Jammu & Kashmir’s National Song

Syed Junaid Hashmi Did the constituent assembly declare the poem written by Maulana Masoodi and recited by Sheikh Mohammed Akbar at the request of the president of the assembly Ghulam Mohammed Sadiq in the year 1952, the National Song of the state? Historical records and research studies conducted by various … Read more →

Female Drug Addiction in Kashmir

By Jehangir Rashid Kashmir valley has been a witness to the conflict over the past couple of decades and estimates put the number of casualties at one hundred thousand. Thousands of women have been widowed and almost one lakh children have turned out to be orphans. In addition to the … Read more →

They Wait Endlessly To Be Pronounced Widows

by Afsana Rashid Absence of proof of death makes life miserable for half – widows, women whose husbands are missing in a conflict situation in Kashmir. That is the irony they are faced with and continue to live with uncertain hopes. Waiting for twelve years (after the disappearance of her … Read more →

The Rebirth of Kashmir

By David Lepeska They came from Bandipore and Baramulla, Pampore, Rajbagh, Sonmarg, and Uri, three to a scooter, 60 to an overloaded minibus, on foot, by bicycle, truck, rickshaw and horse-pulled tonga. Swinging placards and posters, hoisting banners and waving flags, miles-long convoys coursed through the streets of Srinagar as … Read more →

Paradise on Boil

S Zafar Mehdi Safvi The horrible fears have after all come true. Alas! MK Gandhi’s ‘glimmer of hope’ was not to last any longer. It’s Jammu vs. Kashmir no-holds-barred showdown. Regional and religious sentiments, coupled with parochial and chauvinistic interests rule the roast currently, while the grand old edifice of … Read more →

The Issue of Special Children in Kashmir Conflict

By Afsana Rashid Absence of social support network for special children in Indian administered Kashmir for the last 18 years of conflict has witnessed number of special homes emerge, with no rules to govern them. Though special homes are not considered an ultimate answer to increasing number of special children … Read more →

Diaspora Literature: A Testimony of Realism

By Dr. Shaleen Kumar Singh Diaspora Literature involves an idea of a homeland, a place from where the displacement occurs and narratives of harsh journeys undertaken on account of economic compulsions. Basically Diaspora is a minority community living in exile. The Oxford English Dictionary 1989 Edition (second) traces the etymology … Read more →

Poetry Collection

War by Parvez Ahmad Naqash, Kashmir The soldiers without any personal enmity haunted by some vicious spirit cutting, maiming and killing one another the gory sight bearing a testimony to man’s innate stupidity his cruelty to himself the bombardment above razing to dust buildings along with inmates men women children … Read more →

Q & A with Sanjay Kak

by Ather Zia Sanjay Kak is an independent documentary film-maker of Kashmiri origin, born in Pune in 1958. He is an award winning director and some of his notable works include, “In the forest hangs a bridge” (1999), “One Weapon” (1997) and “Harvest of Rain” (1995). His film based on the anti-dam movement in … Read more →

An Interview with Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat

by Irtif Lone & Hakeem Irfan Prof. Abdul Gani Bhat is staunchly pro-Pakistan, and supports Kashmir’s accession to Pakistan. He heads Jammu and Kashmir Muslim Conference. In the past he has also been the head of Hurriyat Conference. Professor Bhat taught Persian before he was dismissed on charges of constituting … Read more →

In Conversation with Syed Ali Shah Geelani

Irtif Lone & Hakeem Irfan Syed Ali Shah Geelani is a Kashmiri veteran pro freedom leader. He is the Chairman of Hurriyat Conference (G) an amalgam of various separatist political parties. He supports right to self-determination as the resolution of Kashmir issue. The ailing leader has spent more than 11 … Read more →

Q&A: An Interview With Yasin Malik

By Irtif Lone Yasin Malik leads the Jammu Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF), a secular separatist movement. Yasin Malik renounced violence and is treading the footsteps of Mahatma Gandhi to achieve a united Kashmir independent from both Pakistan and India. Yasin strongly supports the return of Hindu Kashmiri Pandits. Malik launched … Read more →