Kashmir Sankalp Yatra: The longest expedition in-exile on Kashmir & Kashmiri Hindus
FRAGRANCE OF IDEAS When around two decades of exile of the Hindu minorities of Kashmir were coming to a near close in 2007, Panun Kashmir, in its annual general meeting at Jammu in January 2007, decided to raise the issue of Kashmir and Kashmiri Hindus in an unusual but effective manner throughout the country. It was, in the context of the Kashmiri Pandit struggle, surely an unconventional way of pushing the agenda on a public platform actively and consistently. Accordingly, it was decided to organise a two-month expedition to bring to light the coveted issue at the national level. The security situation in the entire Jammu and Kashmir state was, as usual, nearly out of gear, and the Kashmiri Pandit community continued to face apathy and neglect at the hands of both the governments, the central government and the state government, after experiencing the worst scenario of living as refugees in their own country due to their genocide and ethnic cleansing. Terrorism was active, and people were getting killed almost every day. There was a Congress-PDP government in the state under the chief ministership of Gulam Nabi Azad, and the Central government was governed by the Congress-UPA under the leadership of Manmohan Singh as the Prime Minister of India. It was expected that the expedition would be led by this author in the capacity of his being the President, Panun Kashmir. However, I was working in the State Bank of India, and it would have been almost impossible to snatch months together to plan, execute and lead the expedition that was named as 'Kashmir Sankalp Yatra' (KSY). In the month of March 2007, I was inspired to go for voluntary retirement from my service in SBI and devote full time to the community service, paving the way for joining the proposed KSY. It was surely an unprecedented act that could have brought disaster to the entire family in the future course of time. There was definitely some spiritual inspiration that drove me to take such a tough step in my life. My family didn't take any serious objection to it and backed me fully, thereby becoming a part of the whole thinking process. I hence applied for the same and was relieved by the bank on 30 June, 2007. With this, I ended my 25-year career with the SBI, which could have ordinarily lasted for ten years more. I was now having 24x7x365 days' availability for socio-political activity in the name of Kashmir & Kashmiri Hindus under the banner of Panun Kashmir. Immediate future plans included: to raise enough finances for the Yatra, inspiring activists to join the KSY as per their time availability, counseling with key KP organizations in Jammu and other places and also with the RSS and other nationalist organisations, making friends with the local and national media, publishing the desired literature in at least two languages -English and Hindi and making foolproof travel plans spanning near two months covering 9 states and 2 union territories. It took nearly four months to make all preparations regarding the KSY. It was finally decided to begin the Yatra on 11 November 2007 from the Kashmir valley. An elaborate press conference was organised in the first week of November 2007 at Jammu in which the dates for the Yatra were officially announced. A nine-member team was finalised to go to the valley. The advance party comprised Upinder Kaul, Vinod Mattoo, Shiban Krishen Raina, Nanaji Dembi, Ashwani Bhat and Bittoo ji. This team reached Srinagar on 10 November 2007 and started making all arrangements needed for the Yatra. On the same day, a 'press conference on road' was organised in the Old Secretariat complex, Jammu, where a demonstration was also held on certain pressing issues pertaining to the displaced community. In the early morning of 11 November, 2007, a three-member team led by this author left Jammu for Srinagar by air. The other members included Prof. H.L.Jalali and S.N.Dulloo. Adequate arrangements were made by the government to provide the necessary security cover to the KSY team in the trouble-torn valley; thanks to Kuldeep Khuda, the then DGP of the J&K state, for doing so. As we came out of the airport at Srinagar, we kissed the land of Kashmir and were joined by the security personnel and the advance party of the KSY outside the airport. It was for the first time in exile that a group of the displaced activists was visiting Kashmir on such a mission. From the airport, we straightaway drove to historic Sheetalnath-Sathu and paid our obeisances to the presiding deity - Sheetalnath Bhairav there. We also paid our tributes to the martyrs of the 1967 agitation at their 'samadhi' in the complex. At the end, we took an oath to keep the flame of our struggle alive till we achieve our Homeland in Kashmir. Upinder Kaul collected some sacred earth from the temple-steps to take it along with to Jammu. We later sent a part of it to the Shri Ramjanambhumi Nyas at Ayodhya when the foundation of the grand Shri Ram temple was laid there after the court verdict to enable its mingling with the sacred earth of the thousands of Tirthas of the country. The local Muslim neighbourhood at Sheetalnath gathered in the complex on