Kashmiri Overseas Association Summer Camp

UNHCR – The UN Refugee Agency

http://koausa.org/koa/

www.coasttocoastam.com

http://kashmirgroup.com

www.shehjar.com

Jammu and Kashmir (Dogri: जम्मू और कश्मीर; Urdu: جموں اور کشمیر) is the northernmost state of India. It is situated mostly in the Himalayan mountains. Jammu and Kashmir shares a border with the states of Himachal Pradesh and Punjab to the south and internationally with the People’s Republic of China to the north and east and the Pakistani administered territories of Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, to the west and northwest respectively. Formerly a part of the erstwhile princely state of Kashmir and Jammu, this territory is disputed among China, India and Pakistan. Jammu and Kashmir is referred to in Pakistan as Indian-occupied Kashmir. Jammu and Kashmir consists of three regions: Jammu, the Kashmir valley and Ladakh. Srinagar is the summer capital, and Jammu is the winter capital. While the Kashmir valley, often known as Paradise on Earth, is famous for its beautiful mountainous landscape, Jammu’s numerous shrines attract tens of thousands of Hindu and Muslim pilgrims every year. Ladakh, also known as „Little Tibet“, is renowned for its remote mountain beauty and Buddhist culture. Read More: > HERE <

Kashmiri Pandit (Hindi: कश्मीरी पण्डित) refers to a person who belongs to a sect of Hindu Pandits who originate from the Kashmir region in the Indian subcontinent. Many honest and credible experts are of the opinion that the original home of the Aryan race is the Kashmir Valley and its vicinity. Also the fact that all Hindus of Kashmir are Brahmin Pandits retaining their rich traditions by large since several millennia point to the tradition that in ancient times all Aryan Indian Hindus were of a single Brahmin caste but later split into occupation based several castes.Read More: > HERE <

The KOA organization has its origins in the early meetings of History several Kashmiri Pandit families in the Washington D.C. and Maryland areas. These families soon came to realize the importance of building a community structure which could include other families too in a bond for mutual preservation and growth. As more families and members joined the founding group, the organization evolved to become a national outfit with regional chapters, documented bye-laws, systems and procedures as well as a non-profit status to better seek donations and pursue community actions.

This is the beginning of the process to document and detail the history and origins of KOA. At the present time, this document is a simple chronological representation from materials available in various KOA publications. The eventual document will trace the past 30 years and list important milestones that have brought the organization to the present point. > HERE <

KOA Annual National Camps – KOA organizes two national camps every year, one each in east-coast area and west-coast area. Camps like these serve the members an avenue to mingle, catch up and reminisce with friends, the most cardinal objective is to create a vibrant opportunity and a very conducive environment for our youth (our future pillars) to make new friends and hopefully progress to potential relationships that are everlasting. What better way to preserve our culture, keep our community involved and most significantly contribute towards the survival of our progeny within our cultural milieu? This in any account is huge benefit to the members. Arranging and organizing the camps like these are only possible if the organization has strength and infrastructure and KOA gets its strength from its members. Click on the following links for more details > HERE <