Jammu: Journalist, columnist and author Mohd Aaqib Khan presented his book “Beyond the Border” to Hon’ble Vice Chancellor of University of Jammu during a meeting held on Friday. The Hon’ble Vice Chancellor congratulated Aaqib Khan on the publication of “Beyond the Border” and appreciated his efforts to bring the experiences, challenges and everyday realities of border communities into wider public discourse.

The interaction was marked by a fruitful discussion on border communities, regional cultures, traditional knowledge and the importance of documenting the lived experiences of people residing in remote and frontier areas of Jammu and Kashmir. Hon’ble Vice Chancellor also shared insights into an initiative being undertaken by University of Jammu to document and preserve the dialects, traditional knowledge and cultural practices of people living in border and remote regional areas. The proposed initiative aims to explore how communities living in villages and geographically isolated areas have historically interacted with nature and made use of locally available natural resources in their everyday lives. Particular emphasis was placed on the traditional wisdom passed down through generation to generation. Documenting these traditions and regional dialects can help preserve an important part of the cultural heritage that may otherwise gradually fade with changing lifestyles and modernisation.

Aaqib Khan’s book, Beyond the Border, focuses on the lives, experiences and challenges of communities residing in India’s frontier regions. Drawing upon his journalistic experience and field-based observations, the book examines border life, security concerns, the role of the Indian Army and the resilience of people living in areas shaped by geographical isolation and security related challenges.

The meeting concluded on a positive note, highlighting the importance of preserving the region’s heritage while recognising the experiences and contributions of its border and rural communities.