
After Pahalgam Terror Attack, Celina Jaitly Recalls Childhood Memories Of Kashmir: "Couldn't Play Safely With Friends"
Quick Take
Summary is AI generated, newsroom reviewed.
Pahalgam terror attack shocks Indians nationwide, marking a tragic event.
Celina Jaitly recalls her childhood memories of Kashmir filled with fear.
The actress reflects on military escorts during her school commutes in Kashmir.
New Delhi:
Pahalgam terror attack has sent shockwaves to the Indians across the regions. Termed as one of the deadliest attacks of recent times, Pahalgam has triggered a plethora of emotions and memories for people irrespective of socio-economic standing.
Celina Jaitly, who spent her childhood in Kashmir, recalled her early impression of the valley in a long post on Instagram. Celina shared a picture of herself, performing on stage. She termed her Kashmir memories "deeply tinged with fear."
Celina began her note with these words, "This is me as a little girl in Kashmir, studying at Army Public School, Udhampur. This particular photo was taken at the North Star Camp in Patni Top - I must have been around 8 or 9 years old.
As the daughter of a #pahadi Regiment army officer, I had the privilege of growing up across the breathtaking mountains of India from Kashmir to Uttarakhand to Arunachal Pradesh. But my memories of Kashmir are deeply tinged with fear."
"I often asked my late mother, "Ma, why do we have to ride to school with armed guards? Army brats will relate to military three-ton truck or a Shaktiman school bus. I always thought Why must we live in fear like this?" I did not understand why.
I still vividly remember the protocols drilled into us... how to duck, how to stay silent if firing broke out around us," she went on to add.
"Having spent my earlier childhood in the peaceful hills of Ranikhet and Shimla, it broke my heart that in #kashmir , I couldn't freely wander the meadows, pick wildflowers, or play safely with friends.
It was even harder to understand how a land once known as Rishi Vaer, the "Valley of Saints," a cradle of ancient Hindu wisdom, Shaivism, and Kashmiri culture could fall into such sorrow. Kashmir, once a beacon of spirituality, philosophy, and natural beauty, had been slowly consumed by violence and te##or," were Celina's words.
Commenting on the Pahalgam terror attack, Celina wrote, "The recent te##or attacks in #pahalgam have brought back many of these fleeting memories, a haunting reminder that for decades, te##or has overshadowed the peace and grand beauty of our beloved Indian mountains. It is now or never. We must put an end to this cycle of fear that has gripped generations. Only then can we reclaim the true spirit and purpose of these sacred mountains to be places of peace, wonder, and spiritualism once again. Jai Hind !!"
View this post on Instagram
A post shared by Celina Jaitly (@celinajaitlyofficial)
On April 22, terrorists shot down 26 innocent people, who were holidaying in the Baisaran meadow of Pahalgam.
The Resistance Front (TRF), a proxy of the banned Pakistan-based terror group Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), claimed responsibility for the attack.
Hashtags

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


Indian Express
32 minutes ago
- Indian Express
BSF complains about filthy train coaches for Amarnath duty, Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw acts
The Border Security Force complained to the North-Eastern Railways about the 'unhygienic/filthy' condition of 'most of the coaches' in a special train allotted on June 9 evening for movement of its 1,200 personnel from the Udaipur station in Tripura to Jammu Tawi in J&K for Amarnath Yatra duty. Stating it was 'not possible for troops to travel such a long distance' in the dilapidated coaches, the BSF Train Commandant, who complained to the Agartala Station Manager, sought their immediate replacement. On Wednesday, Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw took 'serious note of the incident involving the deployment of an unsuitable/old train' and a probe was ordered, a Ministry official said, adding that four officials – the Coaching Depot Officer and three Senior Section Engineers – of the Alipurduar railway division had been placed under suspension. According to the official, a special train had been arranged exclusively for BSF personnel and it would leave the Agartala station Wednesday night. 'The Railway Minister has made it clear that the dignity and comfort of security forces are of utmost priority and that such negligence will not be tolerated at any level,' the official said. In the complaint to the Agartala Station Manager, the BSF Train Commandant had listed all that was wrong with the coaches – broken interiors including toilet doors, infested with cockroaches and insects, filthy berths and washrooms without water or electricity. The BSF Train Commandant said 'it is not possible for troops to travel such a long distance… in unhygienic/filthy and inhumane conditions' and there is every possibility that 'most of them may fall sick even before deployment'. The officer pointed out that the special train was made available at the Udaipur station only at 6.30 pm on June 9 though it had been requisitioned for June 6. According to the officer, the entire battalion was to be inducted and deployed by June 12 as per directions of the Ministry of Home Affairs. The officer sought immediate replacement of the dilapidated coaches, and also said the special train should be 'immediately placed for timely travel' to 'reach the destination as per schedule given by MHA and BSF Force HQs'. The BSF attached four files of videos and photographs of the allotted train. A spokesperson for the BSF said, 'We made a request to provide a special train for our 1,200 personnel. On June 9, they had provided a train but there were some shortcomings and we immediately informed their (Railways) senior officials about the situation.' The upcoming Amarnath Yatra will be the first major pilgrimage in J&K after the Pahalgam terror attack and the hostilities between India and Pakistan following Operation Sindoor. The Centre has decided to deploy 581 companies of paramilitary personnel to ensure adequate security for the Yatra. Mahender Singh Manral is an Assistant Editor with the national bureau of The Indian Express. He is known for his impactful and breaking stories. He covers the Ministry of Home Affairs, Investigative Agencies, National Investigative Agency, Central Bureau of Investigation, Law Enforcement Agencies, Paramilitary Forces, and internal security. Prior to this, Manral had extensively reported on city-based crime stories along with that he also covered the anti-corruption branch of the Delhi government for a decade. He is known for his knack for News and a detailed understanding of stories. He also worked with Mail Today as a senior correspondent for eleven months. He has also worked with The Pioneer for two years where he was exclusively covering crime beat. During his initial days of the career he also worked with The Statesman newspaper in the national capital, where he was entrusted with beats like crime, education, and the Delhi Jal Board. A graduate in Mass Communication, Manral is always in search of stories that impact lives. ... Read More Dheeraj Mishra is a Principal correspondent with The Indian Express, Business Bureau. He covers India's two key ministries- Ministry of Railways and Ministry of Road Transport & Highways. He frequently uses the Right to Information (RTI) Act for his stories, which have resulted in many impactful reports. ... Read More


