TEXT OF PRESS RELEASE: MICROSOFT DREAMSPARK YATRA(DSY), SRINAGAR, 2011

Microsoft Student Partners (MSP) Srinagar Team in collaboration with the Directorate of IT & SS, University of Kashmir recently conducted Microsoft DSY, Srinagar, 2011 as part of a series of DSY events conducted in 100 cities across India. The event was held at the Kashmir University Convocation Complex on Sunday, the 15th of May, 2011. Nearly 2000 participants from all over Kashmir attended technical sessions delivered by veteran speakers from Microsoft, India (like Anubhav Mehendru and Siddharth Prakash) and by MSPs. Hon’ble Minister for IT, Science & Technology, Animal Husbandry and Sheep Husbandry, Govt. of Jammu & Kashmir, Mr. Aga Syed Ruhullah Mehdi was the Chief-Guest. He spoke about job creation and about some ambitious projects (like SWAN). General Manager and Country Head for Developer and Platform Evangelism, Mr. Moorthy Upplauri was present as the Guest-of-Honour and delivered the keynote address. For the record, DSY Srinagar has proved to be the biggest DSY all over India in terms of youth participation and the fact that this was the only DSY where Mr. Moorthy himself was present. Hon’ble Vice-Chancellor, University of Kashmir, Prof. (Dr.) Riyaz Punjabi delivered the Presidential address. Besides that, dignitaries from the academic, media and corporate fraternities were also present at the occasion.


Technical sessions were delivered on Cloud Computing, Silverlight, Game Development using the tools available under DreamSpark. The participants received certificates from Microsoft and DreamSpark keys (which can be redeemed at www.dreamspark.com to download all the software available under DreamSpark). A few students haven’t received the keys and certificates- they are requested to stay in touch through the Microsoft Student Partners, Srinagar Facebook page.

The initiative was supported by our valued partners- the J&K Bank Ltd., Highland Automobiles Sonwar, Mercy Corps Kashmir, Career Craft Consultancy & Placement Services Baghat Barzulla, Esquebee Solutions, TREISH Packaged Drinking water and NIIT Residency. Media partners for DSY, Srinagar were the Greater Kashmir and Kashmir Uzma dailies. Publicity partners: Café Robusta Lounge, Srinagar and Pick-and-Choose Departmental Store, Srinagar. We thank the Convocation Complex authorities & staff, the MERC department and the Registrar of Kashmir University for their support. We are grateful to all of them for making this event a success. We’re also thankful to Mr. Ashaq Bukhari- SSP, Srinagar- for providing transportation to our guests from Microsoft.



MSP Srinagar Team
(Shehla Rashid, Junaid Masoodi, Sarah J. Andrabi)