Arya Samaj School In Downtown Srinagar Reopens 33 Years After Forced Closure By Pakistan-Backed Islamists

The Arya Samaj Trust has recently reopened its school in downtown Srinagar, which had been closed for 33 years due to separatist militancy in J&K since 1990.

Following its closure, the building was taken over by a local individual in 1992, who established a private institute called Naqshbandi Public School.

However, after a prolonged legal battle, the school was reclaimed by Arun Choudhary, the chairman of the J&K unit of Arya Samaj Trust, with the assistance of a local businessman.

Despite protests from the students and their parents who had been studying in the private school, the authorities returned possession of the property to the trust in 2022.

The school, which now operates in a dilapidated building, caters to 35 students from disadvantaged backgrounds in the Saraf Kadal area. It does not charge any fees, although some parents voluntarily contribute Rs 500 a month.

The principal, originally from Lucknow but choosing to remain anonymous, revealed on Monday that Choudhary had encouraged her to join him in this initiative. She expressed confidence in being able to motivate more students to enroll, despite the current low number.

The principal acknowledged the challenges of working with these children. She explained that initially, the residents of the area were hesitant to send their children to this school. However, after some persuasion, they eventually agreed to give it a chance.