Srinagar Conclave Sparks Hope and Debate Over Kashmiri Pandit Return to Valley

SRINAGAR: Seven prominent Kashmiri Pandit organisations from India and the global diaspora have adopted the “Praagaash Resolution”, presenting a renewed roadmap for justice, rehabilitation, cultural preservation and the dignified return of the displaced community to Kashmir.

The resolution was adopted at the conclusion of Praagaash – The First Light, the first community-led Global Kashmiri Pandit Heritage Tour and Conclave, held in Srinagar from June 6 to 14. Organisers described the initiative as an effort to reconnect displaced families and younger generations with their ancestral homeland while placing long-pending community concerns back at the centre of public discussion.

Representatives from domestic and overseas Kashmiri Pandit organisations called the gathering one of the most significant homeland engagement efforts since the vast majority of the community fled the Valley in 1990 to escape violence. The programme combined heritage visits, community dialogue and policy discussions focused on return, restoration and cultural continuity.

The event was jointly organised by the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, Jammu Kashmir Vichar Manch, Kashmiri Overseas Association-USA, Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj, Kashmiri Pandits’ Association Mumbai, Sanjeevani Sharda Kendra and the All Minority Employees Association of Kashmir.

Deliberations at the conclave centred on rehabilitation, cultural preservation, youth engagement, economic empowerment, security concerns and the need to strengthen the Kashmiri Pandit community’s institutional presence in the Valley.

The Praagaash Resolution called for institutionalised engagement between the Kashmiri Pandit community, the Government of India and the J&K administration through formal consultative mechanisms. Participants said such engagement should be continuous, representative and focused on measurable outcomes rather than symbolic outreach alone.

The resolution also sought welfare measures for non-displaced Kashmiri Pandits and employees appointed under the Prime Minister’s Special Package, including improved security, adequate housing, better service conditions, family welfare support and mechanisms to address day-to-day administrative concerns.

The conclave expressed support for the proposed establishment of a Kashmiri Pandit Welfare Board, while stressing that any such body must not dilute demands related to justice, rehabilitation, homeland restoration, restitution and accountability for the events that led to the community’s displacement.

Delegates further called for formal recognition of the 1989-90 exodus of Kashmiri Pandits as genocide in public policy and urged the constitution of an appropriate commission of inquiry. They underlined that renewed engagement with Kashmir should not be viewed as a substitute for justice, restitution or dignified rehabilitation.

Community leaders said they would pursue consultations with the Centre and the Union Territory administration on the proposed welfare board and other issues raised during the conclave. The organisers also announced plans to make the heritage tour an annual initiative aimed at reconnecting younger generations with Kashmiri Pandit history, memory, sacred sites and cultural practices.

Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha while attending the conclave described it as a landmark event that celebrated the community’s resilience, renaissance and aspiration for return. He said the presence of business leaders, corporate heads, technology entrepreneurs and cultural figures signalled confidence in peace, stability and reconstruction in J&K.

Speaking at the gathering, he said the conclave honoured the achievements of Kashmiri Pandits while laying the foundation for their dignified return to their homeland. He described the moment as one of transformation, saying that those once uprooted from Kashmir were now seeking to reconnect with their roots through confidence, contribution and renewed community engagement.

“A moment of transformation is here. Those once uprooted from their homeland return and this homecoming is the truest victory,” he said, adding that the community had converted the pain of exile into strength, achievement and service.

Sinha said the journey of the Kashmiri Pandit community had been marked by genocide, exile and struggle, but also by perseverance and success across fields. He noted that many members of the community had built institutions, led businesses, contributed to technology, finance, medicine, civil services, education, arts and culture, and earned recognition across the world.

He urged distinguished members of the community to establish industries, academic institutions and cultural centres in J&K, saying such initiatives would create opportunities for future generations and become an enduring tribute to the community’s heritage.

The Lt. Governor said the true measure of life lies in what people give back to society, the hope they inspire and the positive change they leave behind. He said the Kashmiri Pandit community’s contribution would be important in building a Viksit Bharat and in shaping the development journey of Jammu and Kashmir.

While the Praagaash Conclave projected a message of renewed engagement with Kashmir, differences within sections of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community also came to the fore. Roots in Kashmir and Youth for Panun Kashmir strongly criticised the Srinagar conclave, questioning the legitimacy of an unregistered organisation claiming to represent Kashmiri Pandits.

The organisations alleged that certain statements made by some speakers, including foreign citizens, appeared to be part of a broader attempt to dilute or whitewash the “genocide and forced displacement” of Kashmiri Pandits. They maintained that political commentary by foreign citizens on India’s internal affairs was unwelcome and could potentially affect the safety of Kashmiri Pandits still living in the Valley.

The two organisations reaffirmed their support for the Margdarshan Resolution of 1991, which they described as the foundational document of the Kashmiri Pandit movement and the only viable framework for a dignified, secure and sustainable return to the homeland.

Vithal Chowdhary, President of Youth for Panun Kashmir, said it was unfortunate that some individuals claiming to represent Kashmiri Pandits chose to socialise with political figures while thousands of displaced Kashmiri Hindus continued to await justice and rehabilitation. He also questioned what he called a contradiction between claims of normalcy in Kashmir and the continued insecurity and displacement faced by members of the community.

Activist Amit Raina said political interventions by foreign citizens were inappropriate in matters concerning India’s internal affairs. Rahul Mahanoori, speaking on behalf of Roots in Kashmir, reiterated that there could be no compromise on the community’s core demands--justice for the victims of genocide, a one-place settlement for displaced Kashmiri Hindus and Union Territory status for the proposed homeland in Kashmir.

Both organisations also announced that they would conduct a Havan to pay homage to the martyrs of the community and pray for peace for those whose sacrifices, they said, had been dishonoured by the actions and statements of a few individuals in Kashmir.