noticing our arrival, but kept watching our activities keenly. The whole Sheetalnath complex, including the temple, was in shambles. The Hindu High School board was changed to 'H. High School. But there was a silver lining also to be observed, and it was the concrete wall all around the complex. The administration had taken that step some time ago and deserved kudos for that. From Sheetalnath, we went to Hanuman Mandir, Amirakadal and then to the ancient Pandrethan temple in the Badami Bagh cantonment area. Ultimately, we reached the Zeethyar temple in the Dal lake area under heavy security escort and stayed there for the night. It was a sight to be seen; the whole complex was so developed that it fascinated all of us. It was a grand achievement under the circumstances. We also had the sacred darshan of the presiding deity there and stayed in the complex for the night. It was surely a very hard and fearful night in the deep woods of the Zabarwan hills. That night before going to bed, we had an aarti in the temple of goddess Jeshtha Mata. The next day, in the morning, as per schedule, we organised things for the press conference to be held at Hotel Welcome near Nehru Park. The hotel complex was surrounded by the security forces. At exactly 11 am, the press conference started and lasted for an hour. After having an informal chat with the media after the press conference, the three-member team again went to the Srinagar airport and boarded the aircraft bound for Jammu. The advance party of six members stayed for the night at Zeethyar and returned to Jammu via Nagrota camp on 13 November, 2007. On the next day, ASKPC held a reception for the whole team of KSY at Geeta Bhawan, Jammu, under the leadership of its General Secretary, H.L.Chatta. With this came to an end the first phase of the KSY. On 15 November 2007, a press conference was held at Jammu in which the details of the first phase were shared with the media. Simultaneously, the schedule and other details about the next three phases were also placed before them. On 16 November, the second phase of the yatra began with the visit of the entire team of Panun Kashmir to all camps of the displaced persons at Muthi, Purkhoo, Mishriwala and Nagrota. The team in the next two days paid visits to Bavey Wali Mata, Raghunath Mandir and Pashupatinath Mandir in Jammu. The second phase of the yatra from Jammu to Ahmedabad was initially joined by one hundred activists comprising men, women and the youth. The first stop was at Amritsar, where we visited Darbar Sahib and were specially felicitated by the Head Granthi there. Thereafter, the yatra also visited Jallianwallan Bagh and Durgiyana Mandir, followed by a press conference the next day. The Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Amritsar, made all arrangements for the stay and meals of the yatris. Hereafter, the KSY moved on towards Delhi via H.P., Chandigarh, Chandigah and Haryana in a Sumo jeep with a select group. Programmes and press conferences were held at all the main places where the yatra stopped for a halt throughout. It included Chandigarh and Ambala. A number of programmes were held in Delhi, Faridabad and Ghaziabad (UP). All India Kashmiri Samaj and Kashmiri Sahayak Sabha, Faridabad, under the leadership of M.K.Kaw and J.N. Kaul, respectively, organised special reception programmes for the KSY at their offices. A press conference was held in the Press Club of India. Here in Delhi, Utpal Kaul, a senior activist of the community and Panun Kashmir, joined the yatra team up to Jodhpur. The next destinations included Jaipur, Udaipur and Jodhpur in Rajasthan, where impressive gatherings and media conferences were organised. Thereafter, the yatra reached Ahmedabad and stayed there for four days. The programmes there included visits to Aksher-Dham, Sabarmati Ashram, Kashmiri Pandit Milchar association and a press conference. Here, the second phase was concluded, and the third phase began, for which we reached Nagpur (Maharashtra) by train. The other members of the team changed here, and a new team reached Nagpur directly from Jammu. The team was welcomed in Nagpur, Nanded Sahib and Pune, where big programmes and press conferences were organised. Thousands of people attended those programmes. The Yatris were specially felicitated in the Nanded Sahib Gurudwara; the Rotary Club also invited the yatra team, especially over a programme followed by dinner. In Nagpur, the team went to the RSS headquarters and paid tributes at the Smriti Mandir. In all the programmes throughout, the issue of Kashmir and the Kashmiri Hindus was discussed and debated at length, giving out the full perspective of Islamic terrorism and its effects on the Kashmiri Pandit minorities. The causes of displacement and the neglect thereafter were also put in detail in the RSS-organised programme in the RSS office at Pune. From Pune, the yatra reached Pathankot (Punjab), where it was joined by hundreds of yatries who came from Jammu and organised a grand programme on the banks of the river Ravi. Amarnath Vaishnavi, the President of ASKPC, joined the yatra here and was the Chief guest in the programme. From the banks of the river Ravi, the yatra reached the Lakhanpur bridge. It was here that