Rajinder Koul Premi, a well-known social activist and the elder son of Shaheed Sarwanand Koul Premi talks about the importance of preserving and propagating Mother Tongue in Exile.

Jammu, August 03, 2022: Rajinder Koul Premi, a well-known social activist and the elder son of Shaheed Sarwanand Koul Premi talks about the importance of preserving and propagating Mother Tongue in Exile.

In our series of #ThePagahConversation Rajinder Koul Premi talks to Bharti Kaul on preservation and propagation of “Mother Tongue in Exile” among new generation of Kashmiri Pandits to keep cultural heritage alive.

Rajinder Koul Premi is the illustrious son of an illustrious father Amar Shaheed Sarwanad Koul Premi who was a well-known poet, writer, journalist and activist during the Independence Struggle of India and paid with his life to protect the ancient cultural heritage of Kashmir for which he was martyred by the terrorists in Kashmir Valley.

Amar Shaheed Sarwanad Koul Premi was an authority on Kashmiri language and used to promote, propagate and preserve the language through his writings.

Recently Government of India honoured the martyr for his Independence struggle with a stamp in his name besides highlighting him through huge posters and introduction at various important places in India in connection with Azadi Ka Amrut Mahotsav.

Rajinder Premi who has worked a lot to highlight the contributions of his late father for Kashmiri language says that he is not sure whether he has actually been able to highlight for what Srawanand Koul actually stood for adding he was just a small fry before the tall stature of his father.

Rajinder Koul Premi is a resident of Soaf Shali near Hangulgund in Anantnang district from where they shifted to Delhi after his father Sarwanad Koul Premi was martyred by terrorists in 1990. Rajinder Premi describes how his father was a child prodigy and started writing poetry in Urdu at first but later turned towards Kashmiri Language.

He describes how Mehjhoor was impressed with the writings of Sarwananad Koul Premi in Kashmiri language and says the first book that was published of Sarwanad Koul Premi titled ‘Rood Jhari’ in 1944 in Nastaliq Kashmiri.

Rajinder Premi discusses in detail how his father Sarwanad Koul Premi contributed tremendously for the preserving, promotion and propagation of Kashmiri Language.

The discussion is a window into the literary life of Sarwanad Koul Premi and needs to be watched to learn about the struggles and contributions of Sarwanand Koul Premi in Kashmiri language and how his large literary library was looted by the terrorists before killing him alongwith another son.

To watch the full interview of Rajinder Koul Premi please click the video link above.