Padma Shri Awardee Advocates for Kashmiri Pandit Rehabilitation in Valley
Brij Lal Bhat, recently honored with the Padma Shri award in the Unsung Hero category, has made a heartfelt appeal to the Central Government and the Jammu & Kashmir administration. He is urging them to develop a comprehensive and definitive module for the return and rehabilitation of the Kashmiri Pandit community to the Valley.
A Call for Collaborative Planning
Bhat emphasized that this proposed module should be thoroughly discussed with members of the Kashmiri Pandit community. Furthermore, he stressed the importance of incorporating the views of the majority community to foster a positive and peaceful atmosphere. Such an environment, he believes, is essential to make the Valley congenial for the return of the displaced families.
Brij Lal Bhat, himself a member of the Kashmiri Pandit community, served with distinction in the Horticulture (Marketing and Planning) Department, retiring as its Director. Remarkably, he continued his service in Kashmir even during the peak periods of militancy, demonstrating unwavering commitment to the region.
From Darkness to Emerging Positivity
Reflecting on his experiences, Bhat shared a poignant observation. "I had been witness to the growing darkness of terrorism. Today, I am also witness to the emerging rays of positivity there," he stated. This optimism is partly fueled by the presence of nearly 6,000 Kashmiri Pandit youth employed under the Prime Minister's job package, who are now working and moving freely across the Valley.
He noted a significant and encouraging trend: young people from both the minority and majority communities are drawing closer together. According to Bhat, there is a growing understanding within the majority community that the past bloodshed in the Valley was a grave mistake and should never have occurred.
Decades of Service and Community Work
Now in his mid-70s, Bhat has dedicated the past two decades to serving as the chairman of the Vivekanand Ashram at Nagdandi, located in the Achabal area of South Kashmir's Anantnag district. His work there has focused on empowering local farmers by introducing modern techniques for cultivating apples and walnuts.
"I had the pain in my heart that I could not do anything for the people when I was in government service in the Valley as I was bound by service rules," Bhat revealed. "When I got free from that bondage after retirement, I decided to stay in the Valley to work for the people here instead of moving elsewhere along with my wife and children."
Following his retirement, Bhat became an activist with the Swami Vivekanand Kendra based in Kanyakumari. The Kendra assigned him to work at its Nagdandi Ashram in Kashmir, where his impactful journey of community service truly began.
Transforming Agriculture and Fostering Connections
To demonstrate the efficacy of modern agricultural methods, the ashram developed a high-density apple orchard on its own land. This initiative proved highly successful, leading Bhat to help convert vast tracts of previously unproductive and barren land in Kashmir into high-yielding apple and walnut orchards. This transformation has substantially increased the income and livelihoods of numerous local farmers.
Under Bhat's dedicated leadership, the Nagdandi Ashram organizes various programmes with a dual focus:
- Supporting Kashmiri Pandits who continue to reside in the Valley.
- Connecting those who have migrated back to their cultural and spiritual homeland.
These programmes are strategically designed to promote intra-state and inter-state integration, fostering unity from Kashmir to Kanyakumari. Notably, the ashram conducts five-day spiritual programmes and personality development courses specifically for the youth working under the Prime Minister's employment package in the Valley, further strengthening community bonds and personal growth.
