Displaced Pandits’ initiative seeks reconciliation, return to Kashmir

Dr. Surinder Koul, head of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Diaspora, led a group of Pandits on a six-day tour of Kashmir to assess the current situation and encourage their return after 36 years of displacement. The initiative, called Pragash, aims for reconciliation and cultural renaissance. The visit saw scores of Pandits pledge to return, with many expressing hope for rebuilding their lives in the Valley. Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha hailed the homecoming as a "truest victory" and urged the community to establish businesses and institutions in Kashmir. The government also pledged to revive the Apex Committee on the return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits.