Comedian Samay Raina has opened up about the lasting trauma of the 1990 Kashmiri Pandit exodus, sharing deeply personal memories of displacement, loss and survival. Days after referencing “Kashmiri Pandit wisdom” in his stand-up special Still Alive, Raina revisited the subject on a recent podcast, offering a more intimate and deeply personal account of his family’s experience.
On the Dostcast podcast, speaking about the long-term impact of the exodus, Samay reflected on how it shaped generations of Kashmiri Pandits.
“It really affects you—you lose your entire childhood, your entire identity. All Kashmiri Pandits had to leave. Kashmiri Pandits don’t have a place that gives them a sense of belonging,” he said.
Sharing how the trauma continues to linger, he added, “People of my generation feel scared to even go back to Kashmir, to be honest. Our parents have a bittersweet relationship with it. When my mother went back after many years, she became very emotional, but when she saw that nothing was left, she cried. It became a painful memory for her.”
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‘They threatened to kill my grandfather’
Raina revealed that his maternal grandfather, a well-known doctor in the village, was specifically targeted during the violence.
“My grandfather was on the list to be killed because he was a very prominent doctor in the village. Back then, letters would be circulated saying who would be killed the next day,” he said.
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He recalled the fear within the family. “My mother fainted when that letter came saying my grandfather would be killed. My grandmother fainted too.”
While some Kashmiri Pandits chose to stay back, hoping things would settle, many were killed. “A lot of Kashmiri Pandits said they would stay, and they were killed in very brutal ways,” he said.
‘It was Kashmiri Muslims who helped us escape’
Samay shared the role played by local Kashmiri Muslims in saving his family.
“My aunt was the brave one—she quietly went to the clinic where my grandfather worked. Luckily, he had so much goodwill that the Kashmiri Muslims there helped him and the family escape. They said nothing would happen to him because he had done so much for people,” he shared.
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Raina noted that his grandfather often treated people for free, which built strong community ties. “It was the Kashmiri Muslims who helped my grandfather get out of that situation,” he said.
The family fled overnight, believing it would be temporary. “We packed our belongings overnight—my grandparents, my mother, my aunt, the entire family left thinking we would return in two weeks. It’s been 25 years,” he added.
What Samay said in Still Alive
In his stand-up special Still Alive, Raina used the Kashmiri Pandit exodus as a reference point while speaking about survival. He said he chose to apologise after the India’s Got Latent controversy because it was the wiser thing to do, drawing a parallel with the exodus.
“You only fight when the fight is fair. When the fight is not fair you f**k off from there. Kashmir Pandit wisdom.”
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He framed it as a lesson in survival, adding, “We Pandits were only 5 per cent in Kashmir. If we had taken up arms, my parents (if they chose to) fight for our motherland, everyone would have died. I am glad that they chose to leave, atleast we are alive, living and rocking it.”
In the same special, Raina addressed the fallout of the India’s Got Latent controversy, where remarks made during an episode triggered widespread backlash and legal complaints.
This article reflects personal narratives and deeply emotional accounts of historical displacement and trauma. The views expressed are those of the individual and are intended for informational and reflective purposes, not as a definitive historical or legal record. We encourage readers to approach these sensitive topics with empathy and personal discretion.
