On Thursday, SKUAST Kashmir hosted an orientation program for the inaugural cohort of its B.Tech in Artificial Intelligence in Agriculture, positioning itself as the first agricultural university in India to offer such a groundbreaking course.
This pioneering degree, available exclusively through SKUAST Kashmir in collaboration with IIT Mandi, is set to revolutionize the field by equipping students with advanced skills to address contemporary agricultural challenges through state-of-the-art technology. This program is the first of its kind in India, focusing specifically on the integration of AI within the agricultural sector.
The orientation took place at the university and was chaired by the Vice Chancellor of SKUAST Kashmir, with Ambassador Chinthapally Rajasekhar (IFS) serving as the guest of honor. Key university figures present included Prof. Nelofar Banday (Dean of Students Welfare), Prof. S.A. Gangoo (Dean of the Faculty of Forestry), Prof. Feroz Bhat (Dean of the Faculty of Fisheries), Prof. Azmat Alam Khan (OSD to the Vice Chancellor), and Prof. Rohitashav Kumar (Associate Dean of COAET).
Prof. Rohitashav Kumar opened the event with a welcome address and a comprehensive overview of the program’s significance, detailing the carefully crafted curriculum and course structure.
Industry representatives such as Mr. Manu Mehta from Fore Solutions, Mr. Rohit Agarwal from Partex Solutions, and Mr. Moorty Kanagraj from Enthutech Solutions also spoke at the event. They commended the university for launching this much-needed program and motivated students to engage with it passionately. They also extended their support for the program’s success.
IIT Mandi was represented by Dr. Tushar Jain (Dean of Students and Expert in Climate-Controlled Agriculture), Dr. Shyam Masakapalli (Associate Professor of Smart Agriculture and Plant Biology), and Dr. Radhe Shyam (AI and Robotics Expert). They emphasized the significance of the B.Tech in AI for Agriculture and highlighted IIT Mandi’s role in preparing students for future challenges. They also noted that students will spend the final two years of their degree at IIT Mandi.
Prof. Nazir A. Ganai welcomed the new students and urged them to lead the way in agricultural technology and future job creation. He underscored the transformative potential of AI and ML in agriculture and praised the Associate Dean and his team for their initiative.
During the event, Prof. Ganai distributed starter kits to the students, including Lenovo tablets, microcontroller kits, and essential university information. These kits were sponsored by Fore Solutions and Enthu Technology Solutions Coimbatore.
Ambassador Chinthapally Rajasekhar expressed his enthusiasm for SKUAST Kashmir’s innovative approach and commended the university’s efforts to internationalize education. He also offered continued support for these initiatives.
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