Amarnath board reconstituted

Tribune News Service

Jammu, February 22

Governor Satya Pal Malik, who is the chairman of the Shri Amarntah Shrine Board (SASB), has reconstituted the Board for a period of three years with immediate effect.

  According to an official spokesperson, the Governor, in his capacity as the chairman of the SASB, in exercise of powers conferred upon him under the Jammu and Kashmir Shri Amarnath Shrine Act, 2000, has nominated Swami Avdheshanand Giri ji Maharaj, Prof Anita Billawaria, Pt Bhajan Sopori, Dr CM Seth, (retd IFS officer), Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, DC Raina, Dr Sudershan Kumar, Tripta Dhawan and Prof Vishwamurti Shastri as members.

  The spokesperson said Swami Avdheshanand Giri Ji Maharaj is a respected chairman of the Hindu Dharma Acharya Sabha Trust and is a nominated member of the World Council of religious leaders; Pt Bhajan Sopori is a renowned music maestro, bearer of the fabled “Sufiana Gharana” of Kashmir and santoor legend and music composer and has received a number of awards, including the Padma Shri.

  Dr Devi Prasad Shetty, an eminent doctor, chairman and founder of Narayana Health, a hospital chain and also a recipient of Padma Bhushan and Padma Shri; DC Raina, senior advocate and Advocate General of Jammu and Kashmir; Dr CM Seth, is a retired Indian Forest Service officer, former Chairman, State Pollution Control Board, former project director and Registrar, SMVDU, and presently also a member of the J&K State Cultural and Heritage Authority and State Biodiversity Board; Dr Sudershan Kumar is a distinguished scientist and former Director General, Defence Research and Development Organisation (DRDO), and Prof Anita Billawaria is Professor and head in the department of history, University of Jammu.

  Tripta Dhawan is currently a trustee for the Vyakti Vikas Kendra and oversees all Art of Living activities for North India. Prof Vishwamurti Shastri is a well-known Sanskrit and Vedic scholar and retired principal, Rashtriya Sanskrit Sansthan, and presently director, Shri Mata Vaishno Devi Gurukul.