RTI pioneer, cultural guardian, environmentalist—the story of a Dard Shin warrior who spent his later years fighting for his language, his forests, and truth. He continues to inspire long after his passing.
Shiekh Bilal
Whenever I write about a person from Gurez-Tulail, I feel proud to be a part of this beautiful valley. This valley is not just famous for the Kishanganga, Habba Khatoon peak, its lush green meadows and evergreen forests; this remote corner of Kashmir has also given us wonderful administrators, academicians, writers, poets, campaigners, and activists. Among them, in this peaceful valley of Gurez, where tall mountains stand guard, and the Kishanganga River flows gently, we had an unsung hero—a wonderful human being named Mr Mohammad Ramzan Khan.
In our valley, we have a tradition that when people retire from service, they either begin caring for their grandchildren or join the local mosque committee. But there are a few senior citizens who, despite being deeply religious and God-fearing, dedicate their post-retirement lives to a much greater cause. They become campaigners and activists for social change, dedicating themselves wholly to the betterment and upliftment of their society. Muhammad Ramzan Khan was one of them. He dedicated his post-retirement life to campaigning for environmental issues, RTI activism, and the promotion and preservation of the Shina language, especially its incorporation into the Jammu and Kashmir Board of School Education. Muhammad Ramzan Khan was like a kind tree that gives shade and fruit to all. With only a 10th-grade education, he served his people with love—fighting for truth, saving nature, and keeping his culture alive. His simple story shows that a big heart beats paper degrees every time.
Muhammad Ramzan Khan was born in Achhora village in Gurez, Bandipora, Jammu and Kashmir. He completed his 10th class and immediately secured a job in the Animal Husbandry Department. Mr Khan belonged to a humble family in the Gurez Valley, which was one of the few literate families in the region at that time. His grandfather, Munshi Noor Khan, was an educated man who could read and write, having acquired an informal education from Indian and British travellers passing through Gilgit. This tradition of knowledge and literacy was passed down to Ramzan Khan, who, despite having only completed his matriculation, became an accomplished writer and orator in both Urdu and English. His love for learning remained constant throughout his life, and his profound knowledge often surprised those who knew him personally. He wrote several books in Urdu and Shina, among which Shina Zaban wa Tehzeeb, Wadi-e-Gurez, and Asan Shina Qaida are well-known. He always wanted to learn more. After he retired from service, when most people choose to rest at home, Mr Ramzan Khan chose to help his community even more.
As an RTI activist, Mr Muhammad Ramzan Khan played a key role in the growth of the movement in Jammu and Kashmir. He taught young people how to file RTI applications, and himself filed numerous pleas to seek information on the allocation and utilisation of funds for health, tourism, and other sectors in the region. According to Dr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, Chairman of the Jammu and Kashmir RTI Movement, Mr Khan was a founding trustee of the RTI movement and served as its Secretary General for several years. Despite occasional resistance from his own relatives and community members, Ramzan Khan remained committed to the cause, viewing the transparency and accountability brought about by the RTI as essential for the welfare of the people of Gurez. He used to say, “Truth belongs to everyone, like the air we breathe.” His work helped make those in power more open and fair. His efforts in this domain were commendable, as he encouraged others to actively engage with government processes.
The people of Gurez, the Dard Shins, do not remember Mr Ramzan Khan solely for his RTI activism, but rather for being a humble, honest, and passionate Dard Shin warrior. Mr Khan was deeply concerned about the erosion of the Shina language, our mother tongue. He recognised that the younger generation was increasingly adopting Urdu and English at the expense of Shina. He worked tirelessly to have Shina included in the school curriculum and was instrumental in ensuring that the language received recognition at various levels. He was also the General Secretary of the Dard Shin Development Organisation, a group dedicated to the preservation and promotion of the Shina language and culture. Through his efforts, along with a team of Shina experts, including Mr Masood Ul Hassan Samoon, Mr Niyaz Mapnoo, and others, Shina was introduced into the JKBOSE curriculum. Mr Khan’s advocacy also played a vital role in the success of the Shina programme ‘Puner’ on Doordarshan Srinagar and All India Radio Srinagar. He remained in close contact with the programme organisers and even hosted programmes himself, encouraging young Dard Shins.
Gurez Valley is often described as a mini Switzerland of Kashmir—a land of lush meadows, wooden houses with slanting roofs, turquoise rivers, and snow-covered summits. In addition to his other work, Mr Khan, along with activist and researcher Mr Raja Muzaffar Bhat, served as an environmental activist. He was deeply concerned with the environmental degradation affecting Gurez and was an outspoken critic of the Kishanganga Hydropower Project, which he believed would damage the valley’s fragile ecosystem. His environmental advocacy extended to preserving traditional architecture, such as the iconic log huts of Gurez, and promoting the revival of local industries like handlooms and wool production. He was involved in numerous environmental initiatives, such as the Forest Food Festival, which he organised in 2019. His deep knowledge of the flora and fauna of Gurez, particularly non-timber forest products (NTFPs), made him a respected figure among environmentalists. He even met with the Tourism Minister to discuss the identification and conservation of these natural resources. He stopped people from cutting trees indiscriminately, fought against the use of harmful plastic bags, opposed irresponsible construction that damaged the hills, walked long miles to plant new trees, and talked to villagers about sustainable farming and cattle-rearing practices.
Mr Muhammad Ramzan Khan lived a very simple life. His efforts to preserve the Shina language and his contributions to environmental conservation have left an indelible mark on Gurez and beyond. Though he retired from formal service in 2008, his activism and commitment to his community never waned. He believed, “Good work makes a real man, not paper degrees”. He remained a tireless campaigner for the rights and welfare of the people of Gurez, often working behind the scenes without seeking recognition. Though Mr Ramzan Khan passed away on 9 May 2021, he remains alive in our memories. His death created a void in our community—a loss of someone who dedicated his whole life to our upliftment. He dedicated his post-retirement years to this cause at a time when many only focus on their health and their own children.
Though Mr Khan has departed this world, his profound contributions to society, his work in uplifting our community, and his power to inspire change shall forever warm our hearts. His legacy will endure not in stone, but in our lives. The legacy of Mr Khan, whose life was a beacon of selfless service, will remain with us forever.
May Almighty Allah, in His boundless mercy, grant Mr Khan eternal rest among the righteous, shower upon his soul the light of His grace, forgive all shortcomings and welcome him into Jannah. May angels guide his journey, and may his soul find everlasting peace in the Almighty’s divine embrace. Aameen.
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