BUDGAM: Deputy Chief Minister Surinder Choudhary yesterday conducted an extensive visit to the National Institute of Fashion Technology (NIFT) campus in Budgam, reviewing the institution’s academic functioning, infrastructure, and ongoing developmental projects.
During the visit, the Deputy CM held a review meeting to assess academic progress, teaching methodologies, and student welfare initiatives focused on holistic development. He then toured the institute’s state-of-the-art laboratories and workshops, including the Garment Construction Lab, Weaving Lab, Jewellery-cum-Leather Lab, and Photography Lab, observing students engaged in creative work and interacting with faculty on technical and industry-relevant aspects of their training.
Demonstrating a personal connect with students, the Deputy CM engaged them in discussions across disciplines, encouraging them to leverage their education to become cultural ambassadors of Jammu and Kashmir, promoting the region’s heritage and potential nationally. He also assured students that the government would explore developing a nearby sports field to support their extracurricular interests.
Highlighting the government’s emphasis on inclusive growth and skill enhancement, he urged NIFT to organize specialized workshops and training programs for local ITI students and artisans, stressing the importance of equipping them with advanced craft techniques to improve product quality, marketability, and global demand.
The Deputy CM also inspected ongoing infrastructural upgrades on campus, directing executing agencies to maintain high-quality standards, adopt a zero-tolerance policy for substandard materials, and promptly address all repair works to ensure a safe and conducive learning environment. He expressed satisfaction with the institute’s progress and reaffirmed government support for NIFT to emerge as a premier center of design excellence.
Director NIFT, Prof. Dr. Monika Gupta, informed the Deputy CM that community engagement is integral to the curriculum, with students regularly visiting districts to guide local artisans, bridging traditional craftsmanship with modern design.
The visit underscores the government’s commitment to fostering excellence in education, fashion, design, and traditional crafts in Jammu and Kashmir. The Deputy CM was accompanied by SIDCO Managing Director, Superintending Engineer of R&B Budgam, and other concerned officers.
