IIT Bombay to establish rural data centre at SKUAST-K

Srinagar, Aug 07: Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir held a day-long workshop and brainstorming for establishing the Centre of Excellence on Rural Data Research & Analysis (RuDRA) at Shalimar campus.According to a statement issued here, the collaborative initiative with the Indian Institute of Technology (IIT) Bombay aims to leverage data-driven insights to transform agriculture and rural life in Jammu & Kashmir.The workshop was organised under the aegis of Holistic Agriculture Development Program (HADP). The event brought together leading experts from the IIT Bombay, university officers, faculty members and government officials from line departments to discuss the role of data in shaping rural policy and development in Jammu and Kashmir.The collaboration between IIT Bombay and SKUAST-K, formalised through an MoU earlier this year, to establish the CoE RuDRA as a hub for promoting data-driven rural development. The centre will focus on a wide range of areas, including precision agriculture, climate change, soil health monitoring and water resource management.The centre’s work is designed to directly support HADP with the goal of enhancing agricultural productivity, improving rural livelihoods and creating a skilled workforce. The partnership will facilitate joint research, workshops, training programs, faculty exchange and student internships. Vice Chancellor, SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai, who was the chief guest at the occasion, underscored the transformative potential of IIIT Bombay and SKUAST-K partnership and reiterated the university’s commitment to become a leader in innovation-driven agricultural research. He emphasised the need for a data driven approach for rural policy planning and transformation.Dr Mohamed Kasim Khan, a Senior Research Scientist at IIT Mumbai, delved into the specifics of the MoU, explaining the operational framework and collaborative activities that will define the partnership. Dr Pennan Chinnasamy, the Professor in Charge of the RuDRA initiative at IIT Bombay, elaborated on the Center’s vision and purpose of using data for the rural transformation. Director Research, Prof Haroon Rashid Naik highlighted the Centre’s role in fostering innovative extension approaches and establishing a robust J&K Soil & Land Information System.