Gold for the glorious 11 from Kashmir!

Rugby, considered a man’s game has been gaining popularity amongst the women in Kashmir for a while. After years of practising and training, the Jammu and Kashmir girls rugby team bagged gold at the National Snow Rugby Championships held at Gulmarg! 11 years since the first competitive...

Passion defeats curfews for these girls

Keeping all the violence aside, these Kashmiri girls have found a way to fuel their passion of football. Despite curfews and restrictions, this team has become the first all women’s football team and is now participating in the under 19 national championship. There was a time when...

First football team from the valley goes international

In a historical move, the second division league football team from Kashmir, Real Kashmir FC becomes the first club team from the valley to play on foreign soil as they take on Scottish League Club. Revelling in the opportunity of international exposure, the team focused on their...

29-year-old woman launches T-shirt company to promote Kashmir

Every entrepreneurial journey has always begun with a beautiful inception story. And the journey of 29-year-old Sama Beg is no different. A Kashmiri by heart, Sama Beg grew up abroad but she had always made up her mind to come back to Kashmir and do something big for her people. ...

The annual tulip festival in Kashmir

Every year in the month of April, the Indira Gandhi memorial tulip garden hosts Asia’s largest tulip flower show, that showcases over 48 different kinds of tulips spread over 30 hectares. Ranging from simple white tulips to blushing pink , from hybrid double colours to the rare...

15 year old clears Kashmir’s Wular Lake of 12,000kg trash

Wular Lake, once known for its beauty, is the largest fresh water lake in Asia. Over the years, the toxicity of this lake has increased, making it infamous for toxic debris and animal carcasses. 15 year old Bilal Ahmed Dar took it upon himself to make a difference to the valley and...

From playing to coaching, an evolution of dreams

Filled with hopes and dreams, Sakeena Akthar always wanted to play cricket for India. But those dreams were put on hold when her family refused to help her pursue her dreams. So she took up coaching cricket at Kashmir University. Eight years into the field and she has helped shape...

28 year old Kashmiri entrepreneur who began a tourism business

She secretly attended the Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI) without informing her family, got inspired, and today, Nargis Mohiudin has set up her own tourism company. She runs the business single handedly, out of a rented room in Panzan, Chadoora. Growing up in a village...

Software company from Kashmir becomes one of the fastest growing private companies in the US

Despite the lack of internet connectivity, landslides, floods, political clashes, software company iQasar has not only managed to run successfully but also get recognized as one of the fastest growing private companies by Inc. 5000. The journey of iQasar began with three friends...

Army trains border girls in martial arts

In a recent interview to Yourstory, PRO Defence nothern command Col. S D Goswami said that they have initiated a four week martial arts course for girls in remote areas especially around the border. A total of 40 students from different schools also participated in this training....

First a doctor, now Kashmir’s first woman IPS officer

Dr. Ruveda Salam not only fulfilled her father’s dream but has set an example for girls across the state by first becoming a doctor and then clearing the UPSC (in the first attempt) to become the state’s first woman IPS officer. The young ACP has been giving motivational speeches...

7-year-old Kashmiri becomes the first to represent India in the world kick boxing championship

Tajamul Islam is taking the country by storm and it’s not because of her cute dimples. After winning the state championship, she was declared the best fighter of Jammu and Kashmir. Weighing 8 kgs less than her opponent, Tajamul won the heart of the nation with a clean win. She went...

Here’s a 27-year-old who founded Kashmir’s first art initiative

In the history of Kashmir, there hasn’t been a single art gallery – a space that has the potential to intellectually and creatively redefine the valley and the minds of its people. But then, there is always a handful of men and women who redefine it. And one such man is 27-year-old...

25-year-old reinventing the Pashmina

Pashmina is renowned globally, thereby sparking the idea in a young 25-year-old Junaid Shadar to begin an e-commerce site called ‘Phamb’ that not only sells pashminas across the world but also employs local artisans from Jammu and Kashmir. Fighting the fake pashmina stigma, the...

Taking a break from violence, let’s play football

In the last three decades of militancy, around 2000 Kashmiris, defying a shutdown call in the strife-torn Bandipora district, gathered at the floodlit Sher-e-Kashmir stadium, 66 km from Srinagar, for a football match. The match between Mohammadan Sports Sopore and Real Football Kashmir...

Bringing Kashmir to every home through Kashmirbox.com

People across the globe love something exotic, be it saffron, pashminas, apples or walnuts. Two young men, Muheet Mehraj and Kashif Khan, decided to connect the dots between local artisans and the demand, resulting in kashmirbox.com. This e-commerce portal sells everything Kashmir!...

Artisans in the world of machines

A group of Aari artisans live in Noorbagh where they work and craft skilled pieces of brilliance. The group is headed by Manzoor Saheb, a 62-year-old gentleman, whose workshop is right at his residence. At his workshop, one can find artisans from various genres of Kashmiri art working...

The story of Nusrat Jahan Ara

Inspired by scores of Kashmiri women to break free from the routine household chores to secure pensioned government jobs and thrive in the field of business, Nusrat Jahan Ara began her own business of personal care and home products. From body butter to soaps and jams, all her products...

Kashmir Moving Images festival

Celebrating the distinct culture of Jammu & Kashmir, Kashmir annually holds a two day "Kashmir Moving Images Festival.” The festival exhibits work from Iran, Egypt, Germany, and Pakistan. With celebrities like Madhur Bhandarkar, Rumi Jaffry and Saleh Salem lending their presence,...