the third phase of the yatra got concluded, and the fourth and the last phase began, which was to be completed on foot up to Jammu. Vimla Chrungoo, Secretary-DOPK, volunteered to accompany this author for 'pad-yatra' from Lakhanpur to Jammu, which consumed seven days with night halts at Kathua, Hiranagar, Chichi-Mata Samba, Vijaypur, Greater Kailash and Vaishnavi Dham, Railway Station, Jammu. On 28 December 2007 (Margdarshan Day), the Kashmir Sankalp Yatra reached the banks of the Ranbir Canal at Rajinder Park, Jammu, where a grand reception was held by the leaders and the activists of various organisations led by veteran H.N.Jattu. For the next three days, the yatra team had a round of all the displaced camps and the Har-ki-Pauri on the banks of the river Tawi near Bahu fort. On 31st December 2007, the Yatra concluding programme was held on the foundation day of Panun Kashmir at TRC-Hall, Jammu, which was attended by the major organisations of the displaced Kashmiri Pandit community and the Sikh community. With this came to an end the 'Kashmir Sankalp Yatra' of 2007, which was the longest expedition of the displaced activists during their exile on the issue of Kashmir and the Kashmir Hindus. The details of the KSY during the years ahead will need another day to come to light....! (The author is a senior BJP and KP leader, Human Rights Defender and a columnist and can be reached at: ashwanikc2012@gmail.com )
TATA Starbucks Reimagines its Loyalty Program with New Rewards and Enhanced Benefits
TATA Starbucks has announced the launch of its reimagined Starbucks Rewards program, featuring Green, Gold and the newly introduced Reserve tier. The enhanced program is designed to offer members greater value through faster earning, easier redemption and access to a broader suite of rewards, benefits and experiences as they progress through the program. The updated tiers include: Green: The entry tier where members can earn Starbucks Rewards faster, and choose to redeem Rewards of their choice Gold: Customers can get upgraded to Gold by accumulating 1000 Stars within a year of joining Reserve: Comes with a sleek, black personalized card customized with the customers name and the first year they joined the program. Customers can get upgraded on accumulating 5000+ Stars within a year of joining TATA Starbucks Reimagines its Loyalty Program with New Rewards and Enhanced Benefits The Starbucks Rewards program will now offer a host of customer benefits with each level unlocking an expanded portfolio of rewards and experiences as they deepen their engagement with the brand: Faster Earning: Members will earn 1 Star for every Rs.10 spent, with Gold Members earning 1.2X Stars and Reserve Members earning 1.3X Stars on every Rs. 10 spent More Accessible Rewards: Lower redemption thresholds make it easier for members to unlock rewards and enjoy benefits sooner, bringing them closer to the experiences and rewards they value Benefits at Every Level: Members can enjoy a range of benefits including personalized offers, birthday rewards, milestone celebrations, Double Stars Days and member-exclusive offers, ensuring every visit feels more rewarding Enhanced Member Experiences: As members progress through the program, they will also unlock additional benefits including Free Customized Mondays (every member can receive one free modifier on any handcrafted drink), accelerated Star earnings, exclusive merchandise, curated coffee experiences, special event access and other member-only privileges Adrit Mishra, COO, TATAStarbucks , said, At TATA Starbucks, we are constantly looking for ways to strengthen our connection with customers and create experiences that are meaningful, rewarding and personalized. The reimagined Starbucks Rewards program reflects our commitment to delivering greater value to our members by making rewards easier to earn and redeem, while introducing new benefits and experiences that celebrate loyalty. Whether someone is just beginning their Starbucks Rewards journey or is one of our most loyal members, the program has been designed to reward them at every stage. For more information and to start enjoying these rewards, visit the Starbucks India mobile application. About TATA Starbucks Private Limited Starbucks entered the Indian market in October 2012 through a 50/50 Joint Venture with Tata Consumer Products Limited and currently operates more than 506 stores in India across 81 cities, Agra, Ahmedabad, Ajmer, Alibaug, Amritsar, Anand, Aurangabad, Bangalore, Bhatinda, Bhopal, Bhubaneswar, Calicut, Chandigarh, Chennai, Dehradun, Faridabad, Gandhinagar, Ghaziabad, Goa, Guntur, Gurgaon, Guwahati, Gwalior, Haridwar, Hyderabad, Coimbatore, Indore, Jaipur, Jalandhar, Jodhpur, Kanpur, Kochi, Kolhapur, Kolkata, Lonavala, Lucknow, Ludhiana, Mangalore, Meerut, Mumbai, Mussoorie, Mysore, Nagpur, Nashik, New Delhi, Noida, Pathankot, Patiala, Pondicherry, Pune, Raipur, Siliguri, Sonipat, Surat, Thrissur, Trivandrum, Udaipur, Vadodara, Vapi,Vijayawada, Varanasi and Vizag are cities in India. through a network of over 4,305 passionate partners (employees). Starbucks stores are operated by the joint venture, TATA Starbucks Private Limited, and branded as Starbucks Coffee - A TATA Alliance.
