BUDGAM: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Wednesday addressed the Convocation Ceremony at National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT), Srinagar.
In his address on the occasion, the Lt Governor congratulated the NIFT management, faculty members, staff and graduating students, and extended his best wishes.
The Lt Governor urged the young, creative minds to address the emerging challenges of domestic apparel and textile industry and make India fashion capital of the world.
“Youth are the inheritors of our great civilization. I firmly believe India’s unique cultural and historical identity and dedication of our youth to weave magic into creative products will bring far-reaching changes in the fashion industry,” the Lt Governor said.
At the convocation, the Lt Governor shared the key initiatives taken, under the guidance of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, to strengthen the entire value chain from fiber, yarn, fabric to apparel and also reviving unique cultural and artistic heritage.
“J&K is a repository of Indian creative traditions and it manifests in various handicraft and handloom products. We are committed to provide necessary opportunities and facilities to empower and unlock the potential of our talented weavers and craftsmen”, he said.
The Lt Governor also commended the efforts of NIFT to provide a complete, meaningful, relevant education in the area of design development, fashion management and fashion communication to strengthen the brand positioning of apparels and crafts, and to support J&K’s artisans and enrich the local crafts through Craft Cluster Projects.
He advised the students to implement the inclusive approach in spreading the benefits of expertise and exposure earned at NIFT to handicrafts and handloom industry and to do justice with creativity of craftspeople for their empowerment.
“NIFT has emerged as a premier fashion institution of the country and producing professional human resource for textile and apparel industry. Your collective aim should be to build global brands. Your creativity, innovation, value edition and your dedication for cultivating the personality of your products will help in making fashion design, technology and lifestyle accessory industry competitive in the international market,” he said.
The Lt Governor also paid tribute to well-known fashion designer Rohit Bal who was born in Srinagar and went on to revolutionize the Indian fashion industry. The Lieutenant Governor said his innovative and dynamic approach will inspire NIFT’s students to become catalysts for stronger and sustainable growth in this sector.
Vikramjit Singh, Commissioner, Secretary, Industries & Commerce Department; Vijay Kumar Bidhuri, Divisional Commissioner Kashmir; Rajiv Omprakashn, DIG CKR Srinagar; Akshay Labroo, Deputy Commissioner Budgam; Prof. Monika Gupta, Director, NIFT Srinagar; Prof. Sudha Dhingra, Dean Academics, NIFT; HoDs of different educational institutions, senior officials of Civil and Police administration, students and faculty members were present.
