The most commonly used word these days in entire Kashmir is “De-militarization”. Every politician of any stature whatsoever and coming from any of the streams flowing freely in Kashmir is talking about de-militarization. Unfortunately no body is speaking about “De-Kashmirization”, which is an issue of equal importance or rather more serious for our survival as a Nation. Right from 1947 there has been a systematic and well planned but very subtle campaign to de-Kashmirize Kashmiris. The two most important tools of this project have been the deliberate “Starvation of people about Kashmir History” and total suppression of Kashmiri language. Most tragic fact is that all of us have been mostly silent spectators with typical apathy of the Odyssey’s lotus eaters. Sheikh Mohammad Abdullah during his first tenure as the head of the state administration from 1947 to 1953 had made a sincere attempt to introduce Kashmir History as well as Kashmiri language in the School curriculum. However, after his removal in 1953, both got wiped out. Most of the rulers after him were a privy to a planned process of completely changing the Kashmir’s historical background and eliminating the teaching of Kashmiri language to our school going children. Hindi was introduced first as an optional language and then as a compulsory subject being the national language of India. Urdu was also promoted as an optional language but Kashmiri was relegated to background. A calculated move was made to indianise all aspects of Kashmiri life through a gradual process of adopting various elements from the various Indian schools of music, and drama. The language, dress, food, and similar other aspects of the life were subjected to influences from outside the state especially from northern parts of India, with a view to replace the basic similarities which these aspects of our daily life traditionally used to have with Central Asian Countries. It was named cultural integration but the hidden agenda was to totally de-Kashmirize the Kashmiri life and culture and fit it into the Indian mould. Any one who has visited Central Asian Countries especially Tajikistan or Uzbekistan will confirm that except language everything else is common between Kashmiris and the people of these countries. In a Seminar on Central Asia held last year in the University of Kashmir, no less a person than the State Chief Minister himself, who had visited these areas as a Union Minister, confirmed these facts regarding close cultural proximity of Kashmiris to Central Asian people. During the Seminar the Ambassador of Kazakhstan who had come as a participant visited the tomb of Mirza Haidar Dughlat (known as Dughlati in their country), in downtown Srinagar. Mirza Dughlath ruled Kashmir for 11 years. The Ambassador was shocked to see the condition of the tomb of such a famous historical personality. In fact, in almost all the Seminars held on Heritage and Archaeology, the common theme is the total neglect of these sites or monuments. The main reason for this is the complete ignorance of the local people about our history. When a person has been totally deprived of the knowledge of his history how can one expect him to care for his heritage? To appreciate a historical monument, a historical place, and a historical personality one must know the background. If Kashmir history from the earliest times had been taught in our schools, our citizens would not be totally blank about our rich heritage. The most intelligent people in this regard have been the British. The first thing they did in their colonies all over the world was to introduce the English language as well as their history and culture. More people in the world speak excellent English; know more about English literature and the British history than the common people of Britain themselves. In fact it is again the British who have done more work on Kashmir’s history and language than Kashmiris themselves. Grierson and Knowles have done a lot of work on Kashmiri language. Similarly, Stein, Drew, Walter Lawrence, Lord Birdwood, Robert Thorpe, Korbel, Alistair lamb, and so many other foreigners have contributed in their writings to Kashmir’s History, Geography and other subjects. In the present times, the neglect of Kashmiri language has started from the home itself. Educated people prefer to speak to their young school going kids in Urdu or English rather than in Kashmiri. In middle class families speaking Urdu at home is considered to be a superior thing and makes one class conscious. In almost all important seminars, functions, and debates about Kashmir’s heritage the language of communication is usually English. I have attended dozens of functions where the topic of discussion has been Kashmir and almost all speakers have been Kashmiri, yet the medium of discussion has been English or sometimes Urdu but very rarely Kashmiri. I had an embarrassing moment once during the Executive Committee meeting of our Mountaineering Club. During the course of the meeting a German climber who was proceeding to Ladakh came in for some information. I requested him to be seated for a few minutes as we were about to conclude the meeting and would provide him the relevant information. After a couple of minutes he interrupted us and asked permission to pose a question. I asked him to go ahead. He asked, “Are all of you attending the meeting Kashmiris?” On being told that all the members were Kashmiris, his next question was, “Why are you all speaking to each other in English?” None of us had any answer to this! No doubt there have been sinister motives in depriving our new generations of the knowledge of mother tongue, yet we ourselves cannot escape the blame in relegating this language to the background. We could have at least maintained the use of this language in our homes to the kids attending modern public schools totally bereft of this language. Charity begins at home and we must ensure the use of our mother tongue at least within our homes. Secondly we must also make it a point to discuss matters related to Kashmir in Kashmiri language itself at least when the majority of participants are Kashmiri. It is better to have an interpreter for non-Kashmiri speaking people as is the practice in many international conferences in which multi-national delegates participate than to totally switch over to a foreign language for discussing local problems. We must also insist and ensure that Kashmiri language is in actual practice introduced in all schools, Government or Private, at least up to primary level. For higher levels a plea is being advanced about uniformity of syllabus in keeping with CBSE guidelines. However, even in this case there is no harm in introducing Kashmiri as an optional subject. Apart from language even the history of Kashmir can be introduced as an optional subject in higher classes while as at primary level it too can form part of the curriculum. In our childhood days our grannies used to relate to us our history in the form of some folk tales. However, in the present times when the mothers themselves have been deprived of the knowledge of history, how can we expect them to continue to impart it to future generations? A person without a history is like a blade of grass without any roots getting tossed from place to place by the winds of time! Those who forget and ignore their past are bound to condemn their future also. The worst tragedy is that most of our so called leaders from all streams address public gatherings most of the time in Urdu and partly in English. Probably it is for the benefit of the media people covering the events. To be true popular leaders they should make it a point to address their people frequently in their own language. One never sees the French or the Russian Presidents addressing people whether in their own countries or abroad in any language except their own. The most intriguing, meticulous, and systematic form of de-Kashmirization at present is the projection and promotion of so called “Kashmiriyat” of which Sheikh Noor-ud-Din Wali popularly called Alamdar-i-Kashmir or Nund Reshi is claimed to be the architect. Alamdar-i-Kashmir did not preach secularism, which dictionary describes something temporal or not of spiritual origin. He was the greatest exponent of spiritualism and mysticism. He preached religious tolerance. In fact his greatest contribution was preaching Islam in the language of a common Kashmiri. He was the exponent of the philosophy of the spirit of truth in thought, word, and deed which had been preached by Shah-i-Hamadan. Kashmiri intellectuals at all levels must wake up from the slumber and ensure stoppage of this systematic campaign of de-Kashmirization lest one day we remain Kashmiris in name only!