Jammu and Kashmir should focus on retaining talented youth: Mattoo

Jammu and Kashmir must become a place where talented youth can thrive, rather than a region from which ambition must permanently depart, Amitabh Mattoo, Dean of the School of International Studies at Jawaharlal Nehru University, said on Sunday (August 30, 2026), calling for the restoration of Statehood.Delivering the third V. N. Bahadur Memorial Lecture on “Jammu and Kashmir today: opportunities and challenges”, Mr. Mattoo said that the next decade must focus on retaining local talent. He called for building universities, supporting entrepreneurs, encouraging technology, and investing in horticulture, tourism, and creative industries, warning that prolonged hopelessness in a conflict-scarred society can become dangerous.He stated that the challenge in J&K is no longer merely to integrate t