India, April 26 -- Kashmiri embraces are disarmingly tight, almost enough to squeeze the breath out of you. I discovered this as a child while being welcomed at the doorways of family friends in Srinagar.

My dad lived in Kashmir for years, overseeing mega construction projects. That allowed him to witness first-hand the glorious era of the Valley when it was the crown jewel of tourism. We visited him there often.

Before long, the region descended into its most turbulent chapter. In that pre-internet era, the landline phone was the only mode of communication between dad and us. Back home in Punjab, my mother clung to the 8pm news on TV, her heart racing at every update from Kashmir.

During those turbulent times, one summer my family ret...