J&K Governor re-constitutes Amarnath Shrine Board; appoints six new members

Jammu(J&K) –  Governor,  N N Vohra, on Wedensday re-constituted the Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board (SASB) by appointing six new members.

        According to a notification issued here today by the Governor, in his capacity as Chairman, Shri Amarnathji Shrine Board, Sri Sri Ravi Shankarji, Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, Ms Sunita Narain, Justice (Retd) G D Sharma, Pandit Bhajan Sopori and Dr Ved Kumari Ghai, have been appointed as Members of SASB for a period of three years, with immediate effect.

        Prior to the re-constitution of the new Board, Vohra hae also accepted the resignations of the erstwhile members of SASB: Mr Justice (Retd) G D Sharma, Mr Raghu Modi, Mr Sunil Sachdev, Mr Manoj Gaur, Dr Arun Kumar, Dr (Mrs) Vimla Dhar, Prof Neerja Mattoo and Prof Vishwa Murti Shastri.

            A Spokesman of the Board said that Mr Justice (Retired) Justice G D Sharma has been re-appointed for another term.

The Spokesman of the SASB described the newly appointed Members as the persons of eminence, who have distinguished themselves in the service of the religion and culture, social work, administration, legal affairs, financial matters and environmental management.

        Founder of the world-wide ‘Art of Living Movement’, Sri Sri Ravi Shankra is an eminent scholar who has been tirelessly striving for fostering, on a global scale, a deeper understanding of the values that unite the people of different faiths as a human community. His ‘Art of Living’ organisation has a special consultative status with the Economic and Social Council of the United Nations. His Holiness Sri Sri is a renowned spiritual leader and multi-faceted humanitarian whose mission of uniting the world into a violence-free family has inspired millions of people worldwide. The icon of non-violence and universal human values, Sri Sri seeks global peace through service and dialogue.

       Dr Kapila Vatsyayan, Member Parliament (Rajya Sabha), has served as Secretary to Government of India in the Department of Arts and Culture for over a decade. She is the founder Director of Indira Gandhi National Centre for the Arts, a former President of the India International Centre and presently the Chairman of the IIC-Asia Project. She is a leading scholar of classical Indian dance and Indian art and architecture and author of dozen books. Dr. Vatsayan has been on the faculty of the universities of Delhi , Pennsylvania , Columbia and Berkeley . She has won many honours and awards including the Padma Bhushan and an honorary doctorate from the University of Michigan .

        Ms Sunita Narain, a  Padma Shri awardee, is currently Director, Centre for Science and Environment, and the Society for Environmental Communication. She also edits the fortnightly newsmagazine Down to Earth. Associated with leading international environmental organisations, she is a Member of Prime Minister’s Council on Climate Change and Commission on Climate Change and Development, Sweden . She is credited with a number of articles published in reputed national and international journals. Besides being a member on various prestigious Government and non-Government Organisations, Ms Narain is a Member of Committee on Environment, Planning Commission of India, Environmental Pollution Authority for the National Capital Territory and International Water Management Institute, Colombo , Sri Lanka .

Mr Justice (Retd) G D Sharma has been a distinguished member of the judiciary and is presently working as President, State Consumers Forum in Jammu and Kashmir . He has held key assignments in the Judiciary.

        Santoor maestro, Pandit Bhajan Sopori, is a music director of repute, having produced several musical productions and composed music for songs in various Indian languages. He has also composed music for operas, tele-films, serials and documentaries. He has performed in England , Germany , U.S.A. , Egypt , Yugoslavia , Bulgana , Syria , Belgium , Norway , etc. and has taught music at the Washington university, St. Louis and the University of Oslo ( Norway ).

        Dr Ved Kumari Ghai, is a renowned Sanaskrit scholar and former Head of the Sanaskrit Department in the University of Jammu . She has translated Neelmat Puran in Hindi. She is also the author of Kashmir ka Sanskrit Sahitya ko yogdan in Hindi. She has actively remain engaged with various social organisations devoted to the welfare and uplift of women belonging to weaker sections of the society. She is associated with Vasudhaiva Kutumbakam Welfare Society, Neha Ghar, Jammu for a long time.