NDTV
35 minutes ago
- NDTV
Congress Expels Digvijaya Singh's Brother For Remarks On Rahul Gandhi
The Congress on Wednesday expelled former Madhya Pradesh MLA Laxman Singh, who is brother of ex-chief minister Digvijaya Singh, from the primary membership of the party for six years for "anti-party activities". The action against Laxman Singh, also a five-time MP, came after he repeatedly made "derogatory" remarks against party leader Rahul Gandhi. The Congress had earlier issued a show cause notice against him saying why action should not be taken against him for his remarks. "Congress president has expelled Laxman Singh, former MLA, Madhya Pradesh, from the primary membership of the Indian National Congress for a period of six years with immediate effect due to his anti-party activities," Tariq Anwar, member secretary of the Congress' Disciplinary Action Committee, said in a statement. The statement did not elaborate based on what "anti-party activities" it had acted against Laxman Singh. The MP Pradesh Congress Committee (PCC) had made a recommendation to the party leadership for initiating action against him for his alleged anti-party activities and the matter was sent to the Disciplinary Action Committee of the AICC. Laxman Singh has been a five-time MP and three-time MLA from Madhya Pradesh. He was first elected to the state legislature in 1990. He became an MP for the first time in 1994 from Rajgarh. He switched to the BJP in 2004 when he was elected to the Lok Sabha again. He returned to the Congress fold in 2013. Last month, the Congress issued a show-cause notice to Laxman Singh, younger brother of party veteran Digvijaya Singh, saying his "derogatory" remarks targeting senior party leaders, including Rahul Gandhi, have "crossed all acceptable limits". It said his remarks have caused "serious damage" to the party's "image and dignity". On April 25, Laxman Singh had attacked the party leadership in the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack. "Rahul Gandhi and Robert Vadra are naive. The country is suffering the consequences of their immaturity," he had said during a condolence meeting organised to pay tributes to the Pahalgam victims. The notice was issued to Laxman Singh on May 9 by party's Disciplinary Action Committee (DAC) member secretary Tariq Anwar. It said, "This is to bring to your notice that a complaint has been received from MP Congress chief Jitu Patwari and All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary in-charge of MP Harish Chaudhary regarding your repeated public statements that have caused serious damage to the image and dignity of the Congress." "It has been further noted that your recent statement has crossed all acceptable limits, particularly the derogatory and disrespectful remarks directed at senior party leadership, including the Honourable Leader of the Opposition in Lok Sabha Shri Rahul Gandhi," the notice said. On April 25, Laxman Singh had also targeted Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah, saying he could be "in cahoots with terrorists". Targeting Vadra, he had said, "Robert Vadra's statement that the terrorists attacked because they did not allow Muslims to offer namaz on the road is not only irresponsible but also a statement that poses a threat to the security of the country. I am saying all this in front of the camera, so that no one is confused. Congress should think 10 times before speaking, otherwise the public will answer in the elections."


India Gazette
36 minutes ago
- India Gazette
India-EU FTA will be a great enabler, says Goyal; pitches for stronger economic ties with Sweden
Stockholm [Sweden], June 11 (ANI): The proposed India-European Union Free Trade Agreement (FTA) will be a great enabler, Union Commerce and Industry Minister Piyush Goyal has said, adding that India will be able to offer greater opportunities for Sweden. Attending India-Sweden Business Delegation meetings in Stockholm, Union Minister Goyal said, India and Sweden complement each other. 'The India-EU Free Trade Agreement is clearly going to be a great enabler... We do hope to be able to offer you a better pathway and greater opportunities in the future... I can assure you that we are making good progress and are deeply committed to strengthening this partnership, working together.' The Minister also highlighted India's growth prospects. 'Today, amongst all the investment opportunities available anywhere in the world, I dare say the market of 1.4 billion aspirational Indians can beat any other opportunity. When 1.4 billion Indians take one step forward, our country takes 1.4 billion steps forward. That is the spirit in which the Indian growth story is powering on,' said Goyal. Inviting the business community to invest in India, Goyal further added, 'We would like to invite all the distinguished business leaders of Sweden to come to India to experience our country. I am sure this tested partnership can really grow beyond the frontiers of what we have achieved so far.' With over 280 Swedish companies in India and 80+ Indian companies in Sweden, the potential for collaboration is immense. H said the proposed India-EU FTA has huge potential. 'There's huge potential awaiting all of us. We complement each other. Sweden and India, working as friends, as trusted partners, can transform the Indian economy; the Indian growth story can support the Swedish plans for the future.' Goyal said India is not only the largest and fastest-growing economy but it will continue to grow for the next 20-30 years. He highlighted that India has one of the lowest inflation rates and strong forex reserves. Citing the favourable business ecosystem, he appealed to the investor community to make investments in India. Goyal reached Sweden after finishing his two-day official visit to Switzerland. Apart from other engagements, he will engage with the Indian diaspora and address media interactions, further strengthening the people-to-people connections and communicating the vision for the India-Sweden partnership. (ANI)