Srinagar, July 6: Lieutenant Governor of Jammu and Kashmir, Shri Manoj Sinha, attended the 125th Birth Anniversary celebrations of Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee at Tagore Hall, Srinagar. The event was marked by tributes to one of the *key architects of modern India, who laid down his life for the *unification of Jammu and Kashmir with India.
Addressing the gathering, the Lieutenant Governor hailed Dr. Mookerjee as a visionary statesman, fearless parliamentarian, and distinguished educationist. He highlighted the profound influence of Dr. Mookerjee’s ideals on India’s political, cultural, and educational landscape.
“Dr. Syama Prasad Mookerjee’s ideals continue to shape the destiny of India. His commitment to social cohesion, national unity, and constitutional integration remains timeless,” said LG Sinha.
He recalled Dr. Mookerjee’s martyrdom in Srinagar in 1953 while protesting against *Article 370, calling it a defining moment in India’s history. “Dr. Mookerjee was a proponent of *‘One Nation, One Constitution’**, and his supreme sacrifice paved the way for the eventual integration of Jammu and Kashmir with the Indian Union,” the LG stated.
LG Sinha credited Prime Minister Shri Narendra Modi for fulfilling Dr. Mookerjee’s dream by abrogating Article 370 in August 2019, 66 years after his death. “Under PM Modi’s leadership, India is making exponential strides towards becoming a strong, united, and developed nation,” he said.
The LG noted that Jammu and Kashmir has launched a two-year celebratory campaign (2025–2027) to honour Dr. Mookerjee’s contributions and ideals. The campaign will include exhibitions, lectures, and theatrical performances across educational institutions to educate the younger generation on his legacy.
“Dr. Mookerjee envisioned a discrimination-free Jammu and Kashmir fully integrated with India. He wanted active participation of its people in nation-building and mainstream development,” LG Sinha added.
He also described Dr. Mookerjee as the chief architect of India’s industrialisation and a pioneer of self-reliance. His legacy, the LG stressed, should reach every village, school, and college through cultural events and academic engagements.
The event also featured the release of *Kashmiri translations of India’s new criminal laws, and an *exhibition on Dr. Mookerjee’s life and work, organised by the IGNCA Regional Office and the Department of Culture.
Prominent dignitaries in attendance included Chief Secretary Shri Atal Dulloo, Members of Legislative Assembly Shri Vikram Randhawa and Shri Satish Sharma, Chairperson of the J\&K Waqf Board Dr. Darakhshan Andrabi, and other senior officials, political leaders, and citizens.
