PIONEER EDGE NEWS SERVICE/ Dehradun
Doon University’s Dr. Ambedkar Chair has launched targeted capacity-building initiatives in remote Uttarkashi to ensure that geography does not limit student ambition, the university sources said, adding that the initiative actively empowers the students from marginalised communities. Under the initiative, hands-on workshops were held at two institutions based in Purola: B L J Government PG College and Atal Utkrisht Government Inter College. Specially tailored for Scheduled Caste (SC), Scheduled Tribe (ST) and Other Backward Class (OBC) students, the sessions provided academic guidance, career counselling, personality development and soft-skills training, informed the chair professor Harsh Dobhal.
Commending the outreach, Doon University vice-chancellor Surekha Dangwal said that reaching isolated mountain communities reflects the institution’s commitment to constitutional values of social justice and quality education for the last student in line.
Addressing the gathering, the chair professor Harsh Dobhal detailed Dr B R Ambedkar’s contributions to nation-building, emphasising that his enduring vision must be translated into direct field-level action. Noting that nearly 95 per cent of participating students belonged to SC, ST and OBC communities, he stressed that education remains the most potent instrument for socio-economic transformation among rural mountain youth, bridging historical regional and social divides.
To turn these principles into personal success, Prof Dobhal offered practical guidance on personal growth, urging students to view confidence, active daily reading and public speaking as essential tools for self-reliance. “By mastering articulate expression in both regional and national languages and overcoming hesitation, the youth from the Himalayan hinterland can effectively project self-assurance, present their ideas and claim their rightful space in higher education and professional spheres,” he added.
Extending the discussion into economic self-reliance, the dean of the School of Social Sciences, Prof R P Mamgain emphasised the vital role of local economic development in reversing youth migration and building resilient mountain communities.
Established under the Dr Ambedkar Foundation (Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment, Government of India), the Dr Ambedkar Chair at Doon University serves as a premier centre for research, education and community outreach. Dedicated to social inclusion, it advances empirical studies, capacity-building workshops and field-level empowerment for SC/ST, OBC, and women across the Himalayan region.
