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Thought of the month:A gentle word, a kind look, a good-natured smile can work wonders andaccomplish miracles.

William Hazlitt

Culture/Heritage

From Editors desk

Jammu and Kashmir update is aunique initiative of Ministry of Home Affairs to showcase the positive developments takingplace in the state. The ambit of the magazine covers all the threeregions of the state with focus onachievements of the people.

To make it participatory, the magazine invites success stories/unique achievements, alongwith photographs in the field of sports, adventure sports, studies, business, art, culture, positive welfare initiatives, social change, religious harmony, educationincluding pieces of art like drawings, cartoons, poems, short stories (not more than 150 words) or jokes on post Box No 30, GPO, New Delhi-110001.Selected ones will be publishedin J&K update.

The cultural legacy and traditions of any civilization are bestexpressed in art forms like theatre.

Jammu and Kashmir has a rich theatrical history which finds a special mention in ancient scriptures. In the earlier days,theatre was the backbone of the valley. It was representative of the culture of Jammu and Kashmir. It was known for being an energetic and energizing medium of expression that was intimately related to the natives.

To promote Kashmiri culture and the art of script writing, athree-day ‘Play Script Workshop’ was organised in the valley by the Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages.

Shabir Mujahid, Former Director of Doordarshan Kendra,Srinagar said, “Playwriting is slowly declining among people.The new generation does not have any idea about this style of writing. The reason for that is that not much attention isbeing paid towards it. Such workshops are important as it would now help youth to understand the basic techniques of playwriting”. He informed that presence of some veterans in the event would help the youth to understand the intricacies in script writing such as characterisation etc.

Prominent play writers from the valley shared their experiences and spoke about the technicalities of script writing in the workshop.

Such workshops would help to keep the cultural legacy and tradition of Jammu and Kashmir alive and intact.

Smile

Boss -Send me one of your funny jokes.

Employee-I am working at the moment, i will send you one later.

Boss-That was fantastic, send me another one.

Workshop held to teach play writing in Kashmir Valley

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‘Hope Disability Centre’ is a ray of hope for many in the Kashmir valley‘Hope Disability Centre’ is a rehabilitation centre for the disabledand a brainchild of Dr. Sami Wani, a renowned physiotherapist in Jammu and Kashmir. Dr. SamiWani, the Director of the Hope Disability Centre, said that theywere working on a Community BasicRehabilitation (CBR) programme and did not call patients to the Centre but went to their places for their treatment. They are focussing on the areas where the reach of the government and other such organisations, dealing in disability

treatment, was limited. For physical services, they providephysiotherapy, speech therapy,prosthetic and orthotic services.They also undertake surgeries for various deformities.

The disability centre is located in Wayil village in Ganderbal,around 25 kilometres from Srinagar. It also provides artificialarms, limbs, wheelchairs,tricycles, and sticks to thedisabled people.

DEVELOPMENT

NSDC Udaan Recruitment Drives – December, 2015NSDC and the Ministry of Home Affairs organized eight recruitment drives in Budgam, Baramulla, Srinagar, Kupwara, Jammu, Reasi, Hiranagar and Billawar districts. More than 10 corporates across India visitedthese districts of Jammu and Kashmir for the recruitment drive. More than 1,444 selections were madethrough these selections drive in the state.

Success Story of Udaan canditate:One of my friends showed me an Udaan advertisement in the newspaper and Igot enthusiastic to join Udaan programme. My experience of getting out of the State was very good. During training, I learnt managerial skills and competenciesfor my professional life. The most memorable moment for me was when I got the internship in the company named DACATHLON (White field Bangalore) andhopefully I will convert it into full time job. After the training programme was over, there was a positive change in me. Udaan really helped me and gave me theopportunity to work in Corporate World. My parents are very happy now to see me achieve my goal. My message to the youth of J&K is that if they are getting achance to be a part of this training programme, they must grab the opportunity as it will help them a lot in future.

MUSHTAQ AHMAD BHAT

DISTRICT: ANANTNAG.

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TOURISMWinter Tourists surge the sale of Woollens in the valleyAs winter tourists throng the Kashmir Valley with the advent of winter season, hawkers selling woollengarments are doing a brisk business. The tourists waiting for snowfall are often unaware of the weather conditions and seek the help of woollens like caps, gloves, socks, bags, mufflers, shawls, sweaters, jackets, overcoats among other fancy stuffs being sold by hawkers on motor cycles, bicycles at reasonable rates, whichmake tourists feel relieved and comfortable in an otherwise hostile weather condition.

