Azaad आवाज़

VOLUME III ISSUE IV

Kashmir: A Story of Perpetual Heartbreak

In This Issue

This issue of Azaad Awaaz attempts instances of resilience and resistance as a community by people in Kashmir against various excesses committed by the Indian state, including the abrogations of Articles 370 and 35-A of the Indian Constitution, which protected the rights of Kashmiris and gave Kashnirirs a special status.

Awaaz in Focus introduces one to the varied perspectives shared by those who are initiating grassroot level changes in and across different local communities in a region. The people interviewed vary from academic scholars to grassroot level activists and practitioners.

Awaaz in Focus hosts Dr. Asifa Amin Koul. Dr. Asifa Amin Koul has done her PhD in International Relations at American University, Washington DC. She talks to us about Kashmiri youth, student movements and resistance.

This Nazariya piece talks about the class and class differences that are prevalent in Jammu and Kashmir, and why it is important to start taking action against these right now, amongst the conversations surrounding religion and Kashmiri identity. The piece also takes the reader back to history to talk about the political economy of Kashmir, and comment on how its political economy is also a reason for these inequalities.

Talk Point is the segment of the Patrika wherein individuals are interviewed based upon their perception and understanding of a certain issue.

Talk Point, instead, for this edition, presents perspectives from students, a letter written by Aaliyah, a Kashmiri student studying in India, and an essay about the abrogation of Article 370 by Shreya Tiwari, a law student.

Vichaar is Azaad Awaaz’s podcast series that aims at engaging with experts and professionals to further the conversation on the marginalization of communities.

In this edition of Vichaar, Team Azaad Awaaz was in conversation with Mir Suhail, a Kashmiri artist and political cartoonist. He talks to us about his journey to becoming a cartoonist, his experiences in print media as well as his views on the medium of art as a tool to challenge majoritarian and state-led oppression.

About Azaad Awaaz

Our initiative Azaadआवाज़ aims to tackle an erosion of empathy in our society. This monthly magazine (Patrika) aims to focus on the marginalized sections whose voices are often muted in the cacophony of flashy mainstream media discourse. When referring to the marginalization, this platform does not aim to restrict itself to the traditional focus on social aggregates like caste and race alone but aspires to include a discussion on class, gender, sexual orientation etc.