The Revolution They Buried — Parmeshwari Agitation of Kashmir, a new book by Ashish Kaul and published by Prabhat Prakashan, was launched at the Samvet Auditorium of the Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts (IGNCA) on Friday. The event renewed focus on a largely overlooked chapter of post-Independence Kashmir history.
The book revisits the 1967 Parmeshwari agitation, a movement that once shook the Kashmir Valley but gradually faded from mainstream discourse. Through archival research, personal accounts and historical reflection, the book reconstructs the events surrounding the disappearance of a 17-year-old girl and the resistance led by her widowed mother — an episode that triggered widespread unrest and left a lasting impact on Kashmir’s socio-political landscape.
The launch event was chaired by Sachchidanand Joshi and attended by speakers including Utpal Kaul, Amitabh Mattoo, Jaideep Karnik and Ramesh C Gaur.
During the discussion, Ashish Kaul spoke about the years of research, documentation and personal effort behind the book. Speakers also reflected on the experiences of Kashmiri Pandits, the historical relevance of the agitation and the importance of preserving social and cultural memory.
Ramesh Chandra Gaur, Dean (Administration) and Head of IGNCA’s Kala Nidhi Division, appreciated the work and said such movements offer important lessons for future generations. The book carries a foreword by Sachchidanand Joshi.
The Revolution They Buried seeks to reopen conversations around narratives long absent from mainstream historical discussions. The event drew scholars, historians, media professionals, students and members of the public, leading to an engaging discussion on Kashmir’s layered modern history and the role of historical memory in contemporary discourse.