Srinagar, May 6: Mohammad Younis Malik on Wednesday assumed charge as Director of the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute, succeeding Khalid Jahangir in a formal ceremony held at the institute’s Sempora campus.
The brief handover marked a leadership transition at the Union Territory’s premier entrepreneurship promotion body. Senior officers, officials and staff members of JKEDI attended the event, which also included a warm farewell for the outgoing director.
Khalid Jahangir, who had been holding additional charge of JKEDI alongside his responsibilities as Secretary, Industries and Commerce Department, was acknowledged for his contributions during his tenure. Officials said that under his leadership, the institute strengthened its role in promoting entrepreneurship, encouraging startup culture and implementing initiatives aimed at youth empowerment and economic development across Jammu and Kashmir.
Speaking after assuming charge, Mohammad Younis Malik expressed gratitude for the opportunity and outlined his priorities for the institute. He emphasised the need to further strengthen entrepreneurship development, capacity building and effective implementation of government schemes to generate sustainable livelihood opportunities.
He said teamwork and institutional cohesion would be key to achieving JKEDI’s objectives. “The employees of the institute are its permanent stakeholders, and our collective strength lies in working together with unity and purpose,” he noted, calling for a coordinated and results-driven approach.
Highlighting unemployment as a major challenge, Malik stressed the need to align JKEDI’s programmes with the goal of addressing joblessness among youth. He said the institute must focus on delivering impactful outcomes through innovation and entrepreneurship.
The new director also underscored the importance of the J&K Startup Policy 2024–27, stating that JKEDI would continue to play a central role in nurturing startups, facilitating access to finance and strengthening the region’s entrepreneurial ecosystem in line with policy objectives.
In his farewell remarks, Khalid Jahangir extended his best wishes to his successor and expressed confidence that the institute would continue to progress under the new leadership. He appreciated the dedication of JKEDI staff and urged them to maintain their focus on service delivery and impactful initiatives.
Staff members also thanked the outgoing director for his guidance and welcomed the new director, expressing commitment to collectively advance JKEDI’s mission of empowering aspiring entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir.
