Packed Student Event at UC Berkeley Commemorates the Story of Kashmiri Hindus: Displacement and Resilience
“Indigeneity Has No Expiration Date” brought Hindu voices to the forefront of a critical campus conversation. A packed room in Eshleman Hall at UC Berkeley echoed with poignant stories of loss, pain, displacement in the face of an ethnic cleansing that struck the Hindu community in Kashmir 35 years ago. Organized by the UC Berkeley chapter of the CoHNA Youth Action Network (CYAN) and Hindu YUVA, the event opened with a moving address from Kashmiri Hindu and UC Berkeley alumni Drew Kaul and closed on a note of resilience and resistance by Esha Salman, a Kashmiri Hindu student.
The poignant event brought together students, scholars, and community members to explore the historical presence, forced exodus, and ongoing challenges faced by the Kashmiri Hindu diaspora. A highlight of the event was a panel discussion featuring Amrita Kar, Jeevan Zutshi, and Uphaar Kotru and moderated by Aryan Sawant, lead of the CYAN Berkeley chapter.
Nearly 80 guests filled the ASUC Senate Chambers while another 60 joined in virtually, listening to the powerful discussion between the speakers. Panelists shared firsthand accounts of displacement, cultural loss, and a path forward for preserving Kashmiri Hindu heritage and supporting Kashmiri Pandit refugees. Discussions centered on historical context, patterns of violence, and the question of reconciliation.
Watch the full video here: Kashmiri Pandits Event UC Berkeley Live Stream
Reflections on the “Thread” of History
Keynote speaker Drew Kaul opened with the beloved punn legend—a simple thread worn by a queen, shattered in anger and miraculously restored by divine blessing. He likened that golden thread to the bond between Kashmir Pandits and their homeland: severed by violence in 1990, yet still miraculously unbroken in spirit. Reflecting on his own journey as a US-born Kashmiri, Kaul said, “I stand here before you as someone who was born in this country, as someone who struggles to speak my native tongue, as someone who has never—and may never—be able to step foot in my homeland. And yet… the essence of who I am… is Kashmir.” Kaul believes that this is nothing less than a miracle; that a people who have endured so much suffering have nevertheless preserved their cultural identity. “Because with every punn celebrated, every rote* made, and every thread worn—whether 200 ft or 2,000 miles away—the spirit of Kashmir is renewed… and the thread that was once severed starts to become whole again”.
Voices from the Panel
Jeevan Zutshi (Founder and President of Kashmiri Overseas Association (KOA) West Coast; co‑founder of the Indo‑American Community Federation; author of The Last Smile), recounted the slow, underground growth of militancy and the situation leading up to the 1990 Genocide in Kashmir. By January 1990, neighborhoods once filled with teachers and doctors turned hostile overnight, forcing his family—and hundreds of thousands of others—to flee.
Amrita Kar (Former Secretary, KOA; founder of KOA Youth and co-founder of Hemath, an organization empowering Kashmiri women in refugee camps), emphasized the importance of Kashmir to all Hindus— not just Kashmiris. For example, she highlighted the importance of Sharada Peeth (now under Pakistani-administered) which was once a vibrant centre of knowledge and spirituality that influenced the rest of the Indian subcontinent. Kar also reflected on Kashmiri Shaivism, highlighting the dejhor, a dangling ear ornament worn specially by married Kashmiri Hindu women.
Uphaar Kotru (President of KOA; lead of the Future Leaders scholarship program; host of Diaspora Dialogues; co‑lead of the 2024 Preserve & Protect campaign) described multi‑generational roots in a 250‑year‑old family house and the heartbreak of seeing ancestral properties looted and burned. He stressed the importance of recognizing the failure of the Indian government at the time to act adequately and support fleeing Hindus.
Moderator Aryan Sawant (CYAN Berkeley Chapter Lead; UC Berkeley Political Science student researching Free Exercise & Constitutional Law), reminded the audience to take further action to support Kashmiri Pandits.
Esha Salman (UC Berkeley pre-Law student and KOA’s Southern California zone representative) offered the closing remarks. She requested the attendees to support Kashmiri Pandit refugees in Jammu through the Kashmiri Overseas Association’s (KOA) Sponsor a Child and Educational Assistance Programs. She also reflected on how Kashmiri voices are often excluded from mainstream narratives, and urged the audience to go out and re-share the stories that they had just heard.