and participants and gave brief introduction about the importance of soft skills for entrepreneurship development and also introduced the audience with the resource persons.

Dr. Mehul G Thakkar, Associate Professor, HRM & Head, University Placement & Counselling Cell, NAU, Navsari, Gujarat took a session on the topic ‘Team Work and Team building’, while Dr. Anil Bhat, Assistant Professor, AE&BM Chatha, SKUAST-Jammu delivered on the topic ‘Innovations & Start-ups: A precursor to Entrepreneurship.

Dr. Farhat Umar, VAS, Department of Animal Husbandry, Srinagar energized the students on the topic Communication Skills for Career Development while Dr. Fayaz Ganie, Founder & CEO, TRUEVET, Srinagar, J &K gave a talk on ‘Journey of an Entrepreneur and Entrepreneurial avenues in Livestock Sector’ by a Vet-graduate turned Entrepreneur and also he took part in a Panel discussion with vet-graduates turned entrepreneurs. Dr. Pranav Kumar, Assistant Professor, F.V.Sc & A.H, SKUAST-Jammu delivered a talk on the topic ‘Government initiatives & support for Entrepreneurship among veterinary graduates.

More than one hundred and fifty plus audience attended the workshop including hundred plus final year veterinary professionals.  During the valedictory session, certificate of participation was given to all the final-year students who attended the workshop. Inaugural and valedictory sessions of the workshop were attended by the HoDs of F, V, Sc & A, H, teaching and non-teaching staffs and interested postgraduate students. Dr. Ankur Rastogi, Prof. Animal Nutrition conducted the proceedings of the workshop and Dr. Pranav Kumar, Programme Director of the workshop extended a vote of thanks.