ASKPC President Advocate Ravinder Raina passes away

Jammu, August 20: Advocate Ravinder Raina, President of the oldest and most respected Kashmiri Pandit organization All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference (ASKPC) passed away this morning after a brief illness at  his Jammu residence, he was 67.

The information was first shared by the General Secretary of ASKPC Dr Tej Bhat through WhatsApp groups sending shock waves among the Kashmiri Pandit community.

Advocate Raina was a well respected Kashmiri Pandit leader and has contributed a lot for the welfare of the Kashmiri Pandit community living in forced exile since 1990.

The last rites of Shri Ravinder Raina were performed at Shanti Ghat,Bantalab in Jammu. Hundreds of people from all walks of life particularly literary, social, cultural organizations, political leaders and his relatives were present at the cremation ground to pay their last homage to the departed soul and gave an emotional adieu to departed KP leader. Earlier, the funeral procession started from his residence.

Advocate Ravinder Raina, who shifted at an early age to Jammu inculcated values of social & community service from his school days itself. He developed into a mature and seasoned person committed to community upliftment. He was an active volunteer and latter on an office bearer of Kashmiri Pandit Sabha, Amphalla who had also a good reputation among the people of Jammu and fraternity of lawyers.

Advocate Raina took over as the first elected president of ASKPC in 2014, after the demise of H L Chatta, stepping into the footsteps of luminaries like veteran KP leader Amarnath Vaishnavi.

Kashmiri Pandit Community across the globe sent their condolences to the bereaved family.

Meanwhile All Parties Migrants Coordination Committee (APMCC) has expressed deep shock and sorrow over the sad demise of Advocate Raina.

APMCC National Spokesperson King C Bharati in a statement said that ASKPC and APMCC have always worked closely and Advocate Raina had very close relationship with APMCC leadership as the community welfare was always the guiding force for both the organizations.

APMCC Chairman Vinod Pandit who also lost his mother a few days ago expressed deep shock over the sudden demise of Advocate Raina and said that he has lost a dear brother who used to be in the fore front for any community cause without caring for the party affiliations.

APMCC members prayed for the peace to the noble soul and courage to the family to bear the irreparable loss.

Rakesh Roshan Bhat, mentor and Rohit Bhat director of Vomedh have also expressed shock terming it heart breaking news.

Rakesh Roshan Bhat said that Raina sahib was a wonderful and always encouraged Vomedh for its endeavors terming it a personal loss for Vomedh.

ASKPC which he represented for six years held a condolence meeting in the evening under the leadership of its general secretary, Dr T K Bhat in which the services of Raina to the community were recalled and put on record. The meeting said the community will recall his services to society for a long time.

Meanwhile hundreds of Kashmiri Pandit leaders and organizations across the globe have condoled the sudden demise of Advocate Raina and prayed for the peace to the noble soul and courage to family to bear the irreparable loss. Sanatan Dharam Sabha Handwara, Raghunath Mandir Committee, Prabhandak Committee Kheer Bhawani Manzgam, Ahri Amrit Kund Pokhribal,  and others have condoled the demise of Advocate Ravinder Raina. National Conference today expressed profound grief and shock over the demise of Advocate Ravinder Raina, President All State Kashmiri Pandit Conference.

Provincial Vice President Mr Anil Dhar described Mr Raina as a visionary, who contributed immensely in seeking redressal to issues pertaining to the displaced people from the Valley and worked for mitigating their problems.

Mr Dhar also referred to Advocate Ravinder Raina’s association with the National Conference and recalled his qualities of head and heart. “His demise is a great loss to the community and the vacuum created is hard to be filled”, he added.

Mr M.K Yogi President NC Minority Cell also condoles the demise of Mr Ravinder Raina. Mr Yogi also recalled Mr Raina’s association with National Conference Minority Cell and is untiring efforts in mitigating sussering of the migrant community.

Prominent among those who conveyed condolences to the bereaved family included Minority Cell Chairman Mr Bushan lal Bhat former MLC, President, Mr M. K Yogi, Mr B. L Bhat, Mr Balji Bhat, Mr Jatin Bhat, Mr T. K Kaul, Mr Amit Kaul and others.

The National Conference leaders prayed peace to the departed soul and strength to the bereaved family to bear this irreparable loss.

M K Machama, President, KMWA, Indirapuram, Ghaziabad deeply saddened to know the sad demise of Advocate Shri Ravinder Raina ji, President All State Kashmiri Pandit Confrence at Jammu today.

“ I and and on behalf of all Executive Body Members of Koshur Milchar Welfare Association (Regd,) and all KP Community members residing in exile in Indirapuram, Ghaziabad, Delhi NCR condole the demise of Adv. Shri Ravinder Raina ji. Our deepest condolence to all the members of his bereaved family, May his noble soul rest in peace in Heaven always. Almighty give enough courage and strength to all the members of his bereaved family and to all community members to bear the irreparable loss of late Shri Ravinder Raina ji.

Zeashta Devi Prabandakh committee, zeathyar Srinagar mourns the sad and untimely demise of Shri Ravinder Raina ji.

in a condolence massage Shri Bharat Bushan said that the community has lost an asset and his departure has created a void which is difficult to fill.He said the committee prayed for moksha to his soul and courage to the beavered family to bear this irreparable loss.

Devesthan Prabandak committee,tehsil Bijbehara expressed deep shock on the death of Shri Ravinder Raina. In a condolence massage Prof. M.L Malla said that it is great loss to our community.

“Our heartfelt condolences to their family and give enough courage to them to bear such an irreparable loss. Let his soul rest in peace in heaven” he said.