LG Manoj Sinha calls for collaborative push to drive J&K’s growth

In a strong push to transform Jammu and Kashmir into a hub of skilled talent and innovation, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday called for greater collaboration across sectors, asserting that only collective effort and shared expertise can address the region’s complex challenges and accelerate its growth trajectory.

Speaking at the inauguration of the Indian Society for Training & Development Jammu Chapter, Sinha underscored the need to build a vibrant professional ecosystem driven by networking, global exposure, and continuous learning — positioning training and human capital as the true engines of inclusive development. “Today’s challenges are complex and multi dimensional. Their solution is possible only through collective effort and we must focus on this to actively drive Jammu Kashmir’s rapid growth,” he said.

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The Lieutenant Governor emphasised that the people from different sectors must come together to deliberate, share experiences, and jointly find solutions. “Through cooperation and dialogue, we can forge a strong inclusive model of development for the Union Territory,” he added.

He extended his felicitations to the entire team of Indian Society for Training & Development (ISTD) for the new beginning. He said the ISTD’s Jammu Chapter will play a crucial role in strengthening the learning and development ecosystem and it will position Jammu as a regional hub for training and professional development.

He asked the ISTD’s Jammu Chapter to focus on job creation and entrepreneurship, and make local talents more globally competitive. “The future is full of challenges but it is also brimming with opportunities. We must ensure we are ready to seize the new opportunities,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor observed that the purpose of education is not merely to impart knowledge, but to prepare students for life’s challenges and opportunities. “We should focus on soft skills, research, entrepreneurship, and a startup culture. The education sector must bring about broad transformation through mentoring and academia–industry collaboration,” he said.

The Lieutenant Governor called upon the ISTD members to put special focus on training, research, collaboration in Industries, Startups and Agriculture sector of Jammu Kashmir to sharpen both productivity and market linkage. “We must train our farmers in modern technology, scientific methods, and resource management to understand climate change, water crisis, and soil quality. At the same time, we must train them to produce more crops with fewer resources and to market their products more effectively,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Universities and institutions must join hands with the ISTD to give concrete shape to this resolve,” he said.

Atul Shah, National President, Indian Society for Training & Development; Prof. K.S. Chandrasekar, Vice Chancellor, Cluster University of Jammu and Mentor, ISTD Jammu Chapter; Prof Ashok Aima, Chairman, ISTD Jammu Chapter; Ms. Ankita Sharma, Regional Vice-President (North), ISTD; Prof Hardeep Chahal, Vice Chairperson, Dr Shahid Mushtaq, General Secretary and other members of ISTD Jammu Chapter; senior officials, heads of educational institutions and students in large numbers attended the inaugural ceremony.