Anupam Mittal Books Srinagar Flight Weeks After Pahalgam Terror Attack: "Not For Bravado, But To...":

In the aftermath of the Pahalgam terror attack, the tourism sector in Jammu and Kashmir has taken a hit, leaving hotels and houseboats empty. Amid this, Anupam Mittal, the founder of Shaadi.com, has taken a stand. In a bold yet heartfelt gesture, he shared pictures of his flight tickets to Kashmir and urged others to support Kashmir tourism in the time of crisis. In a long LinkedIn post, the entrepreneur said that this is not for show of bravado, but to simply "show up" and to stand beside the people of Kashmir. 

"While we celebrate India's strong response to Pakistan, let's not forget who'll bear the biggest burden, Kashmiris. The same Kashmir that was finally beginning to thrive - Where tea sellers went from Rs 5,000 a month to Rs 5,000 a day thanks to booming tourism... will now face cancelled trips, shuttered hotels, and another wave of fear and uncertainty. And that's exactly what our enemies want - Fear. Retreat. Silence," Mr Mittal wrote in his post. 

"So here's what I'm doing - I just booked my tickets to Kashmir. With my family," he added. 

The entrepreneur further encouraged others to visit Kashmir safely and responsibly, to help protect the economic lifeline of thousands of local businesses and small vendors. "Because if we let Kashmir's economy crumble, if we let fear win, then those who lost their lives in Pahalgam, will have died in vain," he wrote. 

Mr Mittal concluded his post with a powerful reminder: while we stand behind our armed forces, we must also stand beside the people whose lives are directly affected by such events. "We stood behind our Army. Now let's stand beside our people," he said. 

Also Read | Bengaluru Techie Shares How He Reached Rs 1 Crore Net Worth Before Age 30

Social media users were quick to react to Mr Mittal's post. While some supported his stand, others criticised the move as irresponsible and theatrical. 

"what a man you are, in this time of warmongering hate peddlers this was a much needed post. Kudos to you Anupam Mittal..!!!" wrote one user. 

"This is the absolute right way. My family was also stuck in Kashmir during the attacks but they chose to complete their trip and buy products from local vendors without any bargaining as they were already very much affected by the terrible attacks," shared another. 

However, one user said, "Anupam Mittal here is the beauty of such weird bravados. If you perish doing that, you are no more there to talk about it. My earnest suggestion, do not push the normalcy unless you have investments there, people have fear , quite genuine ones and let time heal the wounds not such stupid acts." 

"There are many other ways to help them; taking the risk of our lives and the lives of our family members by going there is not the only way - Its just my point of view," commented another. 

"Its a good thought not to stop visiting Kashmir but i think right now if the dates are nearby not make sense to visit as their might be blocked roads, attraction places," suggested one user.