Srinagar: Two student innovators, Rafiya Mushtaq and Sameena Lone of the Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, Kashmir (SKUAST-K) have bagged National Aggnite Award 2023 for their innovative startup ideas at a-IDEA, National Academy of Agricultural Research Management (NAARM), Hyderabad, Telangana.
A statement of SKUAST-K issued here said that the award was presented by CGM NABARD Mumbai Devasis Padhi in presence of President a-IDEA and Director NARM C H Srinavasa Rao, CGM SBI Mumbai Shantanu Pensey, Investment Director Caspian Hyderab Emmanuel Murray, Senior Executive Director NFDB L Narasimha Murthy, and Executive Vice President Wadhwani Foundation Mumbai Sunita Singh during the first graduate ceremony of agri-startups conducted by the Association for Innovation Development of Entrepreneurship in Agriculture, ICAR NAARM, Hyderabad.
The statement said that SKUAST-K was the only agriculture university across the country to win this year’s Aggnite Award among 206 applicant innovators from various Universities. It said that having been mentored by BDA Innovation Cell IDP-NAHEP Naveed Hamid, SKUAST-K innovators are among the 10 award winners from 206 contestants from across the country.
The statement said that the awardees were selected after the rigorous scrutiny of three screening and pitching rounds.
It said that Vice Chancellor SKUAST-K, Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai congratulated the innovators and their mentor for winning the award and bringing laurels to the university.
The statement said that Aggnite was an agri-idea competition at the national level to motivate the students towards entrepreneurship in agriculture and to educate them on startup ecosystems and entrepreneurship skill sets.
It said that besides the prize money, the award offers incubation and mentorship support for the winners.