Visit to Jammu University - sample student reflections - Prof. Vipin Gupta

We visited Jammu University from March 5 to 7, 2007. We were welcomed in a grand manner at the airport with garlands by the faculty and students in the Hospitality program at Jammu University. We were then escorted to the campus, where we were greeted by the senior faculty of the management department – Keshav Sharma, Neelu Rohmetra, Ashok Aima, and Jagdish Dhotra. We were personally offered fresh coconut juice and complete breakfast, and made to feel very comfortable by Prof. Neelu Rohmetra who treated the students as her children. Rooms in the guesthouse were available to change and to freshen up. Thereafter, the faculty and students escorted the group to a grand tour of the campus, with Prof. Keshav Sharma, Head of Management Department, being the chief guide himself in an animated and entertaining pose. We enjoyed the cactus garden, knowing about various faculties, visiting the museum, and going to the gymnasium and meeting the athletics team. We were hugely inspired by the Vice Chancellor Prof. Amitabh Mattoo's cutting short his visit to Japan, and returning just to meet us and sharing words of orientation at his office.

Chief Medical Officer Dr. Manju Gupta and the pharmacist then accompanied the group,, and full personal medical attention was provided 24x7 during the entire visit.

Prof. Poonam Dhawan organized a unique welcome, women entrepreneur life story telling, women entrepreneur crafts fair, and then the school visit, at the Nud village, with special gifts for the group. She personally gave a tour of the crafts fair, and told the inspiring story of the village women. Prof. Keshav Sharma then offered a personal tour to the group, showing the well, bio gas plant, hay cutter, and the sofa bed to the group. The delicious Kashmiri dogra lunch, together with the entire Jammu group and the Nud village group, at the beautiful Mansar Lake, was very heartwarming.

Though the ride to Dharmashala was long and bumpy, faculty escorts – Parikshit, Sameer and Komal, along with the accompanying, research scholar and students – Suvidha, Anuradha and others, made the journey interesting and educational, and attended to all our needs. At Dharmashala, Prof. Ashok Aima had made special arrangements at each room, with chocolates, fruits, and toiletries, along with bonfire for relaxation, and specially selected menu for dinner, breakfast, and lunch. The special visit to Dalai Lama arranged by Jammu University was an immense spiritual experience that overwhelmed all of us. The shopping and guided visits to the Tibetan monastery and art institute, along with delicious Tibetan lunch served by monks, remain memorable experiences. The Ayurvedic massage helped recover from the strains of the journey.

On the return to Jammu, we were excited to be in the media and program limelight at the Women leadership panel organized by Prof. Meenakshi Kilam, where the six panelists – primarily Jammu University alumnae - Payal Bhalla, Karuna Sharma, Nasreen Khan, Minna Dubey, Archa Jain, and Bhawna Sethi shared their stories of setting up the business, and succeeding as entrepreneurs. Chief guest and ex Jammu Mayor – Rani Blowria – shared valuable insights. Prof. Ashok Aima personally attended to making the dinner pack, and made sure that everybody was as comfortable as possible in the train.

Here are some of the reflections of the students on their visit to Jammu University:

“On our long bus ride from Jammu to Dharamshala, I had the pleasure of speaking with one of the Jammu University students – Sumit. We discussed numerous topics, but the main recurring theme that I noticed in our conversation was the importance of a clear conscious – contentment and happiness regardless of extraneous circumstances.. We began to speak about marriage and relationships, Sumit said that he would only date one girl, and he would marry that girl and never divorce her no matter the circumstances…. These answers really amazed me.

In Jammu University women entrepreneurship panel, each woman was introduced along with her husband and children. And in their speeches, again, each woman made sure to thank those she held relationships with and to give them credit for her success. One woman at the Jammu conference called her husband “the wind beneath her wings”… If someone were to ask me to sum up the style of leadership held by Indian women, I would say ‘authentic’. At the Jammu conference, three of six women left cushy jobs in finance, bureaucracy, and other major businesses to pursue what meant the most of them. Most of the women started child advocacy centers, schools, and daycares.” (Julia Reynolds)

