Jammu: Traditional Dogra and Kashmiri recipes took centre stage as the Jammu and Kashmir state finale of the national cookery contest ‘Kahin Gumm Na Ho Jayein – Season 9’ was held at Kala Kendra, Jammu, bringing together participants seeking to preserve culinary traditions passed down through generations.
Organised by Let’s Give Back, the J&K finale saw participation from 34 contestants, with Shivali Rani emerging as the State Winner.
Pooja Kapoor Suri secured the first runner-up position, while Mehnaaz Begum was adjudged the second runner-up.
The event was graced by Sonali Arun Gupta, Special Secretary, J&K Academy of Art, Culture and Languages, as Chief Guest.
Javed Rahi, Secretary, Kala Kendra, and Om Vidhyarthi, retired IFS and former Principal Chief Conservator of Forests, were the Guests of Honour.
The contest, held under the theme “My State, My Plate”, seeks to document and revive traditional recipes that are gradually disappearing from household kitchens, while highlighting the diverse culinary heritage of different regions.
Speaking on the occasion, Col. Atul Saksena, Co-Founder, Let’s Give Back, said the initiative was started in 2016 by his late wife and founder Babeetta Saksena with the objective of ensuring that traditional recipes and cultural practices are not lost to changing generations.
“‘Kahin Gumm Na Ho Jayein’ is about ensuring that our heritage, culture and traditional recipes do not disappear,” Saksena said, adding that the J&K edition had brought forward recipes connected with Dogra and Kashmiri traditions, local ingredients and recipes preserved by grandmothers and mothers.
He said Season 9 had covered 22 states and three overseas countries — New Zealand, Canada and the USA.
J&K State Coordinator Kalpana Vinay said the initiative was aimed at preserving recipes handed down from the time of grandparents and creating a record of culinary traditions before they disappear.
She said Kala Kendra provided an especially appropriate venue for the event as its architectural and cultural setting reflects the heritage of Jammu, Kashmir and Ladakh.
The organisers said the national initiative is supported by celebrity chefs including Sanjeev Kapoor, Ranveer Brar and Vikas Khanna, besides actor Suchitra Pillai.
The top two contestants from each state will qualify for the Grand Finale in NCR, where the top three national winners will compete for a total prize pool of ₹1.50 lakh.
The J&K State Round was coordinated by Kalpana Vinay under the guidance of Col. Atul Saksena, with Reena Mukherjee, Chief Coordinator of the National Event, providing overall coordination and guidance.
The organisers also acknowledged the support of the officials of Kala Kendra, jury members, gifting partners and media partners for facilitating the state finale.
