KATHUA, OCTOBER 12: Government Degree College (GDC), Kathua on Monday organised a symposium on “Climate Change and Disaster: Challenges, Resilience and the Road Ahead” in memory of late Prof. Ravinder Rampal. The event was organised by the Literary Committee of the college in collaboration with the Dr. D. K. Rampal Trust, with the objective of sensitising students to emerging environmental challenges and promoting awareness about disaster preparedness, resilience and sustainable development.
Former Vice-Chancellor of the University of Jammu Prof. R. D. Sharma was the Chief Guest, while Prof. Jay Pal Singh, Principal, Government College for Women Kathua and Prof. Raj Kiran, Principal, Government Degree College Basohli were present as Special Guests.
Rahul Dev, former Ward Member and social worker, attended as the Special Invitee. Vinay Rampal, Trustee of the Dr. D. K. Rampal Trust also attended the programme.
The host College Principal Dr. Manohar Lal welcomed the distinguished guests, academicians, jury members, faculty members and participating students. He emphasised the role of academic platforms in fostering environmental awareness, scientific temper and responsible citizenship.
The symposium witnessed enthusiastic participation from students and faculty members representing various colleges. Speakers deliberated on the causes and consequences of climate change, disaster management, community resilience and the need for collective efforts to address environmental challenges. The presentations highlighted the importance of sustainable practices, preparedness and informed decision-making in mitigating disaster risks.
The jury comprised Prof. M. S. Pathania, former Principal; Prof. Anirudh Sharma, former Principal; and Prof. Saroop Chander, retired Head of the Department of English. The participants were evaluated on the basis of content, clarity, relevance and overall presentation.
Anamika of GDC Kathua bagged the first prize, followed by Akshay Kumar of GDC Marheen in second place and Danish Bhagat of GDC Samba in third place. Cash awards were also presented to Harleen Kour, Tania Rajput, Sania Billowria, Pallavi Choudhary, Palak Dubb and Sadia Nazz in recognition of their participation and achievements.
Chief Guest Prof. R. D. Sharma highlighted the relevance of the theme and stressed the urgent need to address the growing challenges of climate change and disasters. He underscored the importance of awareness, preparedness and collective responsibility in building a resilient and sustainable future.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Vinay Rampal appreciated the efforts of the faculty members in organising the symposium and providing students with a platform for intellectual engagement and environmental awareness.
The programme was attended by Dr. Neeraj Sharma, Convener of the Literary Committee; Prof. Sandeep Choudhary; Dr. Eva Sharma; Dr. Nitasha Baloria; Dr. Kamaljot Kour; Prof. Supreet Kour; heads of various departments and faculty members from other institutions.
The proceedings concluded with a vote of thanks by Dr. Yash Paul Sharma, Head of the Department of Urdu and Staff Secretary, who expressed gratitude to the Chief Guest, Special Invitee, Special Guests, Trustee of the Dr. D. K. Rampal Trust, jury members, participants and faculty members for their valuable contributions to the successful conduct of the event.
The symposium served as a tribute to the memory of Prof. Ravinder Rampal and reaffirmed GDC Kathua’s commitment to academic excellence, environmental consciousness and holistic student development.
