Design University Reaches Out to Schools in Kashmir

Design Thinking plays an important role to address different challenging tasks. When Design Thinking is supported with innovation it becomes a powerful tool to address the environmental crisis.  Design Thinking and innovative practices helps in achieving the goals like having sustainable energy and fossil fuel free transportation system. These tools can drive transformative change, fostering creative and sustainable solutions. With the increasing need for sustainable solutions, the concepts of innovation in sustainable energy, sustainable transportation, and climate change have become intrinsically linked. Some months back I wrote a piece on Design Thinking and Good Governance which was carried in this newspaper on February 6^th 2024. 

That was my first article on Design Thinking and I only got to know this subject in detail after I had visited Anant National University Ahmedabad in the month of January. Infact, I had done my Climate Action Fellowship from the same university but during that time I was more focussed on climate and environmental issues rather than Design Thinking. 

As already discussed in my earlier writeup, design thinking doesn’t essentially mean fashion designing, interior designing etc but this is more than that and its application is essential in every field of life.  

During my discussion with the Provost (Vice Chancellor) of Anant National University Prof Anunaya Chaubey at Ahmedabad, I had requested him to visit Kashmir so that he could interact with Kashmiri youth and make them aware of Design Thinking which makes young minds to think critically and analyse everything with passion and empathy. Prof Chaubey came to Kashmir a few days back and visited several institutions in Srinagar, Shopian and other places. It was heartening to see school students interacting with him so passionately. 

Visit to NIPS Zainapora Shopian 

When Prof Anunaya Chaubey and his colleague Dr Naga Chetanaya (Assistant Professor Climate School) landed in Srinagar on April 22^nd at 9:30 am, we straightway drove towards Zainapora Shopian to meet the students at National Innovation Public School -NIPS. I had heard a lot about this school and have been following them on social media as well.

By harnessing the power of innovation and design thinking, young people can drive sustainable solutions and make a significant positive impact  especially when we have to overcome the environmental crisis and to create a more sustainable world.  

When we were discussing climate change and recent heavy downpour in Dubai, I shifted the discussion towards excessive use of Pesticides in apple farms in Shopian and other parts of Kashmir. The students of class X from NIPS who were debating climate change and engaging passionately with Prof Chaubey, were shocked to learn about the fallouts of the pesticides. 

These kids are bright enough to understand the impacts of pesticides but as this issue is neither discussed or debated in our rural societies, the people at large don’t take this as a great threat for climate, biodiversity or  human health. I believe Prof Chaubey’s visit to NIPS Zainapora Shopian has made a remarkable impact on the young minds as they would definitely start thinking critically about excessive use of pesticides.  Their passion, creativity, and willingness to challenge the status quo will make them catalysts for change.

Birla Open Minds School Pampore 

On Tuesday April 23^rd Prof Anunaya Chaubey visited Birla Open Minds School-BOMIS Pampore. Yet again, he interacted with students of class X and the discussion was mind-blowing.  

The way students at BOMS Pampore discussed innovation and design thinking with some novel ideas was really incredible. Prof Chaubey reiterated that  Design Thinking was like a problem-solving approach that focuses on finding innovative and sustainable solutions which are based on compassion and empathy. He added that design thinking puts human needs and experiences at the forefront, emphasizing empathy, creativity, and collaboration. 

In the present time, public policy and governance face an increasing demand for effectiveness, efficiency, and empathy. Many of our Government schemes and welfare programmes are indeed pro poor and empathetic like PM Gareeb Kalyan Anna Yojna -PMGKAY or PM Awas Yojana -PMAY, Swachh Bharat Mission or MNREGA but during implementation process we find lots of loopholes in these schemes. 

Our Govt planners can involve Design Thinkers to streamline these Govt schemes. Our traditional chefs ( Waza’s) from Srinagar’s old city were known for their cooking  skills. But as time passed their children didn’t opt for this job as they thought being a waza was an inferior work. This is not their fault but as a society we have this mindset in Kashmir. The Waza’s from Srinagar’s Wazpora area used to hire workers and helpers from Tulail Gurez area of Kashmir and when the new generation from traditional Waza Community were not ready to continue with this profession , the workers and helpers from Gurez and Tulail took over this profession. We have some incredible Waza’s from Tulail and Gurez who work in Srinagar and other places. To address these challenges Anant National University is offering scholarships for the children of artisans or chefs who want to continue with their trade and tradition.  

Interaction at RISE academy 

After finishing his talk at Birla Open Minds School Pampore, Prof Anunaya Chaubey visited RISE academy Srinagar to interact with IIT JEE aspirants who are in class XI right now. During the interaction with students at RISE institute Gogjibagh Srinagar, the climate crisis was again being discussed and Prof Chaubey explained how this could be tackled using Design Thinking.  

Infact, Anant University has now launched a dedicated course of B Tech in Climate Change which is nowhere taught in the country as of now. Prof Chaubey said that this course should have been introduced more than two decades back had we been using Design Thinking as a tool to address our climate issues.  I believe that design thinking and innovation holds great importance due to its holistic approach that promotes companies to change their mindset not just to solve problems but to find them as well. Design Thinking incorporates long-term strategy planning and setting a work environment that runs on critical thinking, creativity and imagination.  

Conclusion 

The National Education Policy-NEP 2020 has recommended concerted curricular and pedagogical initiatives which includes the introduction of contemporary subjects such as Artificial Intelligence (AI), Holistic Health, Organic Living, Environmental Education, Global Citizenship Education (GCED). Design Thinking is also part of NEP 2020.  The NEP encourages students to think critically and creatively, and to develop problem-solving and critical thinking skills. Jammu & Kashmir Govt needs to create a mass awareness on Design Thinking and especially hold workshops for school teachers. The urban planners , architects , engineers and environmental experts should essentially be imparted training on this subject so that we are able to tackle the climate crisis especially. I appreciate Anant National University for reaching out to Kashmiri youth and on my suggestion Prof Anunaya Chaubey agreed to invite school students and teachers from Kashmir to his campus at Ahmedabad in winter’s vacation. In summers we plan to have students from this university do some kind of internships in Kashmir with various Govt and Non Governmental organisations.  This will not only help exchanging of ideas or skills but also will help students to develop leadership skills , self confidence and greater understanding of the problems. Kashmiri students are bright who need more handholding and greater exposure to the outside world. 

• Views expressed in the article are the author’s own and do not necessarily represent the editorial stance of Kashmir Observer 

Follow this link to join our WhatsApp group: Join Now

MONTHLY	Rs 100
YEARLY	Rs 1000
LIFETIME	Rs 10000

CLICK FOR DETAILS