On Monday, June 16, 2025, Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Manoj Sinha, highlighted the historical significance of two dates – August 5, 2019, and June 6, 2025 – in the complete integration of Jammu and Kashmir with India. Speaking at the launch of photojournalist Ashish Sharma’s book, “Reimagining Jammu and Kashmir: A Pictorial Journey,” Sinha stated that these dates signify the “physical and emotional unification” of the region, ending seven decades of stagnation and restoring an “unbroken flow of life.”
Addressing an audience at the Indira Gandhi National Centre for Arts (IGNCA), Sinha drew a parallel between the abrogation of Article 370 on August 5, 2019, which constitutionally integrated J&K, and the completion of the Kashmir-to-Kanyakumari railway link on June 6, 2025. He noted that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had unfurled the national tricolour on the Chenab Bridge, the world’s highest railway arch bridge, on June 6, marking the physical unification.
Sinha also shared on X (formerly Twitter) his delight in launching Sharma’s book, crediting Prime Minister Modi’s leadership for J&K regaining its identity as “Paradise” post-2019, a transformation captured in the book.
The LG emphasized the J&K administration’s efforts, under PM Modi’s guidance, to build lasting peace. He reiterated his guiding principle for security forces: “Begunah ko chedna nahi, aur gunheghar ko chodna nahi” (the innocent should not be harassed, and the guilty should not be spared), asserting that this approach fosters public support.
While acknowledging Pakistan’s continued “nefarious activities,” including the recent Pahalgam attack on April 22, Sinha stressed that separatism, stone-pelting, and shutdowns are now a thing of the past in the Valley. He claimed a record-low of just eight locally recruited terrorists currently active in J&K, with other incidents attributed to infiltrators from Pakistan.
Sinha commended Ashish Sharma’s coffee table book for remarkably showcasing J&K’s extraordinary journey and growth across all sectors. He noted that the book, through its captivating photographs, serves as a document of the region’s progress. He further asserted that J&K’s industries, startups, and agriculture sectors have experienced “rapid growth” in the past five years, with approximately one million youth availing self-employment opportunities within four years, ensuring inclusive development.
Former Union Minister Meenakshi Lekhi and IGNCA president Ram Bahadur Rai were also present at the book launch. “Reimagining Jammu and Kashmir,” a 226-page book published by Bloomsbury and priced at Rs 2,999, celebrates the region’s rich cultural heritage, iconic landmarks, and hidden treasures, while highlighting its dynamic present. An accompanying photo exhibition is open to the public from June 16-25 at the Darshanam ‘I’ gallery of the IGNCA.