The cold wave intensified in the Valley with temperatures falling below freezing point. Gulmarg witnessedextreme cold at minus 9.2 degrees Celsius. Leh and Kargil remained the coldest regions of the state withminus 12 degrees Celsius on Monday (December 14), ahead of the 40-day-long ‘Chillai- Kalan’.

YOUTH CORNER

Kashmiri girls show keen interest in archeryArchery is considered the most traditional game in the history of India. It has its importance inall Indian states, being played at National andInternational levels.

In Jammu and Kashmir, the girls are nowshowing keen interest in learning the skills of archery. The enthusiasm and zeal was seenduring a recent archery camp organised by J& K Police in Srinagar. A large number of girlsshowed up to learn the game and participate in the sport.

Coaches, who were brought from Jammu,

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Youth in J&K can now play football all year roundThe Astroturf football stadium in Srinagar constructed by the state government has enabled the youngsters of the valley to play the sport and practice during the winter.

Zameer Thakur, President of Jammu and Kashmir Football Association, said that in the absence of Astroturf, football could not be played in winter. The youngsters can now continue playing the sport without anyhindrance after having the provision of Astroturf with the help of the Central and State governments. Earlier,the young players had to travel to Jammu region in winters and that would disturb the practice sessions. With the newly constructed stadium, the players enjoy uninterrupted practice and also play matches on their home ground.

The stadium has helped to enhance performance of the players to a great extent. Matches are regularly held in the stadium that see participation of enthusiastic locals. According to a sports person Tanveer Ahmad, there arelot of benefits of the synthetic turf. It has limited the number of injuries among the players, familiarizes them with the new kind of playing field, which helps them to perform better while playing in other states, which are equipped withAstroturf. Jammu and Kashmir has a great potential for nurturing football talent. It hasbeen a favourite sport in the valley, both for the young and the old.

With football leagues being organised in the country, improvementin football facilitieswould help toencourage the youth of Jammu and Kashmir to take up football as aprofession.

displayed their talent andimpressed the onlookers. Oneof them, Darshan Kumara, saidthat the girl participants had a better chance of participating inNational and International levelcompetitions because of their talent and keen interest in thesport.

Among many who visited thecamp, 20 girls were shortlisted to attend 15-day long camp to learn basics of archery.

Uzma, a girl participant, said that Archery was a very ancient game and it was good for the girls to learn this sport. She added that it had already been launched in Jammu and they would also learn it for their good future. She was of the opinion that times had changed and the girls were now largely participating in many other sports, winning laurels for the country.

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CRPF constructs basketball court at girls school in PamporeIn its noble endeavour to promote sportsamong youths of Kashmir, 110 BN CRPF handed over a newly constructed BasketballCourt and Accessories to Government Girls Higher Secondary School, Pampore.

The event was presided over by S.K. Bhagat, Special DG-CRPF (J&K Zone) and other officials. S.K.Bhagat said “We are engaged in Civic Actions Programmes for many years.It is not limited to schools, but wherever our forces are deployed, we carryout Civic Actions Programmes. We have been receiving monetary help from the government for this purpose. Centre’s funding for Civic Action

Programmes have increased manifold in the past few years. We help to improve school infrastructure, distribute medicines, provide cycle and bus sheds. We are always ready to carry out community related programmes.’’

Students are thrilled with the new sports facility in the school. Nadima Nabi, a student of Govt. Girls Higher Secondary School, Pampore, expressed satisfaction by saying “We were lacking sports facilities which the CRPF has fulfilled. I am verythankful to them”

Central Reserve Police Force is always committed to develop strong bond of brotherhood with the people of Kashmir, particularly with youths and will continue to endeavor for their better future in whatever way it can.

OTHER ACTIVITIESWorld Disability Day celebrated at Leh, LadakhWorld Disability Day was celebrated in Leh, organized jointly by Social Welfare Department, Education andHealth Department. The function was graced by Hon’ble Executive Councillor LAHDC Leh as a Chief Guest, Hon’ble Councillors, various NGOsdealing with disability, parents and differently abled children. Thehighlight of the programme wasdistribution of motorized tri-cycles under State Rehabilitation Council, Social Welfare Department. Twelvetri-cycles were distributed to selectedbeneficiaries on the occasion by the chief guest. The selected beneficiaries where students, artisan and small vendors.

The selected beneficiaries revealedduring an interview that the tri-cycles distributed to them will help them in increasing their income, as theycan reach their work place at their will and can return as per their wish, without bothering for public transport, which was not easily accessible always.

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Kashmir Valley attracts Bollywood againFrom iconic films like ‘Kashmir Ki Kali’,‘Silsila’ to the more recent ‘Haider’ and ‘Jab Tak Hai Jaan’, Bollywood has shot some of its best films in the Kashmir valley.

