By: Kanwal Krishan Lidhoo *

As the Kashmiri Pandit exile crosses its 35th year, a community long dispersed and disillusioned continues to grapple with an identity torn between memory and abandonment. Over the years, return-to-homeland movements — often steered by fractured organisations like Panun Kashmir — have risen and collapsed in cycles, like the proverbial  waxing and waning of the Moon, burdened by preconditions, political inertia and internal divisions. But in this fatigue of failed promises and symbolic gestures, one individual has emerged as both a disruptor and a provocateur and that is  Dr. Sandeep Mawa.

His name is now synonymous with an unsettling question — what if one refuses to stay exiled?

A Presence that Challenges Absence

At 47, Dr. Sandeep Mawa is not just one among the many Kashmiri Pandits displaced in the early 1990s. He is the anomaly — someone who chose to return to live in the Valley, refusing to be boxed into the narrative of permanent exile. This physical return itself unsettles the status quo — both for those in the community who advocate “return on our terms,” and for vested interests in the Valley who prefer the exile to remain unresolved.

Dr. Mawa’s presence is not passive. Over the years, he has used both ground activism and social media to call out the custodianship of KP religious sites, expose illegal encroachments on temple and cremation lands and challenge what he terms a “collusion of silence” among authorities and trust committees. His assertiveness has earned him both admiration and animosity, sometimes in equal measure.

Citizen Journalist or Political Provocateur?

Dr. Mawa’s forays into “citizen journalism” have stirred hornets’ nests. Through videos, documents and field reports, he has unearthed what many allege is a systematic takeover of KP community properties — not just by opportunistic individuals but through institutional neglect and exploitation.

Yet, the impact of his revelations has been deeply polarising. His critics accuse him of harbouring political ambitions and of switching allegiances. At various times, he has been labelled as a front for separatists, now a tool of the Centre, or a self-seeking agitator. In a community battered by betrayal and political manipulation, these suspicions — whether founded or speculative — find easy traction.

But even those who question his motives admit one fact: he has put the issue of land and temple encroachments squarely on the public agenda — something even seasoned KP organisations and politicians have failed to do effectively.

Breaking the Comfort of Tokenism

For decades, the politics of Kashmiri Pandit rehabilitation has been locked in a comfort zone of token representation and policy inertia. While governments — particularly the BJP — have been vocal in their symbolic support, including nomination of KP members to the erstwhile J&K Legislative Council, substantive action has been absent.

Dr. Mawa’s confrontational style disrupts this inertia. His call for return not into isolated colonies but back into the original neighbourhoods — now partially occupied or sold under duress — hits at the nerve of political convenience. It also challenges both Delhi and Srinagar: Will they endorse reintegration, or will they continue to sell gated relocation as a substitute for justice?

Dividing or Awakening the Community?

The Kashmiri Pandit community today finds itself overpopulated with “leaders” and yet bereft of leadership. Amid this vacuum, Dr. Mawa’s solo interventions have ignited conversations — but equally the  confusion also. Many within the community feel that his rhetoric lacks restraint; others feel he is finally speaking uncomfortable truths that others fear to utter.

Some trust him as a genuine reformist shaking a dormant system. Others see him as using controversy to build political capital. Social media, which he uses prolifically, has amplified both perspectives — with posts alternately praising him as a “lone warrior” and branding him as an “opportunist.”

But what cannot be denied is this: Dr. Mawa has made himself impossible to ignore.

The Challenge Before Him 

If Dr. Sandeep Mawa genuinely wishes to transition from an outspoken figure to a legitimate community leader, the path ahead is fraught with innumerable challenges especially of trust and faith and thus demands evolution. Leadership, especially in a traumatised and fragmented community, is not just about visibility or fearlessness. It’s about empathy, integrity and the ability to unify.

He must now engage — not antagonise — existing KP institutions, and elevate his activism beyond social media virality. The language of confrontation must give way to the language of healing. His strength lies in raising issues that matter. His next test lies in how he builds consensus around them.

A Catalyst in a Comatose Struggle

In a movement long buried under ceremonial events and stale declarations, Dr. Sandeep Mawa has emerged as an unpredictable catalyst. Whether he is a passing provocateur or a transformative force depends on how he channels his momentum — and how the Kashmiri Pandit community chooses to respond.

In exile, silence was once mistaken for dignity. Perhaps now, disruption may be the only way to reclaim what was lost.

*The author, Kanwal Krishan Lidhoo, is Director of Kashmir Rechords. This analytical write-up is based on a study of digital and social media interactions involving Dr. Sandeep Mawa, his supporters and critics. It is intended as a balanced appraisal, with no malice towards any individual or group. Readers are invited to share their perspectives in the Comment Section below; responses will help shape future analyses in this continuing series on Kashmir.