The Displaced Pandits Initiative seeks reconciliation, return to Kashmir

With local recruitment down to near zero and militant attacks subsiding this year, Kashmir on Saturday (13 June 2026) witnessed a rare reconciliation effort and return of displaced Kashmiri Pandits to the valley after a group of Pandits toured heritage sites for six days to test the degree of normalcy after 36 years of living apart.

Jammu and Kashmir Lt. Governor Manoj Sinha said this homecoming was “the truest victory”.

Today I addressed the Global Kashmiri Pandit Conclave, which was attended by eminent personalities of the Kashmiri Pandit community from India and abroad. The moment of transformation is here. Those who were once uprooted from their homeland are returning, and this homecoming is the truest victory. pic.twitter.com/Nem1GgIu0k

— Office of LG J&K (@OfficeOfLGJandK) June 13, 2026

Dr. Surinder Koul, who heads the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, pushed for an initiative called ‘Pragash’ that would pave the way for “historical dialogue, reflection, heritage preservation, cultural renaissance and community empowerment”. Around eight Pandit organizations have extended their support to the initiative and around 100 Pandits have visited the monuments across the valley to experience the “changed situation” for themselves.

“Terrorism is no longer a fear factor in Kashmir. We drove from Kupwara’s Tikker to Srinagar in the middle of the night. Dalgate in Srinagar was full of tourists and vendors. We want to be a part of the change,” Mr Koul said.

Mr Koul also praised the undisplaced Pandits who remained in Kashmir and asked Muslims to “ensure their protection”. “Here the Pandits are under the protection of the Muslims until we all return to Kashmir,” he added.

Referring to his meeting with Prime Minister Narendra Modi in 2019 in the United States, Mr. Koul said the initiative, Pragaash, was an effort to reconnect with our ancestors. “I remember PM Modi saying that Pandits have suffered a lot and collective efforts need to change the atmosphere. Indeed, Kashmir has changed a lot,” Mr Koul said.

Accompanied by scores of Pandits from different parts of the world, Mr. Koul visited prominent heritage sites like Martand Temple, Kheer Bhawani, Sharda Peeth and others to take stock of the ground situation and motivate the Pandits to return to Kashmir, which the community left due to rampant militancy in the 1990s.

“I have returned to Kashmir after 36 years. I have one complaint that people pretend that they did not see or hear anything in 1990 when the community was expelled. But the fact remains that those who destroyed us also destroyed their own people. I must state that Pandits are not enemies of anyone. Places like Martand temple are our common heritage, Pandit or Muslim,” said Mr. Koul.

Scores of Pandits have pledged to return to Kashmir after this tour. “I was from Srinagar’s Rainawari area. We decided to come back and become a part of Kashmir. Our ultimate dream is to settle here and die here,” said Neerja Sadhu. She said the sight of the Chinar tree triggered a flood of memories from her childhood in Kashmir. “Kashmir is a spiritual land and a torch bearer. Leaving Kashmir was an unbearable torture,” she added.

The community organized the first-ever two-day international conference at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Convention Center (SKICC) that brought together scholars, policymakers, entrepreneurs, youth leaders and artists on the theme “From Exile to Excellence – A Kashmiri Pandit’s Journey of Resilience, Renaissance and Return”. “I pay tribute to the Governor and the J&K Police who sacrificed themselves to protect Kashmir,” Mr Koul said.

Kashmiri Pandits also hosted former J&K Director General of Police RR Swain, the architect of the new style of policing in Kashmir, to drive the community’s plans to return to Kashmir.

Speaking at the SKICC, LG Sinha termed the two-day conference as a “moment of transformation”. “Those who were once uprooted from their homeland are coming back and this homecoming is the truest victory,” Mr Sinha said.

He called on “esteemed members of the Kashmiri Pandit community to establish industries, academic and cultural institutions in J&K that will immortalize their legacy and provide opportunities for future generations”.

“The journey of the Kashmiri Pandit community has been marked by genocide, exile and struggle. The world once witnessed their hurt and now their triumph. The community chose a different path. They refused to be defined by hurt and struggle. Instead, they turned that pain into strength,” Mr. Sinha said.

Revive the panel

On the occasion, Nasir Aslam Wani, advisor to J&K Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, also called for the revival of the Apex Committee for the Return and Rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.

“The structured dialogue mechanism was necessary to facilitate the dignified return of the displaced community to the Valley. Kashmir will remain incomplete until Kashmiri Pandits return and live alongside Kashmiri Muslims again,” Mr Wani said.

He said that despite various rehabilitation packages, transit accommodations and initiatives introduced over the years, the larger objective of facilitating the return of Kashmiri Pandits has not been fully achieved. He reiterated that the two communities “share a common history and future”.

“The J&K government will soon initiate discussions with community representatives and take steps to revive the Apex Committee, which was set up in 2009 to oversee the process of return and rehabilitation of displaced Kashmiri Pandits,” he added.

The Pandit initiative was also attended by Uphaar Kotru, President Kashmir Overseas Association (KOA); Utpal Kaul, International Coordinator and Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora (GKPD); Ashwani Bhat, President, Kashmiri Pandit Association (KPA) Mumbai; Sanjay Koul, President All Minority Employees Association Kashmir (AMEAK); Autar Krishan Trakroo and others.

Published – 13 Jun 2026 22:35 IST