SKUAST-Kashmir students win global One Health Day award in Lisbon

Team emerges top among entries from 94 countries; receives Certificate of Excellence and USD 1,000 cash award

SRINAGAR: Students of Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology of Kashmir (SKUAST-K) have earned international recognition after winning the prestigious One Health Day 2025 Student Competition Award at the World One Health Congress (WOHC 2026) in Lisbon, Portugal.

The award was presented during the closing ceremony of the international congress, which brought together experts, researchers, academicians, policymakers, students and professionals from around the world to advance the One Health approach.

Organised by the One Health Commission, the One Health Day Student Competition recognises outstanding student-led initiatives promoting interdisciplinary collaboration across human, animal and environmental health.

Representing SKUAST-K, Dr Ayeman Qamri, MVSc Scholar in Veterinary Medicine, and Dr Shivam Srivastava, MVSc Scholar in Veterinary Gynaecology & Obstetrics, received the award online on behalf of the university’s One Health student team, SKUAOHUN.

Video messages from the student representatives were also showcased during the formal award ceremony, highlighting the team’s work and contribution to the One Health agenda.

Team tops international competition

The recognition follows SKUAOHUN’s success in the One Health Day 2025 International Student Competition, where the team secured the top honour for organising a month-long hybrid initiative, ‘One Health Program-2025’.

The SKUAST-K team competed against teams from 94 countries across all continents and was recognised for taking the One Health message beyond classrooms through community engagement, awareness, education and interdisciplinary activities.

As part of the recognition, the team received an International Certificate of Excellence and a cash award of USD 1,000.

The achievement has highlighted the global relevance of the students’ work and SKUAST-K’s growing engagement with transdisciplinary One Health research, education and outreach.

SKUAST-K expands One Health initiative

SKUAST-K has been working to institutionalise the One Health approach in Jammu & Kashmir.

The university initiated a structured One Health roadmap in 2023, including the establishment of a dedicated School of One Health. It has also been developing collaborations with medical and veterinary institutions to advance research, education, innovation and policy engagement in the field.

Congratulating Dr Ayeman Qamri, Dr Shivam Srivastava and the entire SKUAOHUN team, Vice-Chancellor Prof Nazir Ahmad Ganai also lauded the scientists and Dean of the Faculty of Veterinary Sciences & Animal Husbandry, Shuhama, for the achievement.

Prof Ganai said the international recognition demonstrated the growing global impact of SKUAST-K’s transdisciplinary approach and reflected the university’s commitment to addressing emerging societal and scientific challenges through the One Health framework.

He described the award as an important milestone in SKUAST-K’s transition from national to global engagement and reiterated the university’s aspiration to emerge as India’s first global agricultural university by 2030.