LEH: Lieutenant Governor of UT Ladakh, Vinai Kumar Saxena, today visited the University campus at Taru, where he reviewed academic, research and infrastructure facilities and interacted with faculty and students.
The Lieutenant Governor was accorded a warm welcome by Vice-Chancellor Prof Saket Kushwaha, Administrative Secretary Higher Education Smt Bhanu Prabha, and faculty members.
During his visit, Saxena planted a sapling under the “Ek Ped Maa Ke Naam” initiative, reiterating his commitment to environmental conservation. He visited the Central Library and the Artificial Intelligence Data Centre, and also inspected exhibition stalls showcasing locally developed agricultural and technological products, including medicinal plants and millet-based items.
At the AWaDH Centre, the Lieutenant Governor witnessed a demonstration of Ladakh-specific Modelling and Space Applications (LAMA), along with a presentation by students of the Forensic Science Laboratory, who demonstrated sample collection, mapping, and on-the-spot testing techniques. He commended the professionalism and technical competence displayed by the students.
The Lieutenant Governor also visited the Science Block and interacted with students, assuring them that the UT Administration would take necessary steps for their welfare, including facilitating exposure visits to reputed institutions across the country.
Addressing the faculty and staff, Saxena expressed satisfaction over the infrastructure and academic environment at the University, describing the laboratories and facilities as exemplary. He noted that the University holds immense potential for growth and encouraged further strengthening of specialised areas such as forensic sciences.
Highlighting recent reforms in the criminal justice system through the Bharatiya Nyaya Sanhita (BNS), Bharatiya Nagarik Suraksha Sanhita (BNSS), and Bharatiya Sakshya Adhiniyam (BSA), he emphasised the increasing importance of scientific evidence in investigations and the need to augment capacity in forensic science laboratories.
Praising the LAMA initiative, the Lieutenant Governor observed that such data-driven modelling systems would greatly assist the UT Administration in evidence-based planning and decision-making for future projects. He also highlighted the advanced laboratory facilities available at the University, noting their potential in identifying mineral resources in Ladakh, which he described as a mineral-rich region with vast untapped potential.
Saxena emphasised Ladakh’s immense opportunities in sectors such as tourism, food industry, handicrafts, handloom and floriculture. He remarked that only a fraction of Ladakh’s tourism potential has been explored and called for concerted efforts to develop the region into a global tourism hub, with active support from the University of Ladakh.
The Lieutenant Governor underscored the need to curb the migration of students from Ladakh to other states for education by strengthening local institutions. He noted that studying outside the region often places financial strain on families and may expose students to adverse influences. He stressed the importance of enhancing the University’s academic standards and courses to attract both local and outstation students, thereby fostering a vibrant academic ecosystem.
He also stated that increased footfall of students from outside Ladakh would help dispel misconceptions about the region’s challenging climate and terrain, while simultaneously boosting tourism. With the onset of tourist season in Ladakh, he informed that the number of daily flights to Ladakh is being increased from eight to eighteen in April, with additional flights under consideration, to boost footfall of tourists in the region.
Outlining his vision, Vinai Kumar Saxena emphasised the development of the University of Ladakh as a “Green University.” He called for sustained plantation drives and sought the University’s active cooperation in achieving the target of increasing Ladakh’s green cover to five percent within the next two years.
The Lieutenant Governor concluded by assuring full support of the UT Administration in strengthening the University and transforming it into one of the premier institutions in the country, equipped with world-class infrastructure and modern teaching facilities.
