Daily Times

The two-day Distinguished Innovations Collaboration and Entrepreneurship (DICE) competition ended on Sunday at the Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture, Multan. Hundreds of students from 34 universities of Pakistan participated and over 170 business models were presented in the event.

Provincial Energy Minister Dr Akhtar Malik and Provincial Minister of Punjab for Management and Professional Development Syed Hussain Jahania Gardezi inaugurated the event. Members of National Assembly (MNAs) Wasif Mazhar Raan, Saleem Labar and Sabeen Gul were also present of this occasion.

Presiding over the session, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture Dr Asif Ali said that the objective of organising this event is to promote entrepreneurship among the students. The competition held among the 170 business models which shows the diversity of ideas in the minds of young students, said Dr. Asif Ali. In the event, competition of pulses’ dishes was also held. The aim of pulses dishes competition was to highlight the importance of pulses and their benefits for a healthy body, the VC said. Eating pulses is better than eating junk food because pulses are free of chemicals, he added. There are two categories of pulses’ dishes including professional and non-professional.

Under the professional competition, first position was bagged by Ramada hotel, second position by Awari Express and COTHM while third position was held by China Town Restaurant. In the non-professional competition, University of Sargodha Team got first position, Muhammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture team got second position and Rise College for girls’ team got third position. Women have fully participated in the event and they were much aware about the health benefits of pulses, the vice chancellor said.

Cash prizes of 15,000 rupees were given to first position holders, 10,000 rupees to second position holders and 5000 rupees to third position holders both in professional and non-professional categories.

Volka Foods Chairman Chauhdry Zulfiqar Ali Anjum while addressing the students said that use of pulses in our daily diet was being diminished because we prefer to eat junk food that causes negative effect of health. He said that pulses are rich in fiber and good for managing cholesterol. Moreover, pulses are also good for the digestive system and regulate the energy level in our body, he added. He said that pulses are rich in iron, calcium, potassium, zinc and magnesium.

Under the industrial expo, latest agricultural equipment and machinery were also displayed and the new agriculturists were apprised of using technological methods of cropping so that they would be able to increase their productivity with minimum resources and time. Over 30 stalls were set up in the industrial expo where the students displayed agricultural machinery.

Women University Multan Vice Chancellor Dr Uzma Qureshi said that such events should be organised on regular basis. She said that Pakistani students are second to none and they have come up with very unique and innovative ideas in the event. Such events help in showcasing the talent of young generation for the larger benefit of society, she added.