Daijiworld Media Network - Srinagar
Srinagar, Oct 28: Jammu and Kashmir Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday said the region cannot be understood through geography alone, stressing that its languages, folklore, cultural practices, arts, faith, traditions and lived experiences collectively shape its identity.
“Languages, folklore, cultural practices, arts, faith, traditions and lived experiences together shape the identity of a place. The integration of regional knowledge with emotional intelligence would form the soul of the new Centre and help create a deeper understanding of society,” Sinha said.
He was speaking at the foundation stone-laying ceremony of the Kashmir Chapter of the Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence at the University of Jammu.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor described the Centre as a unique and forward-looking confluence of regional studies, culture, dialects and emotional intelligence.
Highlighting Jammu and Kashmir's rich civilisational heritage, he said the initiative would strengthen cultural, historical and human connections while preserving the region's diverse intellectual and linguistic traditions.
Sinha noted that the Centre's wide-ranging objectives include preserving manuscripts, creating digital archives, undertaking linguistic mapping and ethnographic studies, conducting research on pilgrimage and tourism, studying mountain ecology, promoting local entrepreneurship and offering fellowships to young scholars.
He described these as distinctive initiatives by the university and said they would help build a shared repository of knowledge for future generations.
The Lieutenant Governor outlined four key factors underscoring the Centre's relevance in contemporary times: balancing global connectivity with local identity, preserving endangered languages and knowledge systems, adopting interdisciplinary approaches to complex challenges, and recognising the importance of emotional well-being in education.
He said that while technology was transforming societies, preserving cultural roots and human values remained equally important.
Referring to the role of universities amid rapid technological advancements and the growing use of artificial intelligence, Sinha said emotional intelligence and technological capability complemented each other.
He stressed that institutions preparing students for the future must promote continuous learning, adaptability, ethical awareness and multidisciplinary collaboration.
The Lieutenant Governor also said the main Centre at the University of Jammu's campus in Jammu, along with its Kashmir Chapter, had the potential to emerge as a model institution for research.
He expressed confidence that the initiative would contribute to knowledge creation, cultural preservation and human-centred development while enhancing the global standing of universities in Jammu and Kashmir.