
Kashmir May Get Its First Rose Garden, Thanks to Bengal's Maestro
Building on the success of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, this initiative aims to elevate the Valley's tourism with a new floral attraction
Kashmir is set to bloom with its first dedicated rose garden, a visionary project led by West Bengal's renowned rose breeder Pranabir Maity and supported by Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah.
Building on the success of the Indira Gandhi Memorial Tulip Garden, this initiative aims to elevate the Valley's tourism with a new floral attraction.
Maity, who runs Pushpanjali Pranabir—one of India's largest rose nurseries, boasting over 3,500 varieties—visited Srinagar's Tulip Garden and noticed a gap. Despite Kashmir's ideal conditions for roses, there was no curated rose display, inspiring his bold proposal.
'Kashmir's cool nights, long daylight hours, and rich soil are perfect for roses," Maity told News18. 'It's surprising there's no dedicated rose garden here. We saw scattered roses but nothing structured. That's when the idea struck."
Maity has offered to develop the rose garden at no cost, provided the Jammu and Kashmir government identifies and allocates land. His plan includes supplying thousands of rose plants and offering expert guidance throughout the project.
'We're committed to providing the plants and expertise for a world-class rose garden," he said. 'Kashmir's unique climate is exactly what roses thrive on."
The proposal has earned a positive response from the CM, who told News18 he is seriously considering the idea. 'That's very interesting, and something I would like to pursue," the CM said. 'Let me discuss this with the Floriculture Department and see what is possible."
With Kashmir regaining stability and tourists flocking to escape the plains' soaring temperatures, a rose garden would add to the Valley's allure alongside the Tulip Garden, Mughal Gardens, and other attractions. Visitors seeking beauty and tranquillity could find the garden a perfect addition to Kashmir's growing tourism scene.
If implemented, the rose garden could extend the tourism calendar beyond the March-April tulip season. With roses blooming from May through early winter, the Valley could become a multi-season floral destination.
A TOURISM SUCCESS STORY
Srinagar's Tulip Garden, nestled at the foothills of Zabarwan overlooking Dal Lake, has been a major draw since 2008. With over 1.5 million tulip bulbs, it attracts lakhs of tourists annually. This year, it welcomed a record 4.46 lakh visitors in just 15 days.
Tourism stakeholders believe a rose garden could stretch the floral season into autumn, promoting sustainable tourism year-round.
#WATCH Jammu & Kashmir | Tourists and visitors flock to the Tulip Garden in Srinagar as they enjoy the picturesque sight of flowers amid mountains pic.twitter.com/lF8NEZVLBL — ANI (@ANI) April 8, 2022
FROM BENGAL TO THE VALLEY
Maity's nursery, Pushpanjali Pranabir in Paschim Medinipur, is renowned among India's horticulturists. Housing over 3,500 rose varieties, including hybrid teas, floribundas, miniatures, climbers, shrubs, and exotic exhibition roses, it supplies public gardens, private collectors, and export markets while championing rare and indigenous species.
'Our goal is to celebrate rose biodiversity," Maity said. 'Kashmir deserves a garden that showcases roses as heritage and art."
A GLOBAL TREND
Dedicated rose gardens are cherished worldwide as cultural and horticultural landmarks:
Queen Mary's Rose Garden in London, with over 12,000 roses, is a top UK attraction.
Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden in New York, part of the New York Botanical Garden, is known for sustainable cultivation and heritage hybrids.
Zakir Hussain Rose Garden in Chandigarh, spanning 30 acres with 1,600 varieties, hosts an annual Rose Festival drawing thousands.
Experts believe a well-designed Kashmir rose garden could rival these, placing the Valley on the global floral tourism map.
https://t.co/s1DNzfFRqc pic.twitter.com/WFKQcY007c — Kiren Rijiju (@KirenRijiju) April 7, 2025
LOOKING AHEAD
As the proposal awaits administrative approval, excitement builds among horticulturists and tourism stakeholders.
top videos
View all
'This is more than a garden—it's a chance to diversify tourism, promote eco-awareness, and create a living museum of roses," Maity said.
With nature, history, and the CM's support, the idea of a rose garden in Kashmir is taking root. Whether it becomes the Valley's next big attraction remains to be seen.
First Published:
News india Kashmir May Get Its First Rose Garden, Thanks to Bengal's Maestro | News18 Exclusive

Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles


News18
12 minutes ago
- News18
What You Need To Know About REITs And InvITs
Last Updated: Both REITs and InvITs are pivotal investment avenues in India and offer a chance to get exposure to real estate and infrastructural investment. Real Estate Investment Trusts (REITs) and Infrastructure Investment Trusts (InvITs) have emerged as critical real estate investment avenues in India. As the country focuses on real estate development and modernising infrastructure, the trusts give investors a structured programme to understand and evaluate information about these sectors. Companies that own, operate, or finance income-producing real estate across a range of property sectors fall under REITs, whereas similar investment vehicles focused on infrastructure projects are called InvITs. Through Real Estate Investment Trusts, investors can earn a share of the income generated through ownership of commercial real estate. Investors don't have to directly buy, manage or finance any properties under REITs. The trusts were introduced in India in 2014. The REITs have gained prominence among investors who want exposure to the real estate sector. Similarly, InvITs help drive investment in a diverse set of infrastructural assets, focusing on toll roads, power plants and pipelines. Introduced in 2016, InvITs attract long-term capital for infrastructural growth in the country. Both REITs and InvITs represent a transformative approach to real estate and infrastructural investment, offering an array of benefits to investors. However, there are certain key distinctions that an investor must consider before going ahead with either of them. Structure: Both REITs and InvITs pool investor funds and have a designated trustee, sponsor and manager, but their priorities differ from each other. Under REITs, the focus is on completed and income-generating real estate, while InvITs invest in roads, power plants and other infrastructural projects. REITs require at least 80 per cent of their assets to be in completed properties and a maximum of 20 per cent in under-construction projects or related securities. Under InvITs, it is mandatory to have 80 per cent of the investment in completed, revenue-generating infrastructure assets. Risk: As REITs offer a diversified portfolio in the real estate world, they come with significantly less risk on investment than InvITs, where infrastructural projects may be disrupted by operational and regulatory challenges. Minimum Investment: Earlier, the minimum subscription amount required for REITs stood at Rs 50,000 and Rs 1,00,000 for InvITs. This threshold has now been lowered to benefit investors, who can now subscribe to both options for Rs 10,000-15,000. view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 17:34 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


