DD&OE organises Popular Lecture at JU

he Directorate of Distance and Online Education today organised popular lecture (Ist in the series) on the theme “Are the living systems intelligently designed” by Prof. Madan Mohan Chaturvedi, former Director, Cluster Innovation Council and Centre for Science Education and Communication, University of Delhi. Vice-Chancellor, University of Jammu, Prof Umesh Rai presided over the event.

Prof. Chaturvedi discussed the topic through a multidisciplinary approach in simple, lucid format. During his talk, he distinguished between living and non-living systems and highlighted the role of water for the sustenance of living systems. He touched upon issues like ‘power house of a Cell’, ‘causes in membrane disorder’, the self-organising and self-reproducing features of living etc. He opined that it is not possible to define ‘life’ in totality, and a lot needs to be explored and examined.  He advised about readings like ‘Dancing with Water’, which may be referred by students for further comprehension and understanding of the subject.  

‘Prof. Umesh Rai, Vice Chancellor, University of Jammu in his presidential address congratulated the Directorate of Distance and Online Education, for organising this lecture on important theme, and expressed his gratitude to Prof. Chaturvedi for highlighting the important areas related to living systems. Vice-Chancellor Prof. Rai emphasized that these like events must be organised more often in a multi-disciplinary context, to build and promote the concept of ‘dissolving disciplinary boundaries’.

            Earlier Director, DD&OE, Prof. Neelu Rohmetra welcomed the audience and introduced the eminent speaker. She expressed her delight that the Directorate has taken another initiative to organise such like academic events. She further conveyed that hosting eminent scholars and accomplished academicians / practitioners will become a regular feature in the Directorate henceforth.  

The popular lecture was attended enthusiastically by the Deans, Directors, HODs, faculty members, officers, officials and students from across disciplines, of the University and the Directorate.

The event was coordinated by Dr. Neelam Choudhary, faculty member, DD&OE.