Kargil: In a continued push to cultivate grassroots entrepreneurship in the Union Territory, the Enterprising Ladakh initiative reached the University of Ladakh’s Kargil campus with an orientation session led by top officials from the Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India (EDII), Ahmedabad.
Dr. Sunil Shukla, Director General, and Dr. Amit Kumar Dwivedi, Director – Government Projects at EDII, engaged with faculty members and university leadership to explore how local entrepreneurship can be a force for both economic growth and social transformation in Ladakh.
Facilitated by Padma Lhazes, Project Officer for Enterprising Ladakh, the session opened a dialogue on embedding entrepreneurship into higher education. Faculty members shared their belief that business initiatives in Ladakh must go beyond profit and be grounded in cultural identity, community benefit, and sustainable development.
Dr. Shukla echoed this sentiment, calling for a socially responsible entrepreneurial movement that uplifts regions like Ladakh. “A developed India cannot be built on the progress of a few states. Every region, including Ladakh, must grow equally for Viksit Bharat to become a reality,” he said.
Citing the example of Pashmina, Dr. Shukla pointed out that despite originating in Ladakh, the product is largely marketed under Kashmir’s name. He urged educators to inspire students to reclaim and add value to local resources, identity, and innovation—making Ladakh both self-reliant and globally competitive.
He also underlined the need for faculty development and industry monitoring to strengthen the entrepreneurial ecosystem in academic spaces. “Empower the teachers, and they will shape job creators,” he said, adding that Ladakhi youth must aspire to be their own bosses.
Dr. Dwivedi shared insights into the vision and mission of Enterprising Ladakh, highlighting the initiative’s focus on transforming the region into a hub of innovation and opportunity.
Attended by around 30 faculty and staff members, the session laid the foundation for deeper academic collaboration and reaffirmed the university’s vital role in shaping a new generation of change-makers in Ladakh.