News18
19 minutes ago
- News18
Indo-UK deal to give Indian market access at lower tariff, says JLR
New Delhi, Jul 24 (PTI) Jaguar Land Rover on Thursday said the India-UK free trade agreement would help the marquee automaker to access lower tariffs in India for its luxury models. Under the India-UK FTA, India will reduce tariffs on automotive imports from about 110 per cent to 10 per cent under quotas on both sides, benefiting companies such as Jaguar Land Rover (JLR). 'We welcome this free trade agreement between the UK and India, which over time will deliver reduced tariff access to the Indian car market for JLR's luxury vehicles," a company spokesperson said in a statement. India is an important market for the company's British-built products and represents significant future growth opportunities, the spokesperson added. In a separate query regarding a change in pricing of imported products into the Indian market, a UK-based spokesperson said: 'No decisions have been made on pricing." Around 60 per cent of the cars JLR sells in India, including popular models in the Range Rover portfolio – Range Rover, Range Rover Sport, Velar and Evoque – are already locally produced in India through the CKD (completely knocked down) route, attracting a lower tax. Defender, which is manufactured in Slovakia, falls outside the scope of this FTA and is therefore not impacted. Only a limited number of high-value SV models are currently exported from the UK to India and therefore in scope of the FTA, the spokesperson stated. JLR Chief Commercial Officer Lennard Hoornik had earlier stated that the agreement would help in removing obstacles in doing business and help the automaker to enhance its focus on the Indian market. JLR is owned by Mumbai-headquartered Tata Motors. The world's fifth and sixth-largest economies concluded the trade deal after three years of on-and-off negotiations. The pact lowers tariffs on 99 per cent of Indian goods to zero in the UK market while allowing Indian workers to travel to the UK for work without changing Britain's point-based immigration system. The talks for the pact started in January 2022. Both sides held 14 rounds of talks for the conclusion of the talks. In FTAs, two countries either eliminate or significantly reduce customs duties on the maximum goods traded between them. They also ease norms for promoting trade in services and bilateral investments. India's exports to the UK rose by 12.6 per cent to USD 14.5 billion, while imports grew by 2.3 per cent to USD 8.6 billion in 2024-25. The bilateral trade between India and the UK increased to USD 21.34 billion in 2023-24 from USD 20.36 billion in 2022-23. PTI MSS MSS SHW (This story has not been edited by News18 staff and is published from a syndicated news agency feed - PTI) view comments First Published: July 24, 2025, 17:30 IST Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.


News18
36 minutes ago
- News18
India-UK FTA: These 2 Lobster-Producing States Will Gain Big
Last Updated: The UK currently imposes over 8% tariff on Indian marine products. With the new FTA, these duties will be fully abolished, offering direct benefits to Indian producers In a historic move, India and the United Kingdom signed and implemented a Free Trade Agreement (FTA) that eliminates import duties on all trades between the two nations. The landmark deal is poised to deliver major economic benefits, particularly to Andhra Pradesh and Odisha, India's leading lobster-producing states. With the commencement of tariff-free trade between India and the UK, the demand for Indian lobster is set to rise, enhancing the penetration of Indian products in the UK's Rs 50,000 crore marine product market. Andhra Pradesh leads the country in lobster production, contributing 50 to 60 percent of the national output, while Odisha follows with over 20 percent. These states stand to gain the most from the increased demand for lobster in the UK market. Who Gains Most From India-UK FTA? The FTA has reduced tariffs on 99 percent of products to zero, including various marine products, with lobster having a significant share. This move will simplify the competition for Indian products in the UK's marine product market, valued at Rs 50,000 crore, and enable an increased reach of these products. India annually exports marine products worth over Rs 40,000 crore, with major exports to America (approximately 300,000 tonnes), China (148,000 tonnes), and the European Union (90,000 tonnes). What's The Current Tariff On Shrimp? Currently, the UK imposes over 8 percent tariff on Indian marine products, with shrimp facing around 8.5 percent tariff. The FTA will completely abolish these tariffs, directly benefiting producers. States like Andhra Pradesh, Odisha, Kerala, and Tamil Nadu, which are prominent exporters of shrimp, will now have the opportunity to tap into the UK's Rs 50,000 crore shrimp market. view comments Disclaimer: Comments reflect users' views, not News18's. Please keep discussions respectful and constructive. Abusive, defamatory, or illegal comments will be removed. News18 may disable any comment at its discretion. By posting, you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.