Shamshad Kralawari
At the ongoing Kashmir Literature Festival _2 being held at SKICC, Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha in his inauguraoffered a stirring tribute to writers, calling them “engineers of human consciousness” and declaring literature the “soul of a nation.” He spoke of empathy, imagination, and moral clarity as the foundations of nation-building. He cited Vedic verses, praised ancient scholarship, and likened writers to gardeners who shape the emotional landscape of society.
These words are welcome.But they must be matched by action.
The Disconnect Between Rhetoric and Reality
If writers are indeed engineers, then where are their instruments? Where are the institutions that once nurtured their craft?
Since September 2019, Kashmir’s cultural landscape has undergone a quiet erosion. Institutions that once served as breathing grounds for artists, writers, and cultural activists—Radio Kashmir, Doordarshan Srinagar, the J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages—have been reduced to symbolic shells. Their sheen has faded. Their function has stalled.
Radio and Television, once vital during crisis periods, now echo as rubble of collapsed empires of nation-building.
The Cultural Academy, though trying to preserve legacy, no longer pulses with the vibrancy it once offered to local voices.
Purchases of local authors’ books have stopped. No financial assistance is extended to needy writers, musicians, singers, or drama artists.
Magazines like Tameer and Shiraza—once lifelines of literary exchange—have vanished from circulation. Only 50 copies being published.
No editorial support, no translation initiatives, no fellowships, no Bharat Darshan tours for regional writers.
These are not mere oversights. They are systemic exclusions. And they contradict the very spirit of LG Sinha’s speech.
Where Writers Matter: Examples from Other States
While Kashmir’s cultural institutions have been hollowed out, other Indian states continue to invest in their writers—not just with praise, but with policy.
Kerala: Hosts regular literary workshops, promotes tribal and folk literature through festivals like Gadhika, and supports self-publishing ecosystems.
Maharashtra: Offers publication grants for first-time authors, monthly honorariums for senior writers, and state literary awards like the Yashwantrao Chavan prize.
Tamil Nadu: Provides housing worth ₹1 crore to award-winning writers under the Kanavu Illam scheme, with public commitments to honor creators during their lifetimes.
Punjab: Grants monthly on-duty leave to writer-teachers, recognizing their dual role in education and literature.
These examples show that when states treat writers as cultural infrastructure—not just ceremonial guests—literature flourishes, and society gains depth. Kashmir deserves no less.
A Call for Literary Accountability
If literature reflects the heartbeat of a nation, then writers must be given space to breathe, speak, and shape that rhythm. Let us not reduce them to ceremonial presence. Let us build:
Living archives of Kashmiri literature.
Translation fellowships across Urdu, Kashmiri, and English.
Editorial councils with writers as advisors.
Public reading spaces, mobile libraries, and radio platforms for local voices.
Annual civic dialogues between writers and policymakers.
And let us ask, with dignity and urgency:
Who stopped the publication and distribution of Tameer and Shiraza?
Who halted monetary assistance for authors and cultural icons?
Why are books by local authors no longer purchased or promoted?
Writers as Nation Builders
The writers, musicians, and cultural icons of Kashmir have played a tremendous role in shaping public opinion, preserving memory, and nurturing resilience. They are not ornamental—they are foundational. Their exclusion is not just cultural neglect; it is civic amnesia.
Let the metaphor of the “engineer” not ⁷ poetic. Let it become policy. Let Kashmir’s writers be treated not as guests of culture—but as its architects.
Shamshad Kralawari is a poet, literary critic, and public broadcaster ,educator whose work bridges Kashmiri memory, ethical verse, and civic reform. Through editorial activism and dialogic teaching, he challenges symbolic appropriation and advocates for cultural stewardship.
