Srinagar May 23 : Jammu and Kashmir People’s Conference President Sajad Gani Lone on Friday expressed deep grief over the demise of veteran lawyer and social activist Bushan Lal Pandita, a native of Handwara currently residing in Jammu.
In an emotional tribute, Lone described Pandita Ji as a close associate of his late father and an esteemed member of his family. “He was a passionate resident of Handwara. He loved Handwara and Handwara loved him,” Lone said.
Despite the unrest of 1989, Bushan Lal Pandita remained deeply attached to his homeland. He was among the first from the Kashmiri Pandit community to resume visits to Kashmir during the peak of violence, often staying for extended periods in Handwara. His home in Jammu was a haven for people from Kashmir, particularly from Kupwara district, providing shelter and assistance to those in need.
A practising lawyer for much of his life, Pandita Ji gradually stepped away from the profession but remained committed to social causes. Notably, he spearheaded the reconstruction of the Baderkali temple in Badrekal, Handwara, and led efforts to revive the Baderkali Trust in the early 2000s.
Lone praised Pandita Ji’s tireless advocacy for communal harmony, describing him as a living example of reconciliation. “His social circle and friendships with Kashmiri Muslims never changed after 1989. All the marriages in his family in Jammu were organised by his Muslim friends from Handwara. His home was the winter abode for many of his Kashmiri Muslim friends,” he recalled.
Acknowledging the personal grief, Lone said, “For me, he was and will remain Bushan Lal Uncle. This loss is as much mine as it is his family’s. He was a great man, a magnanimous soul who went through the same turmoil as others in 1989, but never held it against anyone.”
Sajad Lone remembered him as an unsung hero who worked quietly to rebuild the pre-1989 social fabric in Kashmir. “If I were to name a Kashmiri Pandit who has worked on ground to recreate and reestablish the pre-1989 societal setup, it would be Bushan Lal Ji,” he said.
His passing marks a significant loss to both communities and to the values of compassion, coexistence, and resilience that he personified throughout his life.
