Ladakh has historically lacked higher education institutions. The region was served by six colleges that provided a limited number of under-graduate courses through affiliations with University of Kashmir. The absence of higher education options exerted significant socio-economic stress on Ladakhi society and forced many youth to migrate outside for post-graduate and PhD programmes. As a result, a segment of the population remained underprivileged due to lack of economic capacity, which deprived them of education opportunities in metropolitan cities outside.

This changed in 2019 when the government announced the establishment of University of Ladakh. This marked a historic moment as it became the first university in the remote and mountainous Ladakh region. The university was inaugurated by the Honorable Prime Minister of India, Shri Narendra Modi, on 3 February, 2019 to boost progress in this remote mountainous region. This university is the only institution of higher learning and research in the Trans Himalayan region along India's northern borders. It has campuses in Leh and Kargil districts with pre-existing colleges in Leh, Kargil, Nubra, Zangskar, Drass, and Khaltse integrated as constituent colleges within the university. This provides educational opportunities at various locations in the region. This initiative represents a significant step toward academic and societal development of Ladakh.

New opportunities in higher learning

Establishing a university in Ladakh provides opportunities for under-privileged individuals in remote areas in Ladakh to pursue post-graduate and PhD courses in the region. It also streamlined essential processes through the 'Samarth eGov' portal, facilitating digital outreach at the students' doorstep. This digital transformation not only meets the needs of University of Ladakh students but also benefits students from various institutions in India and abroad.

The university commenced its first academic programme in 2020 by offering ten master's programmes. Subsequently, it expanded its academic range to include professional courses such as BEd and BPEd. Today, the university offers 28 programmes encompassing emerging fields such as Forensic Sciences, Social Work and Disability Action (recognised by Rehabilitation Council of India), Disaster Management, Space Sciences, Artificial Intelligence, and others. The university conducts research programmes on specific themes relevant to the mountainous region on topics that are not available at other Indian universities.

In an effort to promote research and specialisation, the university has established various research centres including the Centre for Himalayan and Trans Himalayan Studies, Biodiversity Research Centre, Centre for Space Science and Allied Disciplines, and the Gilgit-Baltistan Centre. The Biodiversity Research Centre aims to disseminate knowledge through a database accessible to users in India and abroad to facilitate a network of knowledge exchange.

Given the historical, socio-political, and strategic importance of Gilgit-Baltistan, the Gilgit-Baltistan Centre was established to support research in various scientific disciplines. In addition, the Tribal Research Centre focuses on fundamental and applied research on tribal art and culture, the preservation of tribal cultural heritage, and provides input to the government for tribal community welfare in Ladakh.

Figure 1:.University's Chancellor, Hon'ble Lt. Gov. of Ladakh UT, Brig. (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd.) delivering his Presidential Address at Kargil Campus

The university has received unwavering support from the Administration of UT of Ladakh, particularly from the University's Chancellor, the Hon'ble Lt. Gov. of Ladakh, Brig. (Dr.) B. D. Mishra (Retd.), and Pro-Chancellor, Dr. Pawan Kotwal, IAS. This support is evident in the establishment of the Mountain Research Institute by the Administration of UT of Ladakh, demonstrating a commitment to higher research and educational development in Ladakh.

The university is dedicated to offering its students with opportunities for reflection to realise their potential by excelling in higher and professional education. This is reflected in the courses offered in domains beyond the sphere of traditional education by organisations of national repute. For instance, Film and Television Institute of India (FTII) has developed a partnership with the university to run various short and long-term courses on different aspects of film making.

As a matter of policy, the university aims for high student employability once they complete their courses. The university aspires to be one of the leading universities in the country providing quality, innovative and responsive education at the under-graduate, post-graduate and Ph.D. levels.

The university is also introducing new dimensions to education by implementing the new National Education Policy, 2020. This has been implemented from the 2022-23 session for post-graduate programmes and for all constituent colleges of the university at the under-graduate level from the 2023-24 session.

