Language is not just a tool for communication—it is the soul of a culture, the carrier of history, and the foundation of identity. Yet, in Jammu and Kashmir, the Kashmiri language is dying a slow, silent death. The culprits: Bad parenting, digital addiction, institutional neglect, and a dangerous obsession with Urdu and English as symbols of ‘prestige.’
This isn’t just about linguistics; it’s about mental health, cultural erosion, and the collapse of intergenerational bonds. If this continues, the next generation of Kashmiris will grow up emotionally disconnected, linguistically rootless, and culturally hollow.
The Decline of Kashmiri: By the Numbers
It is shocking that only 6.8 million speakers remain (2011 Census)—far fewer than expected and this probably one reason that UNESCO lists Kashmiri as a “definitely endangered” language. In Srinagar, only 30% of families speak Kashmiri with their children (JKAACL, 2020) while as Rural areas still hold on (70%) , but even there, Urdu and Hindi are creeping in.
The numbers don’t lie—Kashmiri is disappearing because of bad parenting which is the first betrayal followed by the ‘Phone Over Parenthood Crisis’.
Instead of speaking Kashmiri to their children, many parents today hand them smartphones to keep them ‘busy’ and allow YouTube and Instagram raise them in Hindi/Urdu. This way, they neglect emotional bonding, leading to depression, aggression, and addiction.
With the result kids grow up unable to express emotions in any language properly besides remaining addicted to instant dopamine (gaming, gambling, reels). They also stay disconnected from their roots, seeing Kashmiri as ‘backward.’
What is more humiliating is the ‘Prestige Paradox’ as many educated Kashmiri parents actively reject their mother tongue, believing that Urdu/English equals success while Kashmiri is a ‘Stigma.’
‘My child will sound ‘uneducated’ if they speak Kashmiri’- this mind-set is killing the language faster than any policy ever could.
The Digital Invasion, the ‘Silent Killer of Culture,’ is also part of the problem as there are no Kashmiri cartoons, apps, or books for kids—just Hindi dubbed cartoons and violent PUBG streams. Social media algorithms push Urdu/Hindi/English content, burying Kashmiri while online gambling and porn are replacing real social skills, leaving youth angry, depressed, and addicted.
When a child’s first words are from a Hindi cartoon not their mother’s lullabies, we have already lost.
However the institutional failure, speaks volumes about this issue as Kashmiri is not compulsory in most schools and neither do Kashmiri-medium schools exist for elite families who might want them. Also, there is no government push for Kashmiri in tech world (Google doesn’t even have Kashmiri voice search).
One wonders as to why is Kashmir’s language is seen as less worthy of survival?
Mental Health Crisis: A Generation without Roots
When children grow up without their mother tongue, they lose a key part of their identity. Without family stories, they lack emotional grounding and without cultural pride, they turn to drugs, gambling, and extremism for belonging.
This isn’t speculation— it’s happening right now in Srinagar’s neighborhoods and almost in all the rural areas of Kashmir.
The Way Forward: How to Save Kashmiri
For Parents: Reclaim Your Role
Speak Kashmiri at home —even if kids reply in Urdu/English and replace screen time with storytelling —grandparents’ tales, not YouTube. Teach pride, not shame —Kashmiri is not “backward,” it’s your heritage.
For Schools: Make Kashmiri Unavoidable, mandatory Kashmiri classes (like Punjabi in Punjab), Kashmiri-medium preschools —make it a language of childhood. Also, Kashmiri literature competitions could play positive roll if we decide to reward fluency.
For Government & Tech: Digital Revival
Fund Kashmiri cartoons, apps, and AI tools (e.g., Kashmiri voice assistants) while an effective ban on gambling ads targeting Kashmiri youth will come in handy. Promote Kashmiri in public offices—why is Urdu the only official language?
For Society: A Cultural Movement
Community storytelling events—reviving the Dastangoi tradition and Kashmiri music & film industry could provide a fresh breath to the language. We must make language loss a social issue, not just a policy one.
Will Kashmiri Be the Next Sanskrit?
Sanskrit died as a spoken language because people abandoned it for “practical” alternatives. Today, Kashmiri is on the same path— not because of outside forces, but because of our own neglect.
If we continue prioritizing phones over parenting, Urdu over heritage, and escapism over emotional connection, we will raise a generation that doesn’t speak Kashmiri, doesn’t respect elders and doesn’t even know what they’ve lost.
The choice is ours: Let Kashmiri die as a relic, or fight to keep it alive as a living, breathing part of Kashmir’s soul.
The author can be reached at aamiraltaf16@gmail.com