“Dharamshala is a spiritual melting pot. Hindus, Muslims, Buddhist Monks,, Tibetan entrepreneurs, Kashimiri refugees, and Western eccentrics pursue their spiritual lives in harmony and tolerance. Despite my numerous travels to various parts of the world, nowhere did I feel so much peace in the mist of so much diversity. Everyone pursued their own roles, respected each other’s religious festivities and restrictions.” (Fay Stambuk)

“In our trip to Dharamshala, we were given an opportunity of a lifetime to witness the teachings of the Dalai Lama. Dharamshala itself is a breathtaking jewel hidden amongst the Himalyas, and evokes a sense of sacredness. I noticed that India, as a whole, is a country of contradictions. Meaning, despite the chaos and/or disorganization of the country’s infrastructures and crowds, peacefulness is exuded from the spirituality that exists in its buildings and people. The teachings of the Dalai Lama are a testament to the power of belief and the strength of religion in India. As we walked through the monastery, where there were thousands of Buddhist monks and followers joined together for a collective purpose, I could not help but feel envious of their sense of belonging to a shared cause. It was an emotional experience for me because I do not practice in any religion despite the fact that I identify myself as a Catholic; therefore, I felt as if a part of me is missing.

Like the teachings of the Dalai Lama, the Tibetan monastery and art institute that we also visited while in Dharamshala challenged my views of the necessity for religion. IN the U.S., I think that religion has a negative connotation in many societal contexts. For example, the education system is required to assume a non-bias stance in terms of its curriculum and religion…. Contrarily, India takes a position that directly incorporates religion, politics, and education, thereby, providing its people with a greater appreciation of their country and understanding of themselves. The Tibetan art institute holds true to this interpretation because it allows Tibetan refugees to take shelter in its schools that teach Buddhism, while providing them with the opportunity of personal development as well as a chance to give back to the community by selling their handicrafts.” (Lauren Marashio)

“I had an in-depth conversation with one of the girls on the bus about her life in India, including marriage, dating, drinking, and all sort of things Americans incorporate into their daily lives. Dharamshala was my favorite part of the trip. The Himalayas are possibly the most incredibly beautiful sight I have ever seen in my life. The culture is raw, too, barely touched by the hotel conditions, which were considered top quality. The standards of living differ greatly, as well as the resources readily available. There is no central air or constant supply of hot water. Bugs and mice are also regarded with little consideration.. There is a greater regard for life, in whatever form, in India, where as in America we will moan and gripe the whole way. It made me take a step back and evaluate my own standards. In Dharamshala, I realized how much I really take for granted in America and how overly spoiled my life is.

After Dharamshala, we returned to Jammu for our media debut. The hype that erupted around us was absolutely overwhelming, but taken into perspective completely understandable. .. Women entrepreneurs told their stories, capped off with the political styling of the former mayor of Jammu. Though, it was hard to understand at the time and still is a little hard to comprehend our importance, it was certainly evident that night.” (Alex Jette)

“I was also able to gain a sense of the culture through my experience at the Nud village with the University of Jammu students. Specifically, after being exposed to only university and city life, we were able to examine Indian village life as we visited the village, attended the village’s craft fair, and ate the village’s traditional Dogra food. This experience was extremely enlightening after I saw the profuse skills of the villagers. For example, the villagers were skilled in crafts, getting a supply of water through a well, maintaining energy, building homes, and using all resources to their full advantage. This experience influenced me immensely as I was previously a waster who never took full advantage of resources such as food and energy that have always been abundantly available to me. I am now a conservator who is appreciative of all that I have.

I also saw that villages are primarily led through women. Women make and sell crafts to support their families, as they commonly being their own businesses. The University of Jammu offers entrepreneurship development program for these rural women. It trains thirty seven rural women in two distinct groups – printing technology/ beauty therapy/ agro based, and pre-primary education and crèche management. This training exemplifies how the Indian society is finding it more and more necessary to acquire business skills to succeed and sustain a village.” (Nicole Field)

“People would go out of their way to ensure our comfort and happiness. For example, Jammu University put together a conference with speakers and a large media presence. Our group also received a number of gifts – the people from Nud village gave us scarves, hand made folders, and hand printed handkerchiefs. Additionally, students from Jammu University accompanied us on our excursions and served as assistants and guides without any expectation of payment.” (Jessica Rudis)