About Sapan

Sapan, Southasia Peace Action Network, is a coalition of peace activists and organisations working towards freedom of trade, travel and tourism in the region, people-to-people contact especially between India and Pakistan, and for soft borders or visa on arrival for Southasians in each other’s countries.

We are carrying forward the vision of mentors and leaders like Nirmala Didi Deshpande, Dr Mubashir Hasan, Kuldip Nayar, I.A. Rehman, Nikhil Chakravartty, Asma Jahangir, Rajni Kothari, Eqbal Ahmad and others.

To see the Sapan Founding Charter and a list of the individuals and organisations already on board, and to join us, click here.

NOTE: Writing Sapan like this rather than all caps makes it a word which means ‘dream’. And, borrowing from Himal Southasian, we use ‘Southasia’ as one word, “seeking to restore some of the historical unity of our common living space, without wishing any violence on the existing nation states”. 

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  New York ‘MET’ catalogue linked to alleged looting and trafficking figures24 Mar 2023
  Ones from Southasia include the Celestial Dancer from India, the statue of Shreedhar Vishnu from Bungmati in Nepal and 94 relics from Kashmir.
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  Event, Mar 26: Two Years of Sapan – Towards Peace and Solidarity in Southasia22 Mar 2023
  Southasia Peace Action Network celebrates its 2nd anniversary! Two years of connecting people and organisations across borders and the diaspora. We at Sapan are excited to honour acclaimed journalist Lyse Doucet of the BBC at our second anniversary event on Sunday, 26 March 2023.
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  Oscars 2023: Southasia shines bright20 Mar 2023
  The annual Academy Awards are a big occasion every year but this year the moment was bigger for Southasia with two wins and appearances by Southasian icons and celebrities on the red carpet and pre-event festivities.
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  Why Sania Mirza is a Southasian Icon14 Mar 2023
  Tennis champion Sania Mirza is renowned across Southasia not only for her skill on the court but also as a woman who beat all the odds to emerge as a success on and off the court.
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  ‘What’s Love Got To Do With It?’ Jemima Khan and Shekhar Kapur deliver a feel-good rom-com with a sturdy message10 Mar 2023
  A personal take on Jemima Khan’s scriptwriter debut, ‘What’s Love Got to Do With It?’ directed by Shekhar Kapur. The film released in UK on February 24 and in Pakistan on March 3.
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  Visa issues, Kashmir and the ‘new great game’ between India and Pakistan9 Mar 2023
  The question of why the United States does not stand up for its citizens of Indian and Pakistani origin when these citizens are denied visas because of their origins has yet to receive an answer, writes Sabahat Ashraf.
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  Celebrating love: Beyond borders and boundaries of religion, caste, and nationality8 Mar 2023
  “In the process of suppressing individual happiness over centuries, we have encouraged agents of hate, discrimination, and violence,” comments journalist Aekta Kapoor, moderating an online discussion promoting equality and harmony.
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  From Pakistan and Bangladesh to Africa, Brazil and USA: How Climate Change Impacts Women of Colour Across the Globe8 Mar 2023
  On International Women’s Day, a look at the disproportionate impact of climate change and global warming on half the world’s population, and how women bear the brunt of inequitable policies on matters of the environment.
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  The magic of Faiz and the Javed Akhtar controversy5 Mar 2023
  It is unfortunate that of all the art, culture and poetry at the Faiz Festival 2023 held in Lahore recently, it was mostly Javed Akhtar’s controversial comments that made it to the news. But, like the Southasian icon himself, the festival transcended borders, and allowed each visitor to engage with Faiz in their own unique way.