Historic first: Constitution translated in Kashmiri with Chinar symbolism

President Droupadi Murmu released it on Constitution Day on November 27.

• India's Constitution translated into Kashmiri, released by President Murmu
• Red-bound edition features Chinar leaf, symbolizing Kashmiri heritage
• Translation led by Prof. Sheikh aims to connect Kashmiris with their rights

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In a landmark move to celebrate linguistic diversity, the Constitution of India has been translated into the Kashmiri language for the first time.

It was formally released by President Droupadi Murmu on Constitution Day on November 27. It is now accessible on the Union Law Ministry’s website.

Why is the Kashmiri version unique?

Murmu released the volume in a red-bound edition decorated with Chinar leaves and traditional Kashmiri decorative art. The Chinar leaf symbolises the region’s cultural heritage. The Chinar, a majestic tree found across Kashmir and long associated with the valley’s identity, is more than a design detail: it stands for rootedness, endurance and the timeless beauty of Kashmiri tradition.

The Chinar, which is called Bouin in Kashmir, is not merely a tree. Over the years, it has become an intrinsic part of Kashmir’s history, literature and politics. Its motif finds expression in Kashmiri art and craft particularly Papier-mâché, pottery, shawl embroidery, silverware and carpet making.

According to the BBC, the Jammu and Kashmir government has been geotagging Chinar trees to keep track of them and their health.

The Chinar is protected under the Jammu and Kashmir Preservation of Specified Trees Act, 1969, which regulates its felling and export and requires official approval even for pruning. The law remained in force despite the region losing statehood in 2019.

The mastermind

The two-year translation project, led by Professor Aejaz Mohammad Sheikh of the University of Kashmir, was undertaken by a panel of linguists, legal scholars and language experts.

According to Times of India, scholars believe this version help ordinary Kashmiris connect with the document that defines their rights and duties in their mother tongue for the first time.

“You now have the Bible of law in Kashmiri. This is not just a transfer of knowledge. It enriches the language itself. It gives Kashmiri the legal and intellectual vocabulary needed to translate science, law and modern knowledge,” Sheikh told TOI.

Many experts said while Kashmiri language possesses a rich body of translated works, the translation of a foundational legal document like the Constitution marks a historic first.

According to Sheikh, when students see that Kashmiri language can carry the language of law, not just poetry, it changes how they see their mother tongue. “It proves that Kashmiri language has the grammar, lexicon and strength to express the most complex ideas. This translation has the ability to move Kashmiri language out of a confined literary circle, allowing it to reach the common masses,” said Sheikh, who is dean of School of Arts, Languages and Literature at the university.

A government official told TOI that by incorporating constitutional, legal and administrative terminology, the translation strengthens Kashmiri's capacity to function as a language of governance and law.

The project began in August 2023 when the National Translation Mission (NTM) of Central Institute of Indian Languages, Mysuru, approached Sheikh. Fluent in Kashmiri, Urdu and Hindi, and proficient in Sanskrit, put together a multidisciplinary team of linguists, academics and legal experts from his university, Satish Vimal of All India Radio (Srinagar), and education department officials.