JAMMU: Lieutenant Governor Manoj Sinha on Sunday lauded KP Volunteers for its sustained humanitarian work and said selfless service, compassion and duty towards society remain the foundation of meaningful public service.
Addressing the Foundation Day celebration of KP Volunteers, a humanitarian organisation, the Lieutenant Governor felicitated volunteers for their contribution to society and praised the organisation for more than six years of work for needy families.
Sinha said true service lay in performing one’s duty without expecting any reward and added that KP Volunteers had embodied this spirit by treating humanitarian service as a sacred responsibility rather than a means to seek recognition.
Recalling the organisation’s beginnings during the COVID-19 pandemic in April 2020, the Lieutenant Governor said a single bag of rice donated by the Jammu Ashram of Swami Nand Bab Sahib had laid the foundation for what later developed into a wider humanitarian movement.
“I am proud that you have made the welfare of others your guiding principle. I believe that KP Volunteers is also living proof that when service is selfless, it continues to grow like light spreading from one lamp to another,” Sinha said.
Highlighting the organisation’s work, he said 164 families were receiving monthly assistance in the form of ration, medicines and education support under its Family Adoption Programme.
He said families had also received assistance during emergencies, including for surgeries and debt relief, while nearly 10,000 online medical consultations were provided during the pandemic and more than 6,500 emergency blood donations facilitated.
Financial support had also been extended for marriages of daughters belonging to economically weaker families, he said.
“These are not merely achievements but important milestones in a journey of compassion and service,” the Lieutenant Governor said.
Sinha praised KP Volunteers for adopting Direct Benefit Transfer mechanisms to ensure transparency and accountability. He described the organisation’s 411 active volunteers across the world as “priceless jewels” of the Kashmiri Pandit community and called for expanding the volunteer base to address future challenges in poverty, healthcare and education.
The Lieutenant Governor outlined four priorities for the organisation — expanding educational assistance, strengthening healthcare support, creating a global volunteer network and empowering women through skill development and entrepreneurship, while increasing leadership roles for women volunteers.
“Education is the most powerful instrument for the welfare of all. Empowering children with knowledge and education will prove to be the finest gift we can offer them,” he said.
Sinha also called for tapping the potential of the Kashmiri Pandit community settled across the world and the wider Indian diaspora to strengthen humanitarian initiatives and ensure that lack of finances did not obstruct welfare programmes.
Referring to the contribution of Kashmiri Pandits to the country, the Lieutenant Governor said the community had played a significant role in nation-building, education, philosophy, culture and administration from ancient times to the modern era.
He urged KP Volunteers to draw inspiration from prominent personalities of the community and work collectively towards building a future matching the community’s rich legacy.
“You have kindled the flame of service. It is now the responsibility of the entire community to carry this flame forward,” Sinha said.
He called for a collective resolve to ensure food for every hungry child, quality education for children, employment opportunities for youth, healthcare for the sick and dignity for struggling families.
Responding to issues raised at the event, the Lieutenant Governor reiterated the administration’s commitment to the welfare of the Kashmiri Pandit community and said the administration, police and security forces were fully committed to maintaining peace.
“Anyone who attempts to disrupt peace will not be allowed to succeed,” he said.
Meritorious students were also felicitated on the occasion.
KP Volunteers founder Vikram Koul, former DGP Kuldeep Khoda, Relief and Rehabilitation Commissioner Dr Arvind Karwani, DIG JSK Range Shridhar Patil, Deputy Commissioner Jammu Dr Rakesh Minhas, senior officials, prominent citizens, members of KP Volunteers and people from different walks of life attended the programme.
