Syed Ali Shah Geelani’s death in September 2021 closed a chapter in Kashmir’s separatist politics. For decades, the veteran leader of the Hurriyat Conference symbolised Pakistan’s proxy influence, calling for boycotts of elections and amplifying demands for secession. His anniversaries are marked by political commentary, but the valley’s trajectory since his passing has moved decisively in another direction.
From Boycotts to Ballots
One of the clearest indicators of change is in democratic participation. Where Geelani’s calls for poll boycotts once held sway — turnout in some constituencies in the 1990s and 2000s dipped below 20 percent — recent elections have shown a strikingly different mood. In the 2024 Lok Sabha polls, voter participation in Jammu & Kashmir crossed 58 percent, the highest in decades. The Assembly elections held later that year saw turnout above 65 percent, with particularly high engagement in South Kashmir, historically a separatist stronghold.
This shift from boycott politics to active electoral engagement signals a rejection of Pakistan-backed narratives. It also suggests that the tools Geelani relied on to delegitimise India’s institutions no longer resonate with the majority of Kashmiris.
Development Filling the Void
Parallel to democratic expression, development projects have altered the ground reality. The inauguration of the Chenab Rail Bridge and the extension of the Vande Bharat service to Srinagar in June 2025 gave the valley its first direct railway link, reducing isolation and boosting trade and tourism. The completion of the Z-Morh tunnel at Sonamarg in January 2025, and progress on the Zojila tunnel, mean year-round access to Ladakh is becoming a reality.
Basic amenities too have seen expansion. Under the Jal Jeevan Mission, 81 percent of households in Jammu & Kashmir now have functional tap water connections, compared to barely half a decade ago in 2019. Internet connectivity, once patchy and contested, is near-universal. The saturation of 4G towers has enabled a startup boom, with over 900 registered ventures in the union territory by 2024, including more than 300 women-led enterprises.
Youth Choosing Opportunities Over Unrest
The valley’s youth, once mobilised for protests and stone-pelting, are now visible in sports fields, coaching centres, and entrepreneurial hubs. More than 40 lakh young people have participated in Army and government sports programmes in recent years, ranging from football leagues to martial arts competitions.
Education initiatives have also played a role. The Indian Army’s Sadbhavana schools continue to educate thousands in remote areas, while the Super-50 coaching scheme produced 181 successful NEET candidates and 34 JEE qualifiers in 2025. These successes highlight the Army’s role not only in security but in creating pathways for Kashmiri youth to excel nationally.
The Contrast with Geelani’s Legacy
Geelani represented a politics of perpetual grievance, tied closely to Pakistan’s agenda. His legacy was built on boycott, rejection, and confrontation. In contrast, the Kashmir of 2025 is leaning into participation, development, and normalcy.
This is not to suggest challenges have disappeared. Terrorist attacks, like the one in Pahalgam earlier this year, remind us of continuing threats. But the broader response has been clear: the Indian state, backed by the Army, retaliates firmly against terror while continuing to invest in governance and development. That combination — security plus progress — has reshaped public confidence.
On his death anniversary, Geelani’s influence lingers only as a reminder of what Kashmir once was: hostage to Pakistan’s proxy politics and trapped in cycles of boycott and unrest. Today, the valley is writing a different story. Ballots are replacing boycotts, schools and startups are replacing slogans, and tunnels and railways are replacing isolation.
Geelani is gone, and increasingly, so is his agenda. Kashmiris are moving forward — with India, and with a sense of their own future.