A Kashmiri couple is in the process of buying a 97-year-old vacant church in America that they want to convert into a museum and library of art, culture and history of Kashmir.

Khurshid Guru, a robotic surgeon and his wife, Lubna Guru are buying the church at 650 Park Place in Niagara Falls.

“The couple will convert the place into museum of Kashmir art, culture and history which will have over 1,500 paintings, books and artifacts of Kashmir collected over the years by the couple,” sources close to the family said.

Guru belongs to Sopore town in Baramulla district of Kashmir, and he is the son of noted Kashmiri cardio-thoracic surgeon, late Dr Abdul Ahad Guru.

Dr Abdul Ahad Guru died in mysterious circumstances in Srinagar city on April 1, 1993. He was believed to be close to the separatist Jammu and Kashmir Liberation Front (JKLF).

Sources said the couple is also buying two additional houses to provide residential space to visiting Kashmiri arti-sts, scholars and contributors.

Sources also said the colle-ction being displayed would be worth over US$2 million.