“There is no better moment than now to build a Naya Kashmir”

Vijay Dhar is clear he doesn’t want to be the last Kashmiri Pandit in the Valley.

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At 80, he has been as much a witness to Jammu and Kashmir’s turbulent history as he has been its victim. He lived through the horrific 1990s when around 40,000 Pandit families were driven out of the Valley. Dhar’s family was forced to move to Delhi. When his mother fell ill and wanted to return, the home ministry, after much convincing, finally said they could visit their house but under changed names. However, as soon as they landed, everyone recognised them and their Muslims friends ensured they felt safe.