SKUAST-K bags two startup awards at IIT Jammu competition

IIT Jammu’s Institute Innovation and Entrepreneurship Development Centre (I2EDC) had organised the ‘Startup Competition for Enterprising Teams with Million Dollar Ideas’.

Ahmer Bashir secured the first position and Rs one lakh among 130 contestants from various higher education institutes of Jammu and Kashmir.

Dr Khalid Z Masoodi, Assistant Professor at SKAUT-Ks division of Plant Biotechnology, won a consolation prize of Rs 10,000 under ‘Best Local Resource Relevant Project’ for his idea of anti-cancer food from a local underutilized crop.

Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai said to make SKUAST-K the best innovation university in the country, every possible step is being taken to create an enabling environment for entrepreneurship and startup creation.

Ahmer Bashir, mentored by the IDP-NAHEP team of the university, has won many awards earlier for his idea to solve the poor solid waste management problem in the country, particularly keratinous wastes, including human hair, which are the hardest protein and takes more than 50 years to decompose naturally, making it an environmental concern.

At the IIT-Jammu competition, the second and third prizes were won by Harkeerat Kaur of Azad Identity Solution and Mansi Sharma of Manukrishi, respectively for Rs 50,000 and Rs 25,000 cash prize.