This Website contains several sections dealing with my special interests – Hinduism, the Environment, Education, Interfaith harmony, Travelogues, Essays, Literature and Music, Trusts and Forums and my personal biography.

You will find that I have been privileged to enjoy a rather unique spectrum of experiences. Indeed my life seems to fall into 18-year modules. I was born into the ruling family of the State of Jammu & Kashmir, one of the largest of the hundreds of Indian States within the British empire. My father was Maharaja, and as the only son, I would have succeeded him in due course. The first phase of my life therefore was as a Crown Prince, although in public school I got no privileged treatment. Then began a prolonged medical problem which had me on my back for 18 months...

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Journal

A Historic Election

I have been following the U.S. Presidential Elections now for exactly 60 years. In 1948, as a boy, I was in a New York hospital during the Truman/Dewey’s election, and in Washington for President Truman’s inaugural parade in January 1949. Since then I have followed each American election with...

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Temple of Understanding Statement on Religious Violence

On behalf of the Temple of Understanding, an international Interfaith organization of which I am Chairman, and on my own behalf, I strongly condemn the recent incidents of violence by organizations that claim a Muslim or Hindu name but act in a barbaric fashion. Attacks upon defenseless churches,...

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Statement on Amarnath Agreement

1 September 2008 It is a welcome relief that after many weeks of turmoil and agitation, an agreement has, at last, been reached between the State Government and the Sri Amarnath Sangharsh Samiti. I urge that all concerned in Jammu as well as in the Valley should now accept the...

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Statement on Jammu and Kashmir Issue

The most unfortunate controversy regarding the Shri Amarnath Shrine Board has now dragged on for several weeks, and has already caused tragic loss of life, massive destruction of property and acute inconvenience to common citizens both in the Jammu region and in...

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