STATE TIMES NEWS
JAMMU: The Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof. Umesh Rai, inaugurated the “Scanning and Photographic Facility for Herbarium Digitization” alongside the Virtual Herbarium at the Department of Botany on Friday. This innovative facility, funded by the Department of Science and Technology (DST) under the FIST program, was launched with a ribbon-cutting ceremony led by Prof. Rai in presence of prominent dignitaries, including Prof. Yash Pal Sharma, Dean Life Sciences; Prof. Meena Sharma, Dean Planning and Development; Prof. Anju Bhasin, Dean Academic Affairs and Sciences, and Prof. Susheel Verma, Head, Department of Botany.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Rai emphasized the importance of digitizing botanical resources, noting that this advancement enhances the University of Jammu’s reputation on the global stage. He highlighted that the virtual Herbarium is a significant step forward in preserving and sharing plant knowledge, particularly in light of the earlier digitization of campus flora through QR codes. Prof. Rai expressed pride in the University’s recent achievement of ranking 50th in 2024 and voiced confidence that, with initiatives like this, the university will soon be among the top 20 institutions nationwide. Additionally, he announced financial assistance to the tune of of INR 10 lakh from the University’s internal resources for the development of Botanical Garden and herbarium.
Prof. Rai formally inaugurated the digital herbarium, exploring its database of plant names and families.
Speaking on the occasion, Prof. Yash Pal Sharma discussed the significance of botanical gardens and herbariums, mentioning the department’s affiliations with Botanic Gardens Conservation International (BGCI), UK, and the Index Herbariorum, New York. He commended the university’s commitment to achieving this feat despite limited resources.
Prof. Meena Sharma praised the department’s forward-thinking approach, stating that it positions the University as a leader in accessible, knowledge-based resources, while Prof. Anju Bhasin highlighted the urgent need for plant conservation and applauded the department’s globally accessible plant collections within the Botanical Garden and herbarium.
Earlier, Prof. Verma in his welcome address introduced the distinguished guests to the principles behind the automated scanning facility, underscoring the global importance of virtual herbaria in spreading knowledge of regional flora. Prof. Verma highlighted that only a select number of herbaria worldwide are digitized and available online, and noted that the University of Jammu is the first institution in Jammu and Kashmir to fully digitize its herbarium-a milestone enabled by Prof. Rai’s visionary leadership. He also referenced the Indian Virtual Herbarium initiative launched by Hon’ble Union Minister Shri Bhupender Yadav in 2022 and supported by Hon’ble Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi in Mann Ki Baat, which has encouraged nationwide digitization efforts.
On the occasion, certificates of appreciation were awarded to the contributors involved in the digitization and QR code development.
Dr. Harish Chander Dutt delivered the vote of thanks, and Dr. Romica Verma conducted the event proceedings. The ceremony was attended by esteemed faculty members, including Prof. Namrata Sharma, Prof. Veenu Kaul, Dr. Sikander Pal, Dr. Geeta, Dr. Abhishek Dutta, Prof. Sanjana Kaul , Director, School of Biotechnology, Shri Ravi Kant Verma, Computer Programmer, Examination Wing, as well as non-teaching staff, research scholars, and students.
