Introduction to KashmirForum.org Blog

I launched the website and the Blog after having spoken to government officials, political analysts and security experts specializing in South Asian affairs from three continents. The feedback was uniformly consistent. The bottom line is that when Kashmiris are suffering and the world has its own set of priorities, we need to find ways to help each other. We must be realistic, go beyond polemics and demagoguery, and propose innovative ideas that will bring peace, justice and prosperity in all of Jammu and Kashmir.

The author had two reasons to create this blog. First, it was to address the question that was being asked repeatedly, especially, by journalists and other observers in the U.S., U.K., and Canada, inquiring whether the Kashmiri society was concerned about social, cultural and environmental challenges in the valley given that only political upheaval and violence were reported or highlighted by media.

Second, the author has covered the entire spectrum of societal issues and challenges facing Kashmiri people over an 8-year period with the exception of politics given that politics gets all the exposure at the expense of REAL CHALLENGES that will likely result in irreversible degradation in the quality of life and the standard of living for future generations of Kashmiris to come.

The author stopped adding additional material to the Blog once it was felt that most, if not all, concerns, challenges and issues facing the Kashmiri society are cataloged in the Blog. There are over 1900 entries in the Blog and most commentaries include short biographical sketches of authors to bring readers close to the essence of Kashmir. Unfortunately, the 8-year assessment also indicates that neither Kashmiri civil society, nor intellectuals or political leadership have any inclination or enthusiasm in pursuing issues that do not coincide with their vested political agendas. What it means for the future of Kashmiri children and their children is unfathomable. But the evidence is all laid out.

This Blog is a reality check on Kashmir. It is a historical record of how Kashmir lost its way.

Vijay Sazawal, Ph.D.
www.kashmirforum.org

Friday, March 4, 2011

Salute to Women

Basharat's well deserved award is a recognition for his writing skills to highlight the plight of the weaker sections of Kashmiri society

(Mr. Syed Basharat, 30, was born in Kreeri, Baramulla, and did his schooling in Kreeri, and later in Uri and Sopore. He graduated from the Degree College in Baramulla and completed his Master's degree in Mass Communication and Journalism from the Kashmir University in 2005. He has been a reporter for Kashmir Images, a Srinagar based daily, London based website Gaashonline.Com, and a Srinagar based journal, Globe. Currently, he is working as a special correspondent with Jammu based daily newspaper, The Kashmir Times.)

Syed Basharat Awarded

Mumbai: Syed Basharat, special correspondent with Kashmir Times, has won the “Pradeep Shinde Excellence in Journalism Award” instituted by Press Club Mumbai. He was honoured at a glittering ceremony held at JK Banquets, Mumbai. Chief guest former Indian ambassador to Romania Julio Riberio and legendary cricketer Ajit Wadekar handed out the award to the winner. Some of the jury members, Justice (Retd) B N Srikrishna, senior journalists Ayaz Memon and Kumar Ketkar and former Director General of Police, Arvind Inamdar were also present on the occasion. The prestigious awards instituted by Press Club Mumbai are given in two categories: Pradeep Shinde Award for the crime story of the year and K N Prabhu award for cricket story of the year. The all-India competition for these awards attracted around 140 entries from many states. Syed Basharat won the award in the crime story category. His crime story was about the crimes against women in Kashmir. The award ceremony started with the short documentary film on the Press Club Mumbai history and the contribution of late K N Prabhu and late Pradeep Shinde in the field of journalism.

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