At pandit conclave, LG Manoj Sinha asks Kashmiri pandits to invest in J&K as govt promises revival of return panel

SRINAGAR: While Jammu and Kashmir government Saturday said it will form an apex committee that will work on the return of Kashmiri Pandits, lieutenant governor, Manoj Sinha called upon “distinguished” members of Kashmiri pandit community to set up industries, academic and cultural institutions in Jammu and Kashmir that will become the immortal story of their heritage and provide opportunities to generations to come.Addressing the Global Kashmiri Pandit Conclave in Srinagar, Sinha described the event as “a moment of transformation” and said that the presence of business leaders, corporate heads, technology entrepreneurs, and cultural icons sends a powerful message of confidence in the peace of Jammu Kashmir, and trust in the administrative stability under Prime Minister Narendra Modi.”The event, titled “Global Kashmiri Pandit Conclave: From Exile to Excellence,” was organized by a section of the Kashmiri pandit community at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) in Srinagar.The event brought together members of the community, along with dignitaries, to discuss issues related to heritage and identity, and to highlight the community’s contributions across various fields.Sinha called upon members of Kashmiri pandit community to set up industries, academic and cultural institutions in Jammu Kashmir that will become the immortal story of their heritage and provide opportunities to generations to come.

He emphasised that the Kashmiri Pandit Community's contribution is needed across industry, education, arts and spirituality.“I believe the true measure of life lies in what we give back, in the hope we inspire, and in the change we leave behind for our society and nation. That is the essence of a meaningful life and that is the real service. And it is this legacy that will continue to guide and inspire generations to come,” Sinha said.Sinha said that the world remembers the 1990s, when the Kashmiri Pandit community were forced to leave everything behind and live in exile in their own country.“Lives marked by pain and struggle gave the Kashmiri Pandit community only two choices- despair or rebuilding. They chose creation, rebuilding and selfless service and in doing so, the community made history. Carrying the weight of massacre, they never turned away from their purpose.”“Today, I am proud that the Kashmiri Pandit community is celebrated for reaching new heights of success. The world honours their talent, leadership, and contributions to humanity,” Sinha added.“You turned struggle into strength, and that struggle forged community leaders who achieved excellence in technology, finance, medicine, the arts, and civil services.In that struggle your commitment produced entrepreneurs who built companies shaping global markets, and I believe it also produced scholars who enriched the academic world and influenced policy.”He said the return of the Kashmiri Pandit community reflects that after 2019 a new Jammu Kashmir has been born.“The strength of this new Jammu Kashmir reflects your resolve. Its hope reflects your vision. Jammu Kashmir, which witnessed the massacres, pain, and displacement of the Kashmiri Pandit community has been transformed into a centre of reconstruction by the Prime Minister Narendra Modi,” he said.Nasir Aslam Wani, an adviser to chief minister Omar Abdullah, addressing at the event.

said that “a tempest swept through Kashmir in the 1990s and it affected everyone. It was equally devastating for Kashmiri Pandits and Kashmiri Muslims.”He said that in 2009, the government of the erstwhile state of Jammu and Kashmir under the chief minister Omar Abdullah, had constituted an apex committee to oversee and facilitate the return and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits. Wani said the committee would be revived soon and the government would work in that direction.