New York honours Romanch, but Pathankot grieves its son
Pathankot on high alert ahead of Amarnath Yatra, security grid intensified
Pathankot is bolstering security for the upcoming Amarnath Yatra, commencing July 3. Intensified flag marches, vehicle checks, and round-the-clock patrols are underway across the district, a sensitive area bordering Jammu and Kashmir and near the international border. Security forces, in coordination with the Army and BSF, are focused on ensuring the safe passage of pilgrims and maintaining law and order, urging public vigilance against suspicious activities.
Pathankot teen who died in New York accident cremated
Pathankot family struggles to bring teens body from US
Union Minister Dr. Jitendra Singh has announced that the long-pending Shahpur Kandi Project on the River Ravi is nearing completion, raising hopes among farmers in Jammu and Kashmir's Samba and Kathua districts. The project is expected to bring irrigation to over 32,000 hectares of barren land in the Kandi belt and benefit thousands of hectares in Punjab's Pathankot district.
Four Injured After Car Skids Off Road, Rolls Into River In Bhaderwah
DODA, June 5: Four injured after a car skidded off the road and plunged into a river near Nalthi Park in the Bhaderwah area of Jammu and Kashmirs Doda district on Friday, officials said. The accident occurred when the driver lost control of the vehicle, causing it to roll down into the river, they said. Rescue teams rushed to the spot and shifted the occupants to Sub-District Hospital, Bhaderwah, for treatment. The injured, all residents of Pathankot in Punjab, have [] The post Four Injured After Car Skids Off Road, Rolls Into River In Bhaderwah appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Rising Star Corps Commander Reviews Operational Preparedness In Kathua, Pathankot
JAMMU, May 28: The General Officer Commanding (GOC) of the Rising Star Corps, Lieutenant General Rajan Sharawat, on Thursday visited Pathankot (Punjab) and Jammu and Kashmirs Kathua district and reviewed the operational preparedness of troops deployed in the region. GOC Rising Star Corps reviewed the operational preparedness of troops deployed in Pathankot and Kathua, appreciating their high standards of readiness, seamless integration and exemplary professionalism, the corps said in a post on X. The Rising Star Corps oversees operational areas [] The post Rising Star Corps Commander Reviews Operational Preparedness In Kathua, Pathankot appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Political Tensions Rise in Punjab Following Harbhajan Singhs Statements
Pathankot, May 23: The political landscape in Punjab has become increasingly heated following remarks made by former cricketer Harbhajan Singh. Ashwini Sharma, the acting president of the BJP Punjab, accused the Aam Aadmi Party (AAP) of deceiving the public. He stated that Harbhajan Singh has exposed the truth about the Punjab government. During a conversation ... Read more Political Tensions Rise in Punjab Following Harbhajan Singhs Statements
Pathankot man arrested for sending CCTV feed of forces' movement to Pakistan-based handlers: police
He was also getting directions from an unknown person in Dubai. He was given 40,000, police claimed
Man Arrested in Pathankot for Sharing Troop Movements With Pakistan
During questioning, the accused confessed that he had installed an internet-based CCTV camera at a shop on the NH-44 Pathankot-Jammu Highway in January
Two Students Killed As Bus Overturns On Amritsar-Pathankot National Highway
Chandigarh, May 22: A private bus overturned on the Amritsar-Pathankot national highway on Friday, leaving two students dead and five injured, police said. The deceased, both aged around 23, hailed from Jammu, Station House Officer Rajwant Kaur said. The deceased were students of a college in Punjab, she said, adding that around 10 students were among the passengers travelling in the bus. Five injured, including three who sustained head injuries, were shifted to a hospital in Gurdaspur, the officer said. [] The post Two Students Killed As Bus Overturns On Amritsar-Pathankot National Highway appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
A man from Pathankot, Punjab, was arrested for allegedly spying for Pakistan-based handlers by installing an internet-enabled CCTV camera to monitor Indian Army and paramilitary movement along NH-44. The accused admitted to installing the camera and receiving payment, with police investigating cross-border links and foreign funding for the operation.
