J&K CM Omar Abdullah Visits IICT Campus in Mumbai

The Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir, Omar Abdullah, visited the Indian Institute of Creative Technologies (IICT) campus at the National Film Development Corporation (NFDC), Mumbai, on January 15, to explore avenues for institutional collaboration and student exchange between IICT and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir.

The visit, held at the IICT–NFDC Campus, was hosted by Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, Chief Executive Officer, IICT, along with Munjal Shroff, Governing Council Member of IICT.

During the visit, the Hon’ble Chief Minister was taken to the IICT Main Campus for a structured walkthrough of the institute’s academic and technology infrastructure. As part of the programme, he viewed a curated audiovisual presentation at the Rangayan Preview Theatre, showcasing IICT’s vision, academic framework, and creative technology capabilities. This was followed by a live showcase at the Anubhuti Drishya Immersive Studio Lab, featuring demonstrations of augmented reality, virtual reality, and mixed reality applications, along with experiential interaction.

The visit also included a Digital Twin demonstration at the Photogrammetry Studio, where a live 3D photogrammetry scan was conducted to create a digital avatar, highlighting the practical applications of immersive and emerging technologies.

A strategic discussion session was held to deliberate potential areas of collaboration between IICT and the Government of Jammu & Kashmir. Discussions focused on exploring student exchange and institutional cooperation, particularly in the areas of skill development and capacity building in AVGC and emerging creative technologies; digital heritage and cultural preservation through immersive tools; and the development of a collaborative startup incubation and innovation ecosystem aimed at empowering youth from Jammu & Kashmir.

Speaking during the interaction, the Hon’ble Chief Minister said, “If we want Jammu and Kashmir to become an attractive destination for filmmaking, then human talent and post-production capability must be created locally, and that is where a relationship with an institution like IICT becomes important for us.”

Speaking on the occasion, Dr. Vishwas Deoskar, CEO, IICT, said, “We are grateful to the Hon’ble Chief Minister of Jammu & Kashmir for taking the time to visit the IICT campus. The interaction was valuable, and we look forward to exploring productive and meaningful collaborations that can benefit students and young talent from Jammu & Kashmir, particularly by enabling skill development, fostering innovation, and creating sustainable employment and entrepreneurship opportunities for the youth of the region.”

Following the discussions, the Hon’ble Chief Minister was escorted to the NFDC Bharat Pavilion and Museum, which chronicles India’s cinematic and creative heritage. The visit highlighted the role of the NFDC Museum as a national cultural repository and a platform for preserving, presenting, and celebrating India’s film and creative legacy, before the Chief Minister proceeded to onward engagements at the NFDC campus.