Sunanda Pushkar a rebel, family much revered by native village in Valley

Sunanda Pushkar has caught the attention of the world at large after DNA revealed that not only is she a close associate of Shashi Tharoor but also one of the ‘secret’ stakeholders in the Kochi IPL franchise.

DNA visited her native village, Bomai in Sopore district in Kashmir, and found that Pushkar was considered a rebel.

She did the unthinkable by breaking the age-old tradition of pandits when she took the first name of her father as her surname albeit with some modification.

Poshkar became Pushkar and Sunanda Dass became Sunanda Pushkar. Her father Poshkar Nath Dass retired as a lieutenant colonel in the army; her brothers are officers.

After militancy entered the valley, the family took refuge in Jammu leaving behind all the land, orchards and their house. Today, the house lies in ruins and only soil dunes are visible. The Dass clan was known for its riches, benevolence and generosity in this village. “Poshkar Nath was in the army, so most of the times he used to be out. His kids too studied in the city. Sunanda was a modern girl and when her marriage was solemnised, there was a grand celebration,” said Ghulam Hassan, a sawmill owner here.

Sunanda’s first husband was a Kashmiri but the marriage did not work, resulting in a divorce. Later she married a Kerala businessman but he died in a road accident.

The village holds the Dasses in high esteem. “I remember their generosity in helping the people here,” said Hassan.