In addition to meeting the needs of local residents, University of Ladakh has also developed specialised tailor-made courses on Ladakh for serving officers of the Indian Army. It is constantly expanding these activities through the development of new programmes such as a certificate course in Chinese language, which is designed to equip army personnel with essential language skills to facilitate communication during bilateral dialogues with China. Also, since Ladakh's economy is dependent on tourism, the university has devoted special attention to developing human resources for this sector. Remarkably, students are receiving job offers from renowned travel companies and efforts are being made to expand the scope of the Travel and Tourism Management Department.

The growth trajectory

Education holds the key to national development, and there is a need to make quality education accessible and affordable for all in Ladakh. Shortly after joining University of Ladakh, I realised that urgent attention needs to be given to education, particularly focusing on quality higher education and research, to enhance the region's prosperity. Despite limited resources at this relatively new university, all faculty members are given a free-hand to contribute their best without any bureaucratic hurdles. This approach has yielded desirable results, as the university has successfully organised several important national and international events. This includes National Geo Research Scholar Meet (NGRSM), 2022 organised jointly with Wadia Institute of Himalayan Geology or WIHG (Department of Science and Technology, Government of India), which has a pan-India presence of research scholars, Similarly, a national workshop-cum-conference on the Biodiversity and Conservation in the Himalayan region was hosted with participation from several governmental and non-governmental organisations. An international conference on Green Chemistry was organised in collaboration with Royal Society of Chemistry, UK (India Chapter) with more than 100 participants from India and abroad. In addition, an international conference on climate change was hosted in partnership with six research organisations of international repute, including Heidelberg University, Germany with more than 100 participants.

Introduction of Space Science Technologies

Exposure to professional courses gives students an edge through skill development in non-conventional spheres. The university has introduced a new course on Artificial Intelligence in collaboration with OMDENA, Germany, which was attended by over 100 students. India has achieved several milestones in the field of space, and the university has initiated efforts in this direction too. In this regard, a new Centre for Space Sciences and Allied Disciplines has been established at the university to offer courses on the application of space technologies. The university serves as a nodal centre for ISRO education programmes through online learning platforms, viz., Space science and Technology AwaReness Training (START) for post-graduate and final year under-graduate students. In addition, the university also participates in outreach programmes organised by Indian Institute of Remote Sensing (IIRS), Dehradun, which focusses on strengthening academic and user segments in space technology and its applications.

A memorandum of understanding (MoU) has been signed with the Space Application Centre (SAC, ISRO), Ahmedabad. Under this agreement, University of Ladakh and LAHDC, Leh participated in a brainstorming workshop at SAC to formulate a developmental research project, Ladakh specific Modelling and Space Applications (LAMA) with research facilities at University of Ladakh. An instrument to calibrate an advanced space satellite mission has been installed at the University of Ladakh campus in Leh, which will be used in upcoming joint satellite missions of ISRO and NASA. In addition, the first-ever space science exhibition was held in Ladakh UT at the Leh and Kargil campuses. These exhibitions were attended by more than 5,000 students from Ladakh where a number of ISRO’s success stories were exhibited, including the recent launch of Chandrayaan-3.

Advancing education and research

Mountain agriculture is a unique tradition and niche crops are treasure-troves of genetic adaptation. In this regard, the university has created the School of Agricultural Sciences and Allied Technologies. New entities such as Mountain Research Institute and School of Agriculture Sciences are expected to provide new perspectives to Ladakh’s environment, society, and economic growth. To address issues related to climate change in the fragile environment of Ladakh, the State Climate Change Cell for UT Ladakh has been approved by the Department of Science and Technology, Government of India and it will be hosted at the university. This cell will be run jointly by University of Ladakh and Administration of UT of Ladakh. Advisor to Hon’ble Lt. Gov. of Ladakh UT, Dr Pawan Kotwal, IAS is the Nodal Officer and I have been appointed as the Principal Investigator.

