Balanced minds, bold innovators to steer nation towards sustainable development: L-G Manoj Sinha

Jammu, Feb 27 (PTI) Asserting that students must embrace innovation, research on fresh ideas, experiment and give impetus to nation-building, Jammu and Kashmir Lt Governor Manoj Sinha on Friday said the youth hold boundless power to steer society and the nation towards the future.

He emphasised the need for shaping balanced minds and bold innovators for sustainable development.

"Empowered youth engineer the future and I believe intellectual depth, creative strength and innovative youth leadership are essential for national advancement," the L-G said.

Sinha was speaking at the inaugural ceremony of 'Goonj 2026', a youth festival hosted by the University of Jammu. The two-day event aims to offer a platform to youth from diverse disciplines to share ideas, educate the mind and ignite innovation.

The L-G said when young people kindle the flame of courage within themselves and step forward with unyielding belief, new avenues open up for society and the nation.

"Honour your traditions, respect your past and connect with your roots. This will deepen the profound sense of identity, confidence and self-awareness that no classroom can ever fully teach," he said.

Sinha noted that the purpose of education is not merely the acquisition of knowledge but the creation of enlightened citizens who are sensitive to their duties. "True education prepares youth to forge entirely new answers and solutions that the world has not yet imagined. Students enter campuses not merely for degrees, but to nurture culture, explore new ideas, choose bold paths and courageously drive societal progress," he said.

The L-G said the world is changing at an unprecedented pace and the technological explosion has transformed educational institutions and industries alike.

He urged faculty members to make their higher education campuses manufacturing hubs of new ideas. "The effort must go beyond the curriculum. Let there be genuine dialogue across disciplines. Let every lecture in every classroom become a doorway to new possibilities," he said.

On the occasion, the L-G also launched the podcast "JU Vaachan", an initiative by the Department of Journalism and Media Studies, University of Jammu. PTI AB AB ARB ARB