Srinagar: A two-day national symposium-cum-exhibition on “Memories of 22 October 1947” organized by the National Museum Institute of History of Art, Conservation & Museology (NMI) of Ministry of Culture concluded here today in which speakers deliberated on various aspects and chronology of the historical event.
“The speakers highlighted the significance of October 22 by commemorating the people who sacrificed their lives to defend Kashmir and its people. They emphasized for the need to make people aware about the actual happenings by bringing forth counter-narratives,” an official press release said.
The seminar discussed “narratives peddled since last seven decades which had obfuscated the real happenings”.
“The speakers called for holding such events and seminars more often so that common people would be made aware of the glorious sacrifices given by J&K people and the army to defend Kashmir and its people,” the press release said.
It said many of the prominent speakers including leading academicians, historians, defence personnel and scholars presented their ideas and concept papers on this subject.
On the first day of the symposium of Thursday, Prof Amitabh Mattoo spoke in memory of Maqbool Sherwani who laid down his life while stalling the advance of tribal invaders to Srinagar.
Other prominent speakers on first day of symposium were Sushant Sareen, Prof Kapil Kumar, Prof Raghuvendra Tanwar whereas Maroof Raza and Iqbal Chand Malhotra joined the symposium through webcast.
On the second day of symposium on Friday, some Lt Gen (retd.) Syed Ata Hasnain, Lt. Gen (retd.) Gurmeet Singh), Lt Gen (retd.) PJS Pannu, Dr Ramesh Tamiri, Dr Mukulita Vijayawargiya, Ashutosh, Prof Dipankar Sengupta, Maj Gen (retd.) Devnesh Agnihotri spoke at length while as a message written by Maj Gen (retd.) SV Thapiyal was also read on the occasion.
“Presentations made at the symposium threw light on a variety of topics focusing on sacrifice of Maqbool Sherwani, role of Indian Air Force, template of terrorism, battles fought for the destiny of J&K, role of Indian army in the defence of Kashmir, contesting of narratives, Pakistani invasion of J&K, British role in invasion, Rashomon gambit: delegitimizing rival narratives on accession. The session also witnessed question-answer modules where several questions were posed to the speakers who replied to the queries,” the press release informed.
“The speakers highlighted the role of Indian army and the then JK Militia who valiantly kept the invaders at bay from reaching Srinagar and subsequently pushed them back. They also discussed Pakistan army’s ‘Operation Gulmarg’ which was a result of months of planning and involvement of the then topmost military and political leadership of Pakistan,” the press release said.
