ByRohini Vaishnavi
Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi, a stalwart in Kashmiri history, dedicated over seven decades to selfless service and advocacy, beginning with India’s independence in 1947. During the Pakistani aggression in Kashmir, after Maharaja Hari Singh signed the Treaty of Accession, Vaishnavi, an RSS Karyakarta, and his team played a pivotal role in preparing a makeshift airport for Indian troops to land in Srinagar.
His tireless efforts during the Praja Parishad movement culminated in 2019 with the abrogation of Article 370, finally realizing the complete integration of Jammu & Kashmir with India—a cause he passionately championed. For his role in the movement, he endured nine months of imprisonment in various Indian jails.
Vaishnavi was a leading figure in the 1967 Kashmiri Pandit agitation. The slogan he coined during the agitation “ Jaikara Har Har Mahadev,” became a source of hope and inspiration during those difficult times and continues to be so for the generation that knew him.Being a government school teacher, he was transferred to Ladakh as a punishment for his association with RSS which was a banned organization then, yet his indomitable spirit led him to initiate reforms that uplifted the local Ladakhi community.
Foreseeing the political instability in Kashmir and the perilous future of Kashmiri Pandits as early as the 1970s, Vaishnavi led a delegation to meet then-Prime Minister Mrs. Indira Gandhi, advocating for measures to ensure the safety and dignity of Hindus in the valley. Over the decades, he persistently lobbied top political leaders, including President Giani Zail Singh and Prime Ministers V.P. Singh and Rajiv Gandhi, warning them about the deteriorating situation. Despite these efforts, his warnings went unheeded, leading to the tragic forced exodus of Kashmiri Pandits in 1990.
During the exodus crisis, Vaishnavi worked alongside luminaries such as Mr. Atal Bihari Vajpayee, Mr. L.K. Advani, and Mr. Murli Manohar Joshi. After the assassinations of Sh. Tika Lal Taploo and Sh. Neelkanth Ganjoo in 1989, Vaishnavi and his team urged the V.P. Singh government to appoint a governor who would prioritize national integrity and minority protection. Their efforts led to the appointment of Sh. Jagmohan Malhotra as Governor of Jammu & Kashmir on January 19, 1990 ; a critical moment in Kashmir’s history. Mr. V P Singh urged them to meet and convince Mr. Jagmohan for the challenging task of stepping into J &K under those circumstances. The details of this incident are mentioned in his biography, “ The Chronicles Of Kashmir.”
Vaishnavi also founded the Jammu & Kashmir Sahayata Samiti in the year 1990 with the support of BJP stalwarts like Sh. Kedar Nath Sahani, Sh. Vaid Vishnu Dutt, and RSS leader Sh. Indresh Kumar. The organization became a lifeline for displaced Kashmiri Pandits, providing temporary shelter, securing educational reservations across India, and arranging financial aid for daily sustenance. After rigorous efforts, Maharashtra was the first state to implement a dedicated quota for displaced Pandits in higher education , a provision that, thanks to years of advocacy, now exists nationwide.
Through his relentless activism, Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi emerged as a beacon of hope for the Kashmiri Pandit community, leaving behind an enduring legacy of resilience, reform, and unwavering dedication to his people and nation.
Sh. Amarnath Vaishnavi was born on August 24, 1925and left for heavenly aboard on July 1, 2012.
Today we remember him with utmost gratitude and respect on his nirvana diwas.
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