Excelsior Correspondent
PUNE, Feb 1: Celebration of the 12th Kashmir Festival was held here with inaugural function presented by the newly set up band ‘GAASH’ comprising children from J&K who lost their family members in militancy.
The festival has been jointly organised by NGO Sarhad and Arham Foundation of Pune.
From Kashmiri to Marathi folk songs and finally the Bollywood touch, the band left the audience spell bound. The first ever performance of the band received wide appreciation and those present there lauded the spirit and positive approach of the ‘GAASH’ team.
Dr Shah Faisal, topper of 2010 Civil Services Exams, who recently resigned from his job, was the chief guest.
A special attraction was the presence of Padma Shri P.K Koul, a noted writer and art critic.
Among those honoured on the occasion were senior journalist, Anil Anand and film maker Mushtaq Ali Khan who is also the festival director for Sarhad’s three-day international film festival to be held later this month.
Speaking on the occasion Sarhad’s founder, Sanjay Nahar said, the youth of J&K are a talented lot and its endeavour is to create opportunities particularly for those who have become victims of militancy, through providing them educational and other facilities.
In his address veteran writer P.K Koul, who is currently based in Pune, said every possible effort should be made to bring peace in Kashmir.
Lauding the work done by Sarhad in looking after the militancy affected children of the State, Anand said that setting up of ‘GAASH’ band and the impressive performance by its members in a short span of its existence was an index of NGO’s commitment to the case.
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