Pathankot Man Sends Live Feed Of Forces Movement To Pakistan-Based Handlers; Arrested
Chandigarh/Pathankot, May 21: A resident of Punjabs Pathankot was arrested on charges of spying for Pakistan-based handlers, police said on Thursday. Preliminary investigation revealed that Baljit Singh, a resident of Chakk Dhariwal village, had installed a CCTV camera at a shop located near a bridge on the National Highway-44 to allegedly keep an eye on the movement of the army and paramilitary forces, police said, adding that he was transmitting the live feed to Pakistan-based handlers. During questioning, the accused [] The post Pathankot Man Sends Live Feed Of Forces Movement To Pakistan-Based Handlers; Arrested appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
One more held in Patiala rail track blast
CHANDIGARH, May 2: Punjab Police on Saturday said it has arrested one more person in connection with the freight corridor railway track blast in Shambhu in Patiala. Gurjinder Singh alias Baba Beant has been arrested by the State Special Operation Cell in Amritsar, Patiala Police and Counter Intelligence wing in Pathankot in a joint operation, said Director General of Police Gaurav Yadav. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp Gurjinder is a key associate of Jagroop Singh, who was killed [] The post One more held in Patiala rail track blast appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Samba police arrests bike lifter
Excelsior Correspondent SAMBA, Apr, 25: Samba police has arrested an accused person involved in a theft case registered at Police Station (PS), Bari Brahmana and recovered stolen bike from his possession. Police said on April 23 a written report was lodged at Police Station (PS), Bari Brahmana by one Ajay Kumar, son of Kulwant Singh of Sarna, Pathankot regarding theft of his motorcycle bearing Registration Number, PB36H-3464 from industrial area Bari Brahmana. Acting over the complaint, a case FIR No. [] The post Samba police arrests bike lifter appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Handlers in Pak monitored Army movement in Kathua, Pjb, Haryana
Major espionage network unearthed JAMMU/NEW DELHI, Apr 10: An espionage network with direct links to Pakistan has been unearthed, revealing how handlers across the border were remotely monitoring real-time movement of Indian Army personnel through a covert grid of solar-powered CCTV cameras installed at strategically sensitive locations across northern India, an official said on Friday. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp The surveillance network spanned key cities including Kapurthala, Jalandhar, Pathankot, Patiala and Moga in Punjab, Ambala in Haryana, [] The post Handlers in Pak monitored Army movement in Kathua, Pjb, Haryana appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Hundreds throng Guldanda after fresh snowfall
Excelsior Correspondent BHADERWAH, Apr 5: Though the fresh snowfall in high altitude of Chenab region has brought down the temperature considerably resulting in return of cold wave in the entire region, the positive side of this is that high altitude destinations of Bhaderwah are experiencing sudden and unexpected rush of tourists, much to the delight of locals associated with tourism industry. Local vendors who have set up their small kiosks at high altitude tourist destinations along Bhaderwah-Pathankot and Bhaderwah-Chamba interstate [] The post Hundreds throng Guldanda after fresh snowfall appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Will Raise Ranjit Sagar Dam Issue With Punjab: CM Omar After BJP Flags Commitment Violations
JAMMU, Apr 2: Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah on Thursday said he will address the issue of pending commitments related to the Ranjit Sagar Dam with his Punjab counterpart. Abdullahs statement comes after the BJP raised concerns about alleged violations of the intergovernmental agreement overseeing the project. The Ranjit Sagar Dam, also known as the Thein Dam, is a major 600 MW hydroelectric project on the Ravi river near Basohli in Kathua, Jammu and Kashmir and Pathankot, Punjab, [] The post Will Raise Ranjit Sagar Dam Issue With Punjab: CM Omar After BJP Flags Commitment Violations appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Biometric System Installed In All TTE Lobbies Of Jammu Railway Division
Jammu, Mar 27 : Jammu Division of Northern Railway has successfully implemented a fully biometric sign-on and sign-off system across its TTE lobbies as a significant stride towards modernisation and transparency, an official said on Friday. The Travelling Ticket Examiner (TTE) lobbies were the modern system was installed include Jammu, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Katra, Shaheed Captain Tushar Mahajan, Srinagar, and Pathankot, the official said. Under this new arrangement, he said, the attendance of ticket-checking staff will now be entirely [] The post Biometric System Installed In All TTE Lobbies Of Jammu Railway Division appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
Snails pace of work on Ravi bridge at Lakhanpur causes traffic hazards on NH
Sahar Khad bridge to be ready by April Avtar Bhat KATHUA, Mar 9: The slow pace of work on the construction of second bridge on river Ravi at Lakhanpur has become a cause of concern for the people especially commuters as movement of traffic on this stretch of Jammu -Pathankot National Highway remains at snails pace since the collapse of the bridge during flash floods in August last year. Follow the Daily Excelsior channel on WhatsApp According to sources, though [] The post Snails pace of work on Ravi bridge at Lakhanpur causes traffic hazards on NH appeared first on Daily Excelsior .
