Kashmir has changed, come back home: Swain to Pandit community

Srinagar, Jun 13: Emphasizing a profound societal shift toward reconciliation, former Jammu and Kashmir Director General of Police (DGP) R.R. Swain has stated that a renewed atmosphere of peace and hope has cleared the path for the global Kashmiri diaspora to reconnect with their roots. Central to this evolving landscape, he noted, is a powerful, mutual desire from both the majority community and the displaced minority to see Kashmiri Pandits return permanently to the Valley.
In an exclusive interview with Kashmir News Service (KNS) on the sidelines of the Global Kashmiri Pandit Conclave: From Exile to Excellence at the Sher-i-Kashmir International Conference Centre (SKICC) here, Swain highlighted that the overarching sentiment on the ground has transitioned from apprehension to anticipation.
“Many people expressed their pain and wounds during the discussions, but they are also resolutely looking ahead,” Swain said.
“The most significant change today is that both communities are thinking about a new Kashmir together, and there is a shared longing from both sides to welcome Kashmiri Pandits back to their homeland.”
The former top cop acknowledged that members of the diaspora living abroad have long harbored deep-seated anxieties regarding security, frequently seeking clarity on whether the core stability of the region had genuinely turned a corner.
Recalling his extensive interactions with the diaspora during his earlier tenure with the Ministry of External Affairs, Swain said several prominent community leaders had reached out through both formal and informal channels to assess the ground realities in the Valley.
“There were many doubts in their minds regarding whether Kashmir had really changed, whether it had become safe and secure, and whether they could safely return,” he recalled during the exclusive interaction.
“I told them clearly that the atmosphere has transformed and a new environment has emerged—one defined by hope,” Swain said. “We have actively encouraged them to come back to their homes, visit, and participate fully in community programmes.”
He underscored that the Kashmiri Pandit community holds an indispensable stake in the socio-cultural and economic future of the region, and that their active engagement remains vital to restoring the traditional spirit of coexistence.
Expressing deep optimism about the ongoing grassroots efforts to rebuild fractured social bonds, Swain added, “We hope these initiatives will succeed, and that people from all communities will move forward hand-in-hand to script a new chapter for Jammu and Kashmir.”
Following his retirement from active police service in Jammu and Kashmir, Swain—a 1991-batch IPS officer—has transitioned to a significant administrative role in his home state.
He was recently appointed as the first Chairman of the newly established Odisha Uniformed Services Staff Selection Commission (OUSSSC), a body constituted to oversee and streamline recruitment for the state’s uniformed departments.
Reflecting on his transition and his continued optimism for the region he served for years, he remarked that structural and emotional integration remains a universal priority for sustainable peace. (KNS)