On July 1, 2023, a well-known trade unionist and Kashmiri nationalist, Sampat Prakash, passed away at the age of 86, know his family, son and residence
On Sunday, overcoming divisions in politics and religion, a broad crowd of people attended the funeral at Karan Nagar as the people of Kashmir came forward to mourn his death.
Kashmiri trade union leader Sampat Prakash, biography, age, family, son, native birth place residence
Mr Sampat Prakash, a trade union leader and Kashmiri nationalist was consigned to flames on Sunday.
According to reports, he suffered a severe heart attack in Srinagar. Despite being transported quickly to the Sher-i-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences (SKIMS), he was declared dead.
His passing has significantly impacted people in Kashmir from all walks of life, including politicians, labour unions, and numerous organisations. Prakash was renowned for his unflinching dedication to the Kashmiri people and his ceaseless efforts to address their problems.
Who is Sampat Prakash?
Sampat Prakash was born on March 10th, 1937, in Anantnag, and grew up in Kashmir, where he was exposed to the area’s rich cultural legacy. Rainawari was home with his family. Late in the 1980s, Kashmir had a period of “Hindu Pandit Genocide “that forced Pandits to leave their homes and assets behind and run for their lives.
Despite facing immense hardships, forceful conversations, rapes and trauma, he spoke for all.
Farooq Abdullah, the president of the National Conference and a former chief minister, was Prakash’s classmate at the prestigious Tyndale Biscoe School in Srinagar. He was influenced by the nationalism of his father Neel Kanth Kundu. Kundu was also the principal of the school and he was also the advisor of Farooq’s father Mohammad Abdullah.
Prakash was born on March 10, 1931, in Anantnag and died aged 86. Growing up, he was exposed to the rich cultural and intellectual heritage of Kashmir, which laid the foundation for his later activism.
Born and brought up in a Kashmiri Pandit family in Rainwari area of Srinagar, Prakash did his schooling from Tyndale Biscoe School. Ravinder Kundo, Prakash’s engineer son who lives in Jammu and joined his cremation here, recalled telling his father how Hindu Pandits were being killed in Kashmir.
A Life Dedicated to the People of Kashmir
Sampat Prakash was a key figure in the trade union movement in addition to his work for the Kashmiri Pandit cause. He advocated for workers’ rights and welfare as a trade union leader, especially in the cooperative industry.
Prakash promoted fairer pay, stronger social security protections for the working class, and better working conditions. He was also elected president of the Central Lal Bazaar Cooperative Housing Society in 1974, and during that time, he made substantial advancements in worker rights and welfare.
His passion and commitment to the trade union movement earned him respect among the workforce and, more broadly, the Indian labour movement.
In 1968, he was arrested for the first time under the Preventive and Detention Act, Section 13A, of the Indian Parliament for launching a mass agitation against the government for low wages. He has been in jail for over eight years in Jammu and Kashmir.
In addition to attending conferences, seminars, and public debates, Prakash actively addressed workers’ concerns and challenges. Besides cooperatives, he also advocated for labour rights, social justice, and equitable development.
He was well known for his unwavering dedication to secularism and his strong stand against identity politics. Prakash’s leadership in the unions helped bring people from different religious and racial backgrounds together.
It is clear that his departure will be felt keenly as the people of Kashmir mourn his passing. A brilliant leader who diligently campaigned for the rights of workers and the trade union movement, in particular, has passed away. Although it would be difficult to overcome the loss created by Sampat Prakash’s passing, his vision and goals will definitely continue to motivate future generations to work towards a just and equal society.
Kashmiriyat was in the blood of Sampat Prakash, a prominent Union trade leader and a Kashmiri Pandit: Local Kashmiri Muslims #sampatprakash #death #Kashmir #politics #tradefederation pic.twitter.com/KcuWefXNVJ
— Faza Zainab (@faza_zainab) July 2, 2023
Today's we lost #sampatprakash the brave heart, the true warrior, the true #kashmiripandit, the one who always stand with kashmir, unfortunately this #bravevoice is no more. In this difficult time. I stand with his family pic.twitter.com/FKUwaYtrM5
— Waqar H Bhatti🇸🇦 (@WaqarHBhatti14) July 1, 2023