Sophisticated and high-precision equipment are essential components for developing advanced research facilities. At the university, the Centralised Interdisciplinary Science Instrumentation Centre (CISIC) has been instituted to cater to the needs of faculty, research scholars, and students from different departments of the university as well as other academic institutions, research laboratories and industries in Ladakh. This facility is being developed through financial resources generated from external funds, especially a PURSE grant from the Department of Science and Technology.

The CISIC and related research activities with a focus on climate change and biodiversity are expected to provide an understanding of changes in various facets of the Earth’s systems. The centre aims to initiate multi-disciplinary research programmes by integrating academics and researchers in various frontiers of science in Ladakh. Such an interdisciplinary centre is essential in this part of the world to impart quality education and research opportunities to young minds. Here, many departments and programmes will come together to study the challenging environmental issues that confront our world in general and Ladakh in specific. Faculty members of various departments have received research grants through national competitive procedures, e.g., MRD Project by the Geology Department (Department of Science and Technology), several projects from Indian Council of Social Science Research (Government of India) and Indian Council Historical Research (Government of India).

Recently University of Ladakh was awarded a Technology Enabling Centre (TEC) grant from Department of Science and Technology to meet Ladakh's specific requirements. It focuses on sustainable agriculture, solar energy utilisation, eco-friendly construction practices, sustainable tourism, fostering an innovation ecosystem, and stimulating entrepreneurship development in Ladakh's challenging environment. Similarly, iHUB Divyasampark, IIT Roorkee has supported Department of Computer Science and IT to find innovative Cyber-Physical System (CPS) solutions to address Ladakh-specific challenges.

An era of collaborations

University of Ladakh has signed more than 45 MoUs with leading universities, institutes, and organisations in India and abroad to develop specialisations at the university and learn from the expertise available across the globe viz., Space Application Centre (ISRO), Ahmadabad; WIHG, Dehradun, CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad, CSIR-IICT, Hyderabad, National Remote Sensing Agency (ISRO), Hyderabad; Gujarat University, Ahmadabad; iHUB Diyva Sampark, IIT Rorkee; G.B. Pant National Institute of Himalayan Environment, Almora; IIT, Jammu; IIT, and Kharagpur (in process). These MoUs provide opportunities to work for achieving excellence in skilling students. The university is on the path to becoming one of the best universities in the country with this support system. This mechanism has helped students from Ladakh participate in cross-cultural interactions, and study tours to organisations of advanced learning and research laboratories in the country.

Figure 2. University's Pro-Chancellor, and Advisor to Hon'ble Lt. Gov. of Ladakh UT,                          Dr Pawan Kotwal gracing the signing of an MoU between University of Ladakh and CSIR-NGRI, Hyderabad

As globalisation reaches the farthest corners of the planet and causes shifts in environmental and geopolitical processes, the young population of Ladakh stands at crossroads. To ensure that Ladakh’s youth are not merely passive witnesses to change, but active architects of their region's future, University of Ladakh and the Higher Education Department, UT Ladakh signed a tripartite MoU with six skill sector councils to impart market-driven and industry-relevant skills to students enrolled at colleges in Ladakh with skills taught by certified trainers. It is pertinent to mention that these skill courses are NSDC-accredited. I took the initiative to establish an Entrepreneurship Development Cell (EDC) to inculcate entrepreneurial mind-sets among students and motivate them to become job-creators rather than job-seekers. EDC hosts a talk series by entrepreneurs at regular intervals wherein seasoned and new entrepreneurs are invited to interact with the students. A two-day workshop on skill development and entrepreneurship with special reference to start-ups under the DST-SERB Scheme sanctioned by the Indian National Academy of Engineering, New Delhi was conducted by University of Ladakh. The process of establishing the Centre for Glacier Studies and enhancing the open-air rock museum are currently in progress. This was the outcome of a visit by the Secretary of the Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES), Dr M. Ravichandran along with senior officials from the ministry to University of Ladakh on 14 October, 2023. The initiative to establish both these initiatives was proposed at this meeting.

