KATRA: A proud moment for Shri Mata Vaishno Devi University (SMVDU), as Team “Major” (comprising Harsh Raj – Team Leader, Amit Kumar Amar, Aman Singh, and Nitesh Kumar Dubey) students from the School of Electronics and Communication Engineering (ECE), represented the university at the IEEE YESIST12 2025 Grand Finale hosted at Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia (UKM), Malaysia.

Earlier, Team “Major”, mentored by Prof. Sumeet Gupta, had won 1st position in the Innovation Challenge Track and secured 3rd overall position in the IEEE YESIST12 2025 Prelims, earning national recognition and a cash prize of ₹5,000 In the Grand Finale, Harsh Raj presented the team’s project “Gesture Speak” – an assistive hardware innovation powered by Convolutional Neural Networks (CNN) to translate sign language into speech – and received a Certificate of Appreciation for his presentation. Harsh Raj expressed gratitude to SMVDU for financial support towards registration and international travel, without which participation at the international level would not have been possible.

He also extended heartfelt thanks to his mentor Prof. Sumeet Gupta for continuous guidance, Dr. Anil Bharadwaj (HoD, School of ECE), Prof. (Dr.) Pragati Kumar (Vice-Chancellor, SMVDU) for their encouragement, Mr. Karan Vohra, TA for assisting with 3D printing, and Mr. Bhawani Singh, STA for support in prototype development. He also acknowledged his teammates, and international dignitaries including Dr. Gunjan Varshney (Chair, Innovation Challenge Track), Dr. Norhana Arsad (IEEE UKM SB Counselor), and Dr.Ramalatha Marimuthu (General Chair, IEEE YESIST12 2025). Special thanks were also conveyed to IExplore Foundation, IEEE Malaysia Section,  Universiti Kebangsaan Malaysia, and the entire YESIST12 organizing team for providing the global platform.This achievement highlights SMVDU’s continued commitment to nurturing innovation and preparing students for global recognition in science, technology, and engineering.

Your voice can reach the world: At JK Monitor, we firmly believe that every well-researched idea has the power to inspire change beyond geographical boundaries. We are delighted to share an encouraging message from one of our esteemed contributors, Dr. Rakesh Verma (J&K Forest Services). “His article, ‘When Trees Become Rights-Bearing Citizens: A Lesson from Canada for India’s Ecological Future,’ published on JK Monitor, received appreciation from La Compagnie des Papillons Bleus, the French non-profit organisation that founded and promotes the Universal Declaration of Tree Rights.”.  Read the message here
In loving memory of Dr. Priya Ranjan: A mentor who treated me like family
A Profound Loss: JK Monitor Mourns the Passing of Founding Chairman Dr. Priya Ranjan

We at JK Monitor are profoundly saddened by the sudden demise of our Founding Chairman, Dr. Priya Ranjan.IN LOVING MEMORY Dr Priya Ranjan

A brilliant mind who studied at Netarhat Residential School and graduated in Electrical Engineering from IIT Kharagpur before earning his PhD from the University of Maryland, Dr. Ranjan chose to return to India and dedicate his life to teaching, research and social good.

His pioneering work in networked systems, AI, robotics and biomedical applications—especially computer-vision tools for early detection of cancer and heart disease—reflected his deep belief that advanced technology must serve humanity.

For more than 15 years at JK Monitor, he remained a loyal friend, mentor and collaborator, marked by rare humility, intellectual integrity and quiet generosity. His passing leaves a void that cannot be filled. Priya, you will be deeply missed. Your life continues to remind us that knowledge finds its highest purpose in the service of others.

— Team JK Monitor

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