LEH: Personal accounts, family photographs and archival material relating to pioneering Ladakh historian A.H. Francke were shared at an interactive session at the University of Ladakh’s Leh Campus, offering students and faculty an opportunity to explore the historian’s work through family memories and records.
The session with Tom Jarman, great-grandson of A.H. Francke (1870–1930), was organised by the Department of History at the Conference Hall of the Leh Campus on September 25. Jarman was accompanied by his sister, Karen.
The programme began with an introduction by PhD scholar Arjuman Shaheen, followed by a welcome address by Dr Phunstog Angmo. Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ladakh made a brief virtual appearance to welcome the guests.
In his message, later read by Dr Skalzang, the Vice-Chancellor underlined the relevance of family memory, personal archives and cultural legacy in developing a fuller understanding of Ladakh’s history.
Jarman shared family accounts and anecdotes associated with Francke, including details of his work on Ladakhi oral traditions and his early efforts to collect and transcribe Ladakhi proverbs.
He also spoke about Francke’s subsequent academic career in Europe and his association with Khalatse, where his grandfather, Walter Dhondrub Francke, was born.
Old photographs from the family’s personal archive were presented during the session, offering a visual record of the family’s life and association with Ladakh. Jarman also spoke about his ongoing visit to Ladakh and his efforts to retrace places connected with Francke’s work.
The interaction was followed by a discussion in which students and faculty members raised questions about Francke’s unfinished works, family history and his continuing legacy.
The session brought together academic research, oral accounts and family archives, providing students with a perspective on how personal records and memories can complement formal historical scholarship in documenting Ladakh’s cultural past. Dr Phunstog Angmo coordinated the programme.
