Kasheer Foundation
Kasheer Foundation: The Parent Organisation
Over the last couple of decades, Kashmiriyat, the syncretic way of life of the Kashmiri speaking people and the cultural values that sustain it, is slowly being eroded. This has had its negative effects on the society and its cultural expressions.
Kasheer Foundation is an endeavour in which well-meaning Kashmiris and people interested in Kashmir have come together to protect and nurture Kashmiriyat through divers modes of cultural expression, including literature and visual and performing arts. It also seeks to mobilize people on issues like peace, gender equality, pluralism and liberal social values which are an integral part of our social and cultural ethos.
Kasheer Foundation: An NGO
Kasheer Foundation is an NGO registered in Delhi (Reg. No. S-53317) under the Society Registration Act 1860.
Kasheer Foundation: Aims and Objects
The broad features of its Aims and Objects are:
- Kasheer Foundation is a non-political organization working in social and cultural spheres of Kashmir. Though based in Delhi, it caters to all Kashmiri speaking people living in Jammu and Kashmir, Delhi and other parts of the country as also the large Kashmiri diaspora spread globally.
- Kasheer Foundation is a secular, non-denominational, non-sectarian organization which all Kashmiri speaking people irrespective of their faith, place of birth and social and political preferences are welcome to join.
- Kasheer Foundation seeks to explore and strengthen the syncretic social life, pluralistic traditions and composite culture of Kashmir.
- Kasheer Foundation believes in peace because it is only in peace that culture can flourish. It is opposed to all kinds of violence and notes that the continuing violence in Kashmir has affected its social cohesion and the flowering of its cultural expressions.
In short, Kasheer Foundation is not only a tanzeem, it is a tehreeq. It reflects the pride of all Kashmiri speaking people in their glorious cultural traditions and their desire for its continuous growth and blossoming. It also represents their wish that their distinctive culture is projected in its composite wholeness and is accorded the pride of place that it rightly deserves.
Kasheer Foundation: The Mandate
Kasheer Foundation shall involve itself in the following activities as per its mandate:
- Publication of a quarterly journal as also monographs, research papers and books;
- Holding of seminars, conferences, colloquiums and literary dos;
- Holding of art exhibitions;
- Organizing theatre-related activities;
- Holding of film shows (shorts, documentaries, features);
- Organizing musical soirees (folk, devotional, Sufi);
- Running a website of Kashmiri culture;
- Liaising with the media to project a correct image of Kashmir;
- Collaborating with other organizations to promote the culture and heritage of Kashmir.
KASHEER FOUNDATION: MANAGING COMMITTEE
The following are the Members of the Managing Committee of Kasheer Foundation:
Ms. Meera Khanna ( President )
Poet, writer and social and cultural activist. Associated with women’s rights and cultural organizations in Delhi and Kashmir and Trustee of Women’s Welfare Trust, Kashmir.
Prof. Neerja Mattoo ( Vice-President )
Retired Principal, Government Women’s College, Maulana Azad Road, Srinagar, Kashmir. A well-known writer and cultural activist of Kashmir. Editor-in-Chief of Miraas.
Mr. Veer Munshi ( Vice-President )
Nationally renowned artist and designer.
Dr. Pankaj Bhan ( Secretary )
A retired teacher of English from Delhi University. Writes, Edits and Translates. Printer, Publisher and Editor of Miraas.
Dr. Gauri Shankar Raina ( Joint Secretary )
Senior Producer, Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA), New Delhi. Also a creative writer and translator.
Mr. Mohan K. Tikku ( Joint Secretary )
Former Correspondent, The Hindustan Times. Well-known journalist and writer.
Mr. Subodh Mukoo ( Treasurer )
A well-known social activist. Coordinator, National Peace Movement and Coordinator, Jammu and Kashmir Press Association.
Mr. H. L. Wangnoo ( Member )
Retired Regional Director of SOS Kinderdorf International and Secretary General, SOS Children’s Village of India. A social activist.
Ms. Naseem Shafaie ( Member )
Sahitya Akademi award-winning Kashmiri poet and writer.
Mr. Mir Imtiyaz ( Member )
Painter and Sculptor. Works as Associate Professor in the Faculty of Fine Arts, Jamia Millia Islamia, New Delhi.
Ms. Nusrat Andrabi ( Member )
Retired Professor of Urdu in the Department of Urdu, Kashmir University. A functionary of Wakf Board in Kashmir.
Prof. Lily Want ( Member )
Professor Head, Department of English, University of Kashmir. Well-known scholar and literary critic.
Ms. Niyati Bhat ( Member )
Working for her Ph.D. from JNU, New Delhi. A young writer and cultural activist.