Addressing a two-day national seminar on ‘Revival, Preservation and Sustainability of Cultural Heritage of Kashmir’, organised by Kakini Building Humanity in Srinagar, Sinha urged educational institutions to provide scholars and students with platforms for research and documentation of historical works.
“Every university, every teacher, and every cultural institution of this land should work on translating important texts, encourage research, and provide scholars and students with a common platform,” he said.
The Lieutenant Governor said Kashmir’s contribution to philosophy, spirituality, language, aesthetics and human thought extended far beyond its natural beauty. Referring to Acharya Abhinavagupta, he stressed the need to introduce young people to the philosophers, saints, writers and thinkers who shaped the region’s intellectual tradition.
He said heritage should not merely be admired but also preserved, documented and made accessible to society, describing its protection as a collective responsibility towards future generations.
Union Minister for Culture and Tourism Gajendra Singh Shekhawat also attended the seminar virtually.
Highlighting heritage conservation initiatives in Jammu and Kashmir, Sinha said preservation work had been initiated on 106 projects under the first two phases, of which more than 40 had been completed. Under the third phase, 321 projects had been identified, with 312 receiving administrative approval.
He said nearly 96.8 lakh pages of historical records had been digitised in the Jammu and Srinagar archives, accounting for around 68 per cent of the available documents.
Under Mission Gyan Bharatam, surveys had identified 43,000 manuscripts, while digitisation work was progressing, he added.
The Lieutenant Governor also referred to ongoing initiatives concerning the Sufiana School in Srinagar, modernisation of Abhinav Theatre and Kala Kendra in Jammu, restoration of Mubarak Mandi and research into recently discovered Kushan-era Buddhist remains in Baramulla district.
On the Naranag Heritage Complex in Ganderbal, Sinha welcomed the research and documentation work undertaken by Kakini Building Humanity and expressed hope that conservation and restoration activities would begin after the completion of the necessary procedural requirements.
He also appreciated initiatives associated with the Harmukh-Gangbal pilgrimage, describing it as an important part of Kashmir’s cultural and spiritual traditions. He said Kakini Building Humanity had established a chair at the Indian Heritage Institute in connection with its work on heritage preservation.
Emphasising Kashmir’s tradition of inter-community harmony, Sinha called for the preservation of the cultural and religious heritage of all communities with sensitivity.
Referring to the spiritual poetry of Lal Ded and Nund Rishi, he said their teachings continued to resonate across generations.
“The vaakhs of Yogini Lalleshwari and Nund Rishi still reach people’s hearts across centuries, because their words contain eternal truths that are untouched by the passage of time,” he said.
He also acknowledged the contribution of Kashmiri Pandits to the Valley’s literary, spiritual and cultural heritage, saying their dignified return would help restore Kashmir’s complete social and cultural fabric.
The Lieutenant Governor commended the Department of Archives, Archaeology and Museums, scholars, archivists, museum professionals and other stakeholders for their role in heritage conservation. He also acknowledged the contribution of former Army officers and civil society organisations.
During the event, Padma Vibhushan awardee Dr Padma Subrahmanyam, Kuldeep Krishan Sidha, advocate Raja Ashraf Ali Khan, Swamini Vishwa Nireeshwari Lakshmi Priya Mata, Ramesh Hangloo, architect Balaji Dhar and architect Shravanthi were felicitated for their contributions to culture and heritage.
Maj Gen R K Raina (Retd), Chairman of Kakini Building Humanity; Cdr Sanjay Kaul (Retd); Dr Aanchal Khurana, Vice-President of the organisation; Culture Department Secretary Ramesh Kumar; Divisional Commissioner Kashmir Anshul Garg; DIG CKR Rajiv Omprakashn; Srinagar SSP Dr GV Sundeep Chakravarthy; Deputy Commissioner Srinagar Akshay Labroo; senior officials and prominent citizens attended the seminar.