Figure 3: Secretary Ministry of Earth Sciences, Dr M. Ravichandran felicitating Ms Rigzin Lhamo of JNV, Leh, who won laurels for the country by wining gold and silver medals during 16th International Earth Science Olympiad (IESO) hosted by IGEO.

Motivational lectures and interactions

Scholars and experts from Ladakh have also been given a forum by the university to express their opinions on their areas of expertise. These interactions are aimed to foster a dynamic exchange of ideas and promote intellectual growth among students and faculty members of the university. By encouraging such open dialogues, my aim is to encourage students to become active participants in shaping the future of Ladakh, broaden their horizons and gather inspiration to contribute to its progress. During the current academic session, eminent personalities such as Ambassador Deepak Vohra, Prof. Trevor D. Price from University of Chicago; Director of SAC-ISRO, Nilesh Desai, Dr Adrita Banerjee (International Institute of Population Sciences, Mumbai), Dr Sarvesh Kumar Srivastava from the Centre for Biomedical Engineering, IIT, Delhi, Astronomer, Sachin Chauhan, Ms Reema from IIT, Delhi, etc., delivered topical lectures and interacted with students and faculty members of the university.

Additionally, a Ladakh-specific series of interactions-cum-lectures has been initiated to create a sense of community among students, allowing them to connect with like-minded individuals and develop networks for future collaborations. We have already organised eight lectures in this series.

Promoting co-curricular activities

Taking into account the varied interests and requirements of students, University of Ladakh conducts a wide range of co-curricular activities. These activities help students discover potential interests that remained unexplored in the past due to a lack of opportunities. Various co-curricular activates such as sports, cultural programmes, and student-exchange programmes, have been introduced. An activity calendar is prepared for the academic year and these events are conducted throughout the year to provide enriching experiences to engage students in meaningful activities.

The university has a National Service Scheme (NSS) Cell, which provides opportunities to students to participate in volunteer activities to develop a sense of social responsibility among students. Inter-departmental and inter-collegiate sports, cultural competitions and youth festivals are organised at the university to enrich students' experiences, foster creativity and inculcate a competitive spirit among them. Adventure activities such as trekking and rock climbing are conducted to instil an adventurous spirit among students.

Students from University of Ladakh have participated in a youth exchange programme under EBSB at IIT, Goa, G20 University Connect Programme at Bharat Mandapan, New Delhi as well as national-level debate/speech competitions, sports competitions such as marathon, Santosh Trophy, volleyball, athletics etc.

Figure 4: The University of Ladakh team at Bharat Madapam, New Delhi

By participating in a wide range of activities and programmes, the university fulfils varied interests and needs of students and promotes their holistic development. This ultimately helps expand the horizons and knowledge of students emerging from the university.

In conclusion, I must highlight the support received by the university from various establishments such as the Indian Army to organise academic and extra-curricular activities. Various events have been organised in partnership with the army at the university campus. An example of this is the month-long programme on martial art training for students.

Epilogue

The adage, ‘Small is beautiful’ perfectly encapsulates the essence of this university. Despite being a burgeoning institution, the university takes pride in its highly committed faculty. By adhering to the principle of 'less is more' and effective teamwork, the institution is progressing well and developing strong collaborations with national as well as international institutions. University of Ladakh is also receiving support from numerous prominent institutions. The university is aiming to create a higher education system that stands out in terms of prestige, research, and embodies the hopes of a nation. University of Ladakh plans to be a leading institution to educate the local community while also attracting the best students and academics from around the world. I am confident that with support from the Administration of UT of Ladakh, University of Ladakh will soon be recognised as one of the best universities in India while also fulfilling the dreams of the people of Ladakh.

I firmly believe that University of Ladakh will play a significant role in the transformation of our country and the Ladakh region in the coming years. My dream is to make University of Ladakh a leading research university of international repute.