Among the various success stories of the Rashtriya Swayamsevak Sangh (RSS) in Kashmir is the story of Hindu Yuvak Forum. It used to be the youth wing of the RSS in the Kashmir valley, established in 1981, created to unite the youth of the Hindu community. For ten long years till the forced mass exodus of the Hindu community from the Kashmir valley, it had become the most recognised face of the RSS and its ideological affiliates among the Hindu youth in general. Its headquarters were in the historic Sheetalnath complex in Srinagar; and it holds a right even now on that part of the old premises in the Sheetalnath grounds.

It has been said earlier as well that RSS used to work in the valley of Srinagar under various pseudo names and banners due to the government restrictions on its activities. Those names included Shri Bhat Seva Ashram, Dev-sthan Suraksha Samiti, Sri Ramakrishna Mahasammelan-Vivekananda Kendra and Hindu Youth Forum. Actually, Hindu Youth Forum started in the Anantnag town immediately after the lifting of the ban on RSS in 1977. It spread its wings in Srinagar city as well. With the passage of time, it attracted the attention of the top RSS leadership in the Kashmir valley and they started facilitating its activities in various colleges and University of Kashmir. 

In 1981, as per the directions of the RSS leadership in Jammu and Kashmir, the name of Hindu Youth Forum was changed to Hindu Yuvak Forum (HYF). In the annual meeting of the RSS Kashmir Vibhag, this author was entrusted with the responsibility of the Hindu Yuvak Forum (HYF) and appointed as its General Secretary. Vinod Mattoo was entrusted with the work of Coordinator for schools and colleges. Dr. Ashwani Wangneu, a research fellow in the University of Kashmir was the President of the HYF. In the year 1982, I was elected the President of the Forum and Ajay Chrungoo was elected the General Secretary. Pradeep Mattoo was the Office Secretary and Vinod Kher the Treasurer. In the annual general meeting of the HYF in 1982, Utpal Kaul was appointed the Adviser of the HYF. The HYF also declared an Executive of 21 dedicated  members. 

In a short duration of six months, HYF established its units in all colleges of Srinagar city and also the Kashmir University. It developed a close proximity with the Akhil Bharatiya Vidhyarthi Parishad (ABVP) and also assumed its (ABVP’s) role in the valley of Kashmir. An impressive number of youth working in various central semi-government institutions, banks and........

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