India, Dec. 13 -- 1Why has there been no scholarly research on the history and politics of Sikhs in Kashmir? The very title of the book, Invisible Minority, stems from the complete absence of academic and scholarly engagement with the Sikh community in Kashmir. It highlights a larger issue in Kashmir: the choice of which communities are studied and how history is documented. The lack of substantial work can be partly attributed to the fact that there were no scholars from the community documenting their own history. In my case, it took a woman from the community to take on this task, which, in itself, was not easy. My book aims to address these questions: how patterns of silence, neglect, and absence of recognition have shaped the scholarly engagement of Sikhs in Kashmir. Their histories, identities and memories are overshadowed by grand narratives; they rarely figure in the construction of Kashmir's broader narrative. 2You come from a small town in Baramulla and are the first in your family to enter academia. What motivated you to explore the history of Sikhs in Kashmir, and what were the most important insights from your years of field research? Growing up in a small town that is historically significant, I was not aware of my identity and history as a Sikh. It was only after I moved out of the Valley for educational purposes that I realised there is a complete absence of the Kashmiri Sikh identity in mainstream discourse. I began encountering questions like "Who are you?" When I replied I was a Sikh from Kashmir, people were often surprised. These personal experiences motivated me to explore my roots, and I discovered that very little had been written about us. This made the project deeply personal, even though it became an academic endeavour. 3You emphasise that, while many Kashmiri Pandits left the Valley in the early 1990s, Sikhs, facing similar threats, decided to stay back. What were the factors that influenced their decision? Kashmiri Pandits never left by choice; their departure was an exodus driven by fear and threat. Understanding why Kashmiri Sikhs chose to stay was, therefore, crucial for me as a researcher. It became clear that there is no single reason for their continued presence, but rather a combination of factors. My work highlights the deliberations within the community, especially around 1989, when many were considering migration. Despite facing violence and targeted killings in Kashmir, in which many Kashmiri Sikhs were also killed, they stayed. My book contextualises the 1980s for Sikhs, highlighting the anti-Sikh violence during that period that played an important role. The community knew the risks, yet felt a responsibility to stay in the Valley and maintain their roots and identity....