Literature of Kashmir has a long history, the oldest texts having been composed in the Sanskrit language. Early names include Patanjali, the author of the Mahābhāṣya commentary on Pāṇini's grammar, suggested by some to have been the same to write the Hindu treatise known as the Yogasutra, and Dridhbala, who revised the Charaka Samhita of Ayurveda.
Mufti Mohammad Sayeed was an Indian politician who served as the chief minister of Jammu and Kashmir twice from November 2002 to November 2005 and from March 2015 until his death on January 7, 2016. He held various positions, including minister of Tourism in Rajiv Gandhi's cabinet and minister of Home Affairs in V. P. Singh's cabinet. Sayeed began his political career in the wing of the National Conference led by G. M. Sadiq, which later merged with the Indian National Congress. In 1987, he transitioned to the Janata Dal and subsequently founded the People's Democratic Party (PDP), a regional political party that remains influential in Jammu and Kashmir, currently led by his daughter, Mehbooba Mufti.
Brij Narayan Chakbast, also spelled as Brij Narain Chakbast, was an Indian Urdu poet.
The Jammu & Kashmir National Panthers Party is a socialist and secular state political party in the state of Jammu and Kashmir, India. The party was founded on 23 March 1982 by husband and wife Prof. Bhim Singh and Jay Mala, Its aim is to "demolish corruption, communalism, criminalization, drug menace" and to establish a real democracy through ultimate revolution. Panthers party has maintained power at assembly and the local level for over four decades in its stronghold within the mountainous Udhampur constituency, where in the vicinity 5.9 million tonnes of Jammu and Kashmir lithium reserves, the 7th largest known reserve in the world, with an estimated value of $500 billion, was discovered in February 2023.
Abu Al-Asar Hafeez Jalandhari PP HI was a Pakistani poet who wrote the lyrics for the National Anthem of Pakistan and the Anthem of Azad Kashmir.
Peerzada Ghulam Ahmad, known by his pen name as Mahjoor, was a poet of the Kashmir Valley, along with contemporaries, Zinda Kaul, Abdul Ahad Azad, and Dinanath Nadim. He is especially noted for introducing a new style into Kashmiri poetry and for expanding Kashmiri poetry into previously unexplored thematic realms. Mahjoor is recognized as father of Kashmiri language.
Lala Jagat Narain was an Indian editor, member of the Punjab Legislative Assembly, Member of Parliament and founder of the Hind Samachar media group.
Mirwaiz Mohammad Umar Farooq is the 14th Mirwaiz of Kashmir. He is a Kashmiri separatist political leader. He is also an Islamic religious cleric of Kashmir Valley.
Jagan Nath Azad, was an Indian Urdu poet, writer and academician. He wrote over 70 books, including poetry collections, poems, biographies, and travelogues.
Syed Ali Jawad Zaidi was an Indian Urdu poet, scholar, and author of over 80 books in several languages. He was also an Indian independence activist, lawyer and later, a civil servant, but is best known for his work in Urdu literature.
Akhlaq Mohammad Khan, better known by his takhallusShahryar, was an Indian academic, and a doyen of Urdu poetry in India. As a Hindi film lyricist, he is best known for his lyrics in Gaman (1978) and Umrao Jaan (1981) directed by Muzaffar Ali. He retired as the head of the Urdu Department at the Aligarh Muslim University, and thereafter he remained sought after name in mushairas or poetic gatherings, and also co-edited the literary magazine Sher-o-Hikmat.
Mohammad Yousuf Taing, also known as M. Y. Taing, is a researcher, scholar, critic, writer, politician and historian. He is also biographer of Sheikh Abdullah. He is a prolific literary thinker writing in three Indian languages.
Vijay Kumar Chopra is the chief executive officer and editor in chief of the Punjab Kesari print news organisation. He is involved in social welfare work and has received a Padma Shri award. In August 2009, he was elected by the Chairman of the Press Trust of India.
Abhay Rustum Sopori is an Indian Santoor player, music composer and conductor. He is the son of Santoor player Pandit Bhajan Sopori, known for his versatility, innovations and experimentation. Sopori has received awards in recognition of his contribution in the field of music, and is one of the youngest recipients of awards such as 'Bharat Shiromani Award' & 'Ustad Bismillah Khan Yuva Puraskar'. Abhay was invited to speak at the international conference TEDx.
Professor Ghulam Nabi Firaq was a Kashmiri poet, writer and an educationist.
Dr Nirmal Kumar Singh is an Indian politician and was the last Speaker of the Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly of the erstwhile Jammu and Kashmir State. He is a former Deputy Chief Minister of Jammu and Kashmir. He is a leader of Bharatiya Janata Party. On 1 March 2015, he assumed the charge of the Minister for Power Development and Housing and Urban Development.
Imran Pratapgarhi is an Indian Urdu-language poet and politician, who is a Member of Parliament in the Rajya Sabha, the upper house of Indian Parliament. He represents the Indian state of Maharashtra. Pratapgarhi is known for his protest poetry that particularises the Muslim experience and identity in India and other parts of the world; he is especially known for his Urdu nazms "Madrasa" and "Han Main Kashmir Hoon."
Dheeba Nazir is a Kashmiri-language writer hailing from Srinagar, Jammu and Kashmir, India. She got Yuva puruskar Sahitya Akademi Award for her book Zareen Zakham.
Bashir Bhadarwahi is an Indian writer, educationist and poet, known for his literary criticisms such as Jamis Ta Kasheeri Manz Kashir Natia Abduk Tawareekh. The recipient of numerous awards, including Sahitya Akademi Award, he writes in Kashmiri language.