The valley nowadays is hosting a crew of film ‘Sargoshiyan’

The subject of this Bollywood film is based on Kashmir. The movie deals with the beauty of the valley, the Kashmiriyat of the Kashmiri people, their ‘full of life’ nature and their spirit. It portrays thepositivity, affection and hospitality of the region within the backdrop of picturesquelakes and mountains.

Many actors from Mumbai as well as from the valley are working in this film. Efforts are going on to bring back the earlier tradition of film shooting in the valley that was prevalent in the 60s. Thedepartment of tourism and floriculture is supporting the entire crew of the film ‘Sargoshiyan’.

Shooting of the film not only contributes to the state tourism, it also enables the people of the valley to be a part of the filmmaking process, thus generating employment opportunities for the people of the region.

The Indian cinema has played a great role in promoting Kashmiri culture, landscape and heritage amongtravellers, who are keen to capture the beauty of Kashmir Valley.

Scholars teach values of Sufism to youth in Kashmir valleySufi scholars congregated in Qamarwari area of Srinagar to teachand spread the true meaning of Islamand Sufism.

The purpose to hold Sufi congregation called “AETIQAD” was to create awareness about the importanceof brotherhood and unity in the valley of Sufis and saints.

Various Islamic scholars and intellectuals deliberated upon various teachings, traditions and practices of

Sufi saints.

Khwaja Farooq Renzu, Organizer & Chairman of Kashmir Society said, “If we have to win something in the world we can do it by love and brotherhood.That is what Prophet preaches. Similarly, all the Sufis preach the same. There is no place for animosity. That is what we teach to our young generation. I think it is important”.

Over the years, various Islamic organizationslike Sawtul Awliya, Qarwan-e-Islam and Islamic

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RNI Regn. No. DELMUL/2010/35730Printed by: Chandu Press, D-97 Shakarpur New Delhi-92

Editor : SulekhaRequest for free copy of Jammu & Kashmir Update newsletter indicating the language preferred (English/Urdu/Hindi)

or suggestions/feedback, if any, may be emailed to : jammuandkashmirupdate@gmail.comJammu & Kashmir Update is also available on the web at jammuandkashmirupdate.com and mha.nic.in

Published by : Ministry of Home Affairs, Government of India

Do you know?Gibbons, the small arboreal apes, are considered to be among the world’s greatest acrobats, having the ability to swing from tree to tree (distance of 50 feet) at a speed of up to 35 mph. Their arms are longer than their legs.

Reliance Communications to set up call centre in J&K

As a sequel to Chief Minister Mufti Mohammad Sayed’s meeting with Anil Ambani, the owner of theADAG (Anil Dhirubhai Ambani Group) in Mumbai recently, Reliance Communications will make its500-seater Call Centre functional in Srinagar from April. A High-level team from ADAG Group wasin the summer capital to work out modalities for setting up call centres in the two capital citiesof the state. Reflecting upon the available poolof Information Technology (IT) and ITES-trainedhuman resource, the Chief Minister reiterated hisfocus on creating enabling environment in the statefor top IT firms.

Drama festival held in Jammu

A 14-day long annual drama festival was held atAbhinav Theatre in Jammu city. Organised byJammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and languages, it showcased the talent of local theatregroups comprising mostly amateur Directors, actorsand set designers, who have chosen and rehearsed

scripts of nationally famous play writers and localwriters. A total of 14 plays in Dogri, Punjabi,Kashmiri and Hindi languages were presented by various theatre groups. The plays included AndhaYug, Sandhya Shaya.

Chenani-Nashri tunnel to be ready by May 2016

Almost 80 percent work on Chenani-Nashri tunnelhas been completed and it is targeted to be fully completed by May 2016. This was revealed insecond meeting of the High Level Coordination Committee constituted by government recently in Jammu. The meeting was chaired by the Minister for R&B Syed Mohammed Altaf Bukhari, whoreviewed the progress of the 4-laning of Jammu-Srinagar National Highway. Bukhari asked theauthorities of Revenue, R&B, Forest and National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) to settle all theland compensation issues soon and handover theland to the executing agencies for timely completionof prestigious 4-laning of Jammu-Srinagar national highway.

MONTH THAT WAS…

research centre have been organizing such seminars to educate and create awareness about Islam andSufi culture.

A large number of youth present at the event demanded that such conferences should be organized moreoften, as they create awareness about Islam and peace.

A participant and Islamic teacher, Qari Mohammad Shafi, said that various conferences were being organized in schools, colleges and universities, with the aim to bring morality among students, but the best way to teach morality to students was to make them aware about the life and teachings of the Sufi saints.