Dr Mahesh Kaul’s book unveiling Jammu’s heritage tourism released

Jammu, Dec 18: A book titled “Exploring Heritage Tourism in Jammu – A Marketing Perspective” by Dr Mahesh Kaul was officially launched on Monday here at the Jammu Writers Club in Abhinav Theatre.
The chief guest for the event, Ravinder Raina, President of BJP, J&K, commended the significance of cultural resources like books in documenting rich heritage and fostering awareness in society.
He said Dr Mahesh Kaul has been tirelessly working to sensitise the masses about cultural nationalism with his works. “This book is an essential reader for all heritage tourism stakeholders,” he said.
Jammu and Kashmir is a cultural mosaic that offers a multitude of scopes to develop marketing strategies, and this book is a policy document that must be implemented to bring Dogra heritage to the centre stage of the national and international tourism map, the BJP President said, adding that time has come to restore the rich heritage of Jammu and uphold it.
Padam Shri Prof Shiv Nirmohi, the special guest, highlighted the scarcity of scholars dedicated to primary research on Jammu and its cultural foundations. He praised the book for shedding light on the antiquity of temples, forts, and architectural marvels in Jammu’s history.
“The time has come to encourage heritage studies at all levels. History of Jammu is replete with the Vedic confirmations of the antiquity of the temples, forts and architectural marvels and this must be placed before the public and policymakers,” he said.
Guest of Honour, Vivekanand Rai (IRS), Director Tourism, Jammu, Government of Jammu and Kashmir, acknowledged Jammu’s rich heritage and its significance in the tourism sector. He appreciated the comprehensive blueprint provided by the book for developing marketing strategies that enhance Jammu’s heritage tourism products.
Dr Mahesh Kaul, the author, dedicated the book to the people of Jammu and highlighted the region’s contributions to upholding a progressive society and sheltering refugees. He underscored the need to safeguard Jammu’s heritage, especially after the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A, expressing hope for a positive shift.
“This book is dedicated to the people of Jammu who have upheld the progressive society at all costs. It has sheltered refugees of all hues. Be it 1947 POJK refugees or Kashmiri Pandit Hindu refugees, Dogras have upheld humanity at all costs. All nationalists must join to safeguard Jammu’s heritage. The continuous discrimination against Jammu over the decades has led to relegating the tourism interests of Jammu to the backyard. There is an urgent need to explore the possibilities to deliver justice to the tourism of Jammu,” he said, adding, “There has been a concerted effort to de-Sanskrtise Jammu and erode its place consciousness. This book addresses the fault lines and deals with the research gaps.”
Sanjay Arya, CEO of Shubhi Publications, Gurugram, emphasised the continuous efforts of Shubhi Publications in showcasing the historical reality of Jammu and Kashmir. Captain Anil Gour, an eminent tourism professional, stressed the urgency of developing tourism infrastructure and fostering collaboration between professionals and the government.
Vikas Kapoor, a marketing professional, conducted a review of the book. The event, attended by a diverse audience from civil society and various organizations, featured an extensive foreword by Dr Karan Singh, an eminent Indic scholar and scion of the Dogra dynasty.
The proceedings of the book release function were efficiently conducted by Krishna Saproo, a young researcher from IISER, Pune.