Jammu and Kashmir Academy of Art, Culture and Languages

The academy was founded in 1958 by the Government of Jammu and Kashmir by a conditional provision of Section 146 of the Constitution of Jammu and Kashmir. It was considered an autonomous corporate body until 2019, when Jammu and Kashmir state was reorganised as the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir and the union territory of Ladakh.

In 2021, the Government of Jammu and Kashmir converted the academy to a "society," registered under the Societies Registration Act, 1860. The decision was intended to give maximum freedom to the institution to work as an independent institution after 2019. Under new government orders, the academy is currently governed through various bodies: the general council, the central committee, and the finance committee.

The society's official objectives include to promote co-operation, translation, and cultural exchange in arts and culture; to publish writings on arts, culture, and related subjects, including encyclopedias; and to promote events and awards.

Main functionaries

Among the luminaries who have played pivotal roles in the Academy's journey are figures like Mohammad Yousuf Taing, Balwant Thakur, Javaid Rahi and Zaffar Iqbal Manhas.