Srinagar, October 28, 2026 (Yes Punjab News)
Jammu and Kashmir cannot be understood through geography alone, as its identity is shaped by its languages, folklore, cultural practices, arts, faith, traditions and lived experiences, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha said on Wednesday.
He made the remarks during the foundation stone-laying ceremony for the Kashmir Chapter of the Centre for Regional Studies, Culture, Dialects and Emotional Intelligence at the University of Jammu.
“Languages, folklore, cultural practices, arts, faith, traditions and lived experiences together shape the identity of a place. The integration of regional knowledge with emotional intelligence would form the soul of the new Centre and help create a deeper understanding of society,” Sinha said.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor described the Centre as a unique and forward-looking initiative bringing together regional studies, culture, dialects and emotional intelligence.
Highlighting Jammu and Kashmir’s rich civilisational heritage, he said the initiative would strengthen cultural, historical and human connections while preserving the region’s diverse intellectual and linguistic traditions.
Sinha noted that the Centre’s wide-ranging objectives include preserving manuscripts, developing digital archives, undertaking linguistic mapping and ethnographic studies, researching pilgrimage and tourism, studying mountain ecology, promoting local entrepreneurship and offering fellowships to young scholars.
He described these as distinctive initiatives by the university and said they would help build a shared repository of knowledge for future generations.
The Lieutenant Governor also outlined four key factors underscoring the Centre’s relevance in contemporary times: balancing global connectivity with local identity, preserving endangered languages and knowledge systems, adopting interdisciplinary approaches to complex challenges, and recognising the importance of emotional well-being in education.
He said that while technology continues to transform societies, preserving cultural roots and human values remains equally important.
Speaking about the role of universities amid rapid technological change and the growth of artificial intelligence, Sinha said emotional intelligence and technological capability complement each other.
He stressed that institutions preparing students for the future must promote continuous learning, adaptability, ethical awareness and multidisciplinary collaboration.
The Lieutenant Governor also expressed confidence that the main Centre at the University of Jammu’s Jammu campus and its Kashmir Chapter could emerge as a model institution for research.
He said the initiative had the potential to contribute to knowledge creation, cultural preservation and human-centred development while enhancing the global standing of universities in Jammu and Kashmir.
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