Mir Sameer Fayaz serves as a Senior Project Associate at the National Innovation Foundation (NIF). With an extensive tenure since August 1st, 2013, he has held diverse roles within NIF, including Research Assistant, Research Associate, and Project Associate-I. Possessing a master's degree in Bioresources from the Department of Botany at the University of Kashmir, He also specializes in "Forest Resources of J&K with Special Reference to Medicinal Plants of Kashmir Valley." Additionally, he has acquired a Post Graduate Diploma in Intellectual Property Rights (PGDIPR) from IGNOU. His primary responsibilities at NIF revolve around scouting and documenting grassroots innovations, traditional knowledge holders, and new plant varieties. He also coordinates and executes INSPIRE MANAK-related activities in J&K, along with following up on human health, veterinary, and plant protection practices. His work involves tasks such as herbarium preparation, bulk sample collection, PIC execution for validation, and patent filing of innovations from J&K. He has a rich history of coordinating and attending over fifty events organized by NIF and other related institutions. In his co-curricular endeavors, Mir Sameer Fayaz has served as a Cadet Captain and has achieved National Cadet Corps (NCC) Naval Wing "B" & "C" certificate level exams conducted by the Ministry of Defence, Government of India. He has attended seven training camps, including three national-level training camps/courses such as the National Ship Attachment Course at the Western Naval Command Mumbai, the National Nau Sainik Camp at the Eastern Naval Command Vizag Andhra Pradesh, and the National Integration Camp at Periyar Maniammai Institute of Science & Technology, Tanjore Tamil Nadu.