JAMMU: Chief Minister Omar Abdullah today presided over the valedictory function of Summer School: 2025 at the Indian Institute of Technology Jammu, marking the successful conclusion of a month-long programme that brought together over a thousand students from across the nation.

Speaking at the ceremony, Chief Minister Omar Abdullah lauded IIT Jammu as a hub of talent and underscored the significance of such initiatives in providing young people, particularly from Jammu and Kashmir, with platforms to grow and realise their potential.

Such programmes must encourage broad-based participation and give students from J&K the opportunity to turn their ideas into action, the Chief Minister emphasised.

Chief Minister Omar Abdullah revealed that the J&K Government is actively exploring collaborative opportunities with IIT Jammu across multiple domains, including water conservation, climate change adaptation, industrial growth and business incubation. IIT backing lends credibility to any project, he observed, adding that the government remains committed to fostering venture funding framework that support innovation.

The Chief Minister welcomed the institute's proposals on tourism interventions and green transport solutions, while encouraging students from outside the region to explore Jammu and Kashmir and serve as its ambassadors.

Reflecting on recent challenges, the CM struck an optimistic note, "The unfortunate incident earlier this year is behind us now. Our focus is to hand over a better, more empowered Jammu and Kashmir to this generation. May the future generations carve out opportunities through challenges".

Advisor to the Chief Minister, Nasir Aslam Wani, who was also present at the function, described IIT Jammu as a landmark institution of the region and stressed the need to enhance and expand sectors such as tourism and hospitality.

Tourism is our unique strength and we must continue to build on it through innovation, training and infrastructure, Wani stated.

The initiative, organised under IIT Jammu's innovation ecosystem, witnessed remarkable participation from students representing more than 25 states and union territories. In a significant indicator of the region's growing aspirations for technical skills, nearly one-third of the participants, 319 students, came from Jammu and Kashmir itself.

Students from diverse backgrounds converged at the campus, including representatives from Delhi, Punjab, Karnataka, Bihar, Kerala, Tamil Nadu, Manipur and several northeastern and eastern states. The programme offered structured learning modules in cutting-edge technologies including Artificial Intelligence, Cybersecurity, Full Stack Web Development, Internet of Things (IoT), Data Science and Additive Manufacturing.

Each module comprised over 40 hours of intensive instructions, combining theoretical lectures with hands-on training, industry interactions and feedback-driven mentoring sessions.

The programme brought together faculty, researchers and education partners, including alumni-led startups, who contributed significantly to the initiative's delivery.

The ceremony was attended by senior dignitaries including Director IIT Jammu Dr Manoj Gaur, Board of Governors' Chairman Sharad Kumar Saraf, Chief Innovation Officer Prof MT Arvind and Dr Navneet, along with faculty and students.