Excelsior Correspondent
JAMMU, Jan 3: Iqwat Foundation today formally launched its App – “Iqwat”, for global Kashmiri Pandit community. The soft launch of Iqwat App took place on Aug 15, last year in Gurgaon, Haryana.
Ajay Kaul and Mukesh Kachroo, two of the founders of Iqwat Foundation, held the launch event at Press Club of Jammu today in association with Youth All India Kashmiri Samaj (YAIKS). The app was launched in presence of YAIKS president, R K Bhat.
While launching the App they said Kashmiri Pandits are scattered all around the world and their culture, heritage and language are at a grave threat of getting extinct. The idea of “Iqwat” was conceived as a global virtual platform to help in bringing the community together and preserve the fundamental values that it cherishes.
They said Iqwat in Kashmiri means “together” and that is what the Foundation aims to achieve through this platform. The App can be downloaded from Play Store or App Store and has various sections of interest. It aims to build the first ever digital global directory of Kashmiri Pandits and one can search the long-lost friends through the members list and get connected. Besides, one can join or create various interest groups like Mohalla in Kashmir, Internships, Art, Classifieds, etc, they added.
They said detailed Kashmiri Calendar along with important festivals and key dates can be accessed in one click. The App has also very succinctly captured the pain of 1990 exodus digitally and a section is carved out as museum to maintain a digital repository of pictures, videos and memories related to this. In addition, the app throws light on the prominent members of the community, obituary section to remember the departed souls and online shopping for variety of Kashmiri spices and other artefacts.
They said one of the main goals of the Foundation is to discover and support the promising youth of the community. Iqwat is aiming to achieve this goal by launching various initiatives such as Global Talent Hunt, Iqwat Studio and Iqwat Angels. Iqwat Foundation is keen and open to collaborating with other organizations working for welfare of the community.
They said considering the current situation of the community, they are hoping that this platform galvanizes the community members across the globe and bring them together.
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