M. Saleem Beg honoured with Atiqa Bano Memorial Award

Ziraat Times News Desk

SRINAGAR: In a moving tribute to Kashmir’s pioneering educationist and heritage conservator, the same spirit that defined Atiqa Bano’s life resonated once again at Meeras Mahal on Saturday, where noted conservationist and Convener of INTACH J&K Chapter, Mohammad Saleem Beg, was conferred with the Atiqa Bano Memorial Award during the annual Youm-e-Meeras celebration.

The event, organised by Majlis Nisa in collaboration with Adbee Markaz Kamraz (AMK), brought together writers, educators, cultural activists, and legislators to honour Atiqa Bano’s enduring legacy and to reaffirm the continuing importance of heritage conservation in Kashmir.

Delivering the Atiqa Bano Memorial Lecture, Mr Beg, who has some of the most distinguished and pioneering work to him credit for modern heritage conservation in J&K, spoke on the enduring role of cultural institutions in shaping Kashmir’s sense of identity.

“Atiqa Bano’s work is a reminder that heritage is not only about preservation—it is about continuity and consciousness,” he said, noting that Meeras Mahal has emerged as “a living classroom of Kashmir’s cultural history.”

Speakers at the event reflected on Atiqa Bano’s contributions to education, women’s empowerment, and the preservation of Kashmiri heritage, describing Meeras Mahal as a symbol of her lifelong commitment to safeguarding the region’s collective memory.

The Youm-e-Meeras celebration concluded with renewed calls for public participation in protecting cultural heritage sites and expanding educational outreach through community-based initiatives inspired by Atiqa Bano’s vision.