Excelsior Correspondent
NEW DELHI, July 14: Addressing a meeting of Kashmiri Pandit United Forum here today, Dr Jitendra Singh, Union Minister of State in the Prime Minister’s Office (PMO), Personnel and Training, Science and Technology (Independent Charge), Atomic Energy, Space and Earth Sciences said, the present Government is fully aware of the problems faced by different groups of refugees in Jammu & Kashmir and is following a holistic approach in addressing their grievances whether they are Kashmiri Pandit displaced community or PoJK refugees or West Pakistan refugees or refugees uprooted from time to time in the aftermath of Indo-Pak war of 1965, 1971 and terrorism during the last 20 years.
Dr. Jitendra Singh said, the State of J&K is known for its composite culture,which is incomplete without the presence of Kashmiri Pandits in the Valley. While the displaced Kashmiri community deserves the right for a dignified secured return to the valley, no other section of refugees or society should feel let down simply because they opted to follow the nationalist stream of life.
Today’s meeting was organized to give awards to the meritorious students of class 10th & 12th studying in Delhi and belonging to displaced Kashmiri Pandits community.
While congratulating the students and their parents for securing high grades, Dr. Jitendra Singh said that this is a testimony to the intellectual caliber of this community that even while living and studying in uncomfortable and adverse circumstances, they are not only able to compete with students from other sections of society but are also able to excel and make a name for themselves and their elders.
The Kashmiri Pandit community has always been known for its excellence in the field of academics and education, he said, and hoped that the tradition of academic aptitude will continue even in the post-migration generation in spite of the cultural and linguistic dilution which the community had undergone during its years outside J&K. He suggested that conventional as well as unconventional methods, including workshops and creation of literature, to acquaint the young children of the community of their rich heritage, which they could not witness because of being born and brought up in alien milieu outside Kashmir.
On the occasion, 21 students from class 12 and 18 students from class 10 were awarded for securing high percentage of marks in the recently conducted Board exams. The award function was held as a part of “Meet Your Bright Stars 2014” programme under the aegis of Kashmiri Pandits United Forum. Prominent among those present on the occasion included KP United Forum office bearers P.L. Razdan President, Vijay Miskeen Vice President, B.L. Razdan General Secretary, Ganesh Magazine Treasurer, P K Raina Patron and Ramesh Peer Executive Member.
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