World Elder Abuse Awareness Day
Seminar calls for societal reform, land preservation, community action to protect Kashmir’s senior citizens
SRINAGAR: The Amar Singh Club hosted a thought-provoking seminar on World Elder Abuse Awareness Day, bringing together prominent voices to address the challenges faced by senior citizens and propose transformative community initiatives. The event, part of the club’s ‘Common Interest Conversations’ program, was presided over by senior patron Dr Karan Singh and chaired by Senior Advocate Zaffar A. Shah.
In his welcome address, Club Secretary Nasir Hamid Khan emphasised the need for societal intervention to improve the lives of the elderly. He highlighted the club’s ‘Cashmere Cradleland’ initiative—a comprehensive proposal developed by retired IAS officers, judges, educationists, and doctors to tackle pressing issues like digital addiction, drug abuse, eldercare, and mental wellness.
Khan revealed that the initiative’s authors have identified 139 acres of government land at Tattoo Ground, Srinagar, for the project. Expressing concern over reports that the land may be auctioned under the government’s ‘asset monetisation policy,’ he urged collective action to preserve the space for community welfare. “This land belongs to the people of Kashmir,” Khan asserted. “Converting it into a ‘Global Amusement Hub’ would be a grave injustice to our cultural and social needs.”
Dr Karan Singh, in his keynote lecture on ‘The Multiple Dimensions of Ageing,’ lamented the neglect of elderly citizens despite religious and cultural teachings emphasising respect for elders. He criticised outdated retirement policies, noting, “Retiring people at 60 when life expectancy has increased makes no sense. These rules are relics of British rule.”
Singh also highlighted India’s malnutrition crisis, stressing the importance of diet and exercise from an early age. “If you poison your body in your twenties, you cannot expect a healthy old age,” he cautioned, advocating for religious study and disciplined living as cornerstones of longevity.
Senior Advocate Zaffar Shah addressed the erosion of joint families and the ‘empty nest syndrome’ caused by youth migration. He pointed to the 2007 Maintenance and Welfare of Parents and Senior Citizens Act as a legislative acknowledgement of the crisis. “The fact that we needed a law to ensure children care for their parents speaks volumes,” Shah remarked. He urged retired professionals to form local social groups, saying, “Retire from work, not from life.”
Dr Zubair Saleem of the Moul Mouj Foundation shared alarming statistics: 45% of elderly patients are financially dependent on struggling children, and 50% suffer some form of abuse, often silent due to parental sacrifice. “Neglect isn’t always intentional; sometimes, it’s circumstantial,” he noted, advising seniors to avoid refined sugars, salt, and maida while prioritising protein-rich diets and regular exercise.
The seminar concluded with Dr Karan Singh felicitating two club members—94-year-old M. Amin Kathwari and 92-year-old Dr Abdul Majeed Siraj—with ‘Active Nonagenarian’ awards for their exemplary lifestyles.
The event underscored the urgent need for policy reforms and community-driven solutions to safeguard the dignity and well-being of Kashmir’s elderly population. As Nasir Khan reiterated, “The government must recognise that land and legacy are intertwined. ‘Cashmere Cradleland’ isn’t just a project—it’s a lifeline for our society.”