NEW DELHI :

New Delhi :

Advocate Irshad Ahmad’s book titled “Kashmir – A Journey Beyond Time” was released at the India Islamic Cultural Centre (IICC) on Wednesday, bringing together former judges, political leaders, legal professionals and public figures who reflected on Kashmir’s history, natural beauty, political developments and the experiences of its people.

Speaking at the book release, Justice Iqbal Ansari, former Chief Justice of the Patna High Court, congratulated Ahmad and urged people to read the book to develop a deeper understanding of Kashmir. Recalling his own visits to the region, Justice Ansari said that Kashmir’s extraordinary natural beauty stood in sharp contrast to the difficult circumstances he witnessed there.

Describing Kashmir as a “tragic place”, he said its people were good and hospitable but had experienced difficult lives. He recalled seeing restrictions and challenging conditions during his visits and said these experiences left him deeply saddened.

Justice Ansari also discussed the historical circumstances surrounding Jammu and Kashmir’s accession to India. Recalling the events following the end of British rule, he said Jammu and Kashmir was a princely state whose ruler, Maharaja Hari Singh, initially sought to maintain an independent position. According to Ansari, the situation changed following the entry of forces from Pakistan into the region, after which the Maharaja sought India’s assistance and signed the Instrument of Accession.

He emphasised that the accession initially related to three subjects, defence, foreign affairs and communications, while Jammu and Kashmir retained substantial autonomy in other areas.

Justice Ansari subsequently turned to the history and constitutional significance of Article 370. He questioned the popular narrative that Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel was unaware of, or opposed to, the provision. According to him, discussions concerning Article 370 took place at Patel’s residence, while a draft letter concerning Sheikh Abdullah was also sent to Patel for approval.

He said Patel subsequently played a role in securing support for the provision within the Congress Working Committee. Justice Ansari argued that Article 370 was conceived as a constitutional mechanism through which the applicability of provisions of the Indian Constitution to Jammu and Kashmir could be determined while preserving the state’s special constitutional position.

He stressed that claims concerning Article 370 and Patel’s role should be assessed in light of historical records rather than simply repeated as established facts. Referring to the subsequent abrogation of Article 370, Justice Ansari said there had been limited opportunity for a dispassionate public discussion about its constitutional and political implications.

He expressed appreciation for Ahmad’s effort to document his journey through Kashmir and said the book could encourage readers to engage more deeply with the region’s history, people and contemporary realities.

Former Union Minister Salman Khurshid also congratulated Ahmad on the publication. He said the book on Kashmir should perhaps have been written much earlier and suggested that greater engagement with the region could have contributed to addressing some of the problems associated with it.

Khurshid referred to the Supreme Court’s judgment concerning Article 370 and noted that Justice Iqbal Ansari had articulated his views on Kashmir and the constitutional provision. He also suggested that a separate book should be written on the Central Bureau of Investigation (CBI) and its significance in India’s constitutional and institutional framework.

Addressing the question of Kashmir’s relationship with the rest of the country, Khurshid said that even if some people believed the situation had improved, sustained efforts were necessary to ensure that the people of Jammu and Kashmir never felt separated from the rest of India.

He emphasised the importance of strengthening relationships with the people of the region and avoiding actions or approaches that could deepen feelings of alienation.

Recalling former Prime Minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee’s formulation of “Kashmiriyat, Insaniyat and Jamhooriyat”, Khurshid described the phrase as an important message associated with Kashmir. He said India should work towards an era in which Kashmir makes a significant contribution to the country’s future and receives the attention and care appropriate to its place as the “crown of India”.

The author, Advocate Irshad Ahmad, described the occasion as a deeply emotional moment, saying he had never imagined that he would become the author of a book. Recalling his journey to Kashmir, he said he had initially travelled there as an ordinary visitor but returned with experiences and impressions that eventually inspired him to write.

Ahmad said the beauty of Dal Lake, mountains, valleys, shikaras and gardens, along with the warmth and hospitality of Kashmir’s people, left a lasting impression on him. These experiences, he said, became the foundation of his book.

He said the central theme of his journey was “Sangharsh”, or struggle, which he described as an integral part of human life and an important source of inspiration and strength. Referring to Winston Churchill’s well-known exhortation to “never give in”, Ahmad said the spirit of perseverance had remained an important part of his own journey through different phases of life, including engineering, politics and public service.

Ahmad said he had already published around 650–700 books and credited the encouragement of friends and well-wishers for motivating him to continue writing. He particularly addressed young people, saying that determination and sustained struggle could help them achieve their objectives irrespective of the profession or field they chose.

He clarified that Kashmir – A Journey Beyond Time was not intended to be a conventional historical work. Instead, he said, it was based on what he personally saw, experienced and felt during his journey through Kashmir. He also indicated that he planned to write another book dealing with Islamic culture and animal cultural history.

Sirajuddin Qureshi, former President of the India Islamic Cultural Centre, congratulated Ahmad for completing the book, particularly because the project had been undertaken quietly and without much public attention. He said the author deserved appreciation for presenting Kashmir in what he considered its proper context rather than attempting to write about the region without experiencing it firsthand.

Qureshi highlighted Kashmir’s natural beauty and recalled its longstanding reputation as a destination comparable to Switzerland. While acknowledging that numerous books had already been written about Kashmir, he said Ahmad’s effort to present the region through his own journey and observations added significance to the work.

Pradeep Rai, President of the Supreme Court Bar Association, also congratulated Ahmad and reflected on the enduring significance of books. He said societies had undergone enormous changes over thousands of years, with rulers, communities and social structures changing, while Kashmir’s mountains, rivers and natural landscape had remained enduring features of the region.

Rai said books had the power to make writers’ names live on through generations because readers continued to remember authors through their works. Referring to his interest in Amir Khusro and writings in which Kashmir has been mentioned, he said successive dynasties and historical developments had shaped the region and its society.

He praised Ahmad for travelling through Kashmir and documenting what he personally witnessed. Rai observed that understanding contemporary Kashmir required a willingness to see the region directly and engage with its people and society.

The book release thus became not merely a literary occasion but a wider discussion about Kashmir’s history, constitutional evolution, social experience, natural beauty and relationship with the wider Indian society. Across their remarks, the speakers emphasised the value of documenting personal experiences and engaging with Kashmir through history, literature and direct human interaction.

source: http://www.indiatomorrow.net / India Tomorrow / Home> News> Society / by India Tomorrow / October 01st, 2026