Dangal actresses inspire the state

Remember ‘Dangal’? The movie's protagonist Geeta Phogat whose role as a child was played Zaira Waseem and the older one by Fatima Sana Shaikh are both from Jammu and Kashmir. The 'Dangal' girls have taken the state by storm and have become role models for the youth. after the...

Parvez Rasol, the t20 spinner from Kashmir

In the testing times for the Kashmir Valley, success stories like that of young cricketer Parveez Ghulam Rasool Zargar is a symbol of inspiration. He has been a talented cricketer right from his childhood. Rasool was the key player behind Jammu and Kashmir's success in the Ranji Trophy,...

Kashmir’s very own food and beverage startup

To become a successful entrepreneur within a short span of time, despite facing hardships and without any financial backing its is rarely possible. But Mir Saqib has done all this. Saqib, who presently owns a water bottling plant at Khonmoh Industrial Area and is co-packaging and...

Army coaches the youth of Kashmir to clear JEE Advanced

The ‘Kashmir Super-40’ coaching programme has been conducted by the Army in collaboration with the Centre for Social Responsibility and Learning (CSRL) and Petronet LNG Ltd (PLL) since 2013. In an interview with Hindustan times, an army spokesman said that the Kashmir Super-40...

Kashmir Bat manufacturing unit & she runs it alone

Keeping all societal taboos aside, with the support of her husband, Rifat who was initially reluctant to start this business being a housewife, is now completely focused on the success for her business, to make quality sports products. Showkat Masoodi, Rifat’s husband, is a football...

Selected From 100 Applicants, 2 Kashmiri Youths to Be Trained in Pathan Brothers’ Academy

The Cricket Academy of Pathans (CAP) collaborated with the Indian Army and conducted trials for selection in Kupwara District, Jammu and Kashmir. Of the 100 participants, the 2 selected youngsters Danish Qadeer(18) and Shahrukh Hussein (20) will now train at the academy! The academy...

17-Year-Old Kashmiri Girl Dreams of Representing India in Cricket and Cops Are Helping Her!

With a fevered passion for cricket, Iqra Rasool a bright 17-year-old girl has found an unexpected ally in the Jammu and Kashmir police force who are helping her achieve her goal. She has already represented J&K four times on a national level in places like Amritsar and Goa, and she...

Two Kashmiri boys will be playing football in Spain this year, thanks to efforts by CRPF!

As a result of a tie-up between CRPF and Sociedad Deportiva Lenense Proinastur, two young men from Kashmir will be playing football at a club in Spain, thanks to the efforts of the CRPF. Basit Ahmed and Mohammed Asrar Renbar, the two 18-year-old footballers would be embarking on...

Four Kashmiri Boys Who Made It to IIT Give Hope to a State That Needs It

Against the backdrop of the ongoing violence in Kashmir, four young students have helped reinforce the belief that hope, aspirations and dreams can be found just around the corner. All four of them are from Poonch district of Jammu and Kashmir. Usman, Aquib and Hilal come from Kalai,...

Kashmiri Siblings Make Award Winning Documentary Film on First Cloned Pashmina Goat

13-year-old Purtas Jalal, decided to make a documentary film about Noorie, the world’s first Pashmina goat to be cloned. She roped in her 10-year-old brother Zameen to help her and together they have won the top prize at India International Science Film Festival organized by the...

The mozzarella of Kashmir - Kalari

Home to one of the world’s most unique cheeses, have you ever tasted Kalari? Known as the mozzarella of Kashmir, it is made of cow or goat milk and has a stretchy and dense texture, with a mild mozzarella-like flavour. Kalari was traditionally made from raw full fat milk, vigorously...

Operation School Chalo

The Indian Army has launched an operation called ‘School Chalo’ in Kashmir, which aims at providing free education to students and encouraging them to participate in extra-curricular activities. Major General Ashok Narula, General-Officer-in-Command of Victor Force, conceptualized...

Kashmir’s First Female Football Coach is 19-Year-Old Nadiya Nighat

She was only 10 when she joined the Amar Singh College Academy for football coaching and was the only girl among 47 boys. Initially, her mother, tried hard to get her off the football field and playing with boys, but with her father’s immense support, Nadiya pursued her passion....

200 Plus Kashmiris Joined Hands to Clean Dal Lake in This Amazing Community Effort

Residents of Moti Mahalla village around Dal Lake in Srinagar, collaborated with Goonj to clean up this waterbody…their lifeline. In the first round, 145 people carried out the cleaning work. Seventy boats were used for uprooting weeds. Braving dense fog and winter chill, these...

Paramedics: Bringing hope and driving change

Understanding the need of women who were very reluctant to be treated by male doctors and paramedics, Munira Manzoor, decided the need to build a team of local women paramedics. She underwent training in basic healthcare, natal care and in trauma counseling. She also learned how to...

Kashmir’s Women and Kashmiri Girls Who Are Conquering Slopes And Breaking Stereotypes By Shining In Alpine Skiing

The junior skier girls of the Under-19 group have shone in many of the events that have taken place at national and international levels. Bringing medals back to their home, many of these students have come a long way. In an interview with thebetterindia.com, Manzoor Ahmad Ladakhi,...

Bilquis Mir, the face of water sports for Kashmiri girls!

Bilquis Mir, has been part of the National Water Sports team as a coach for the last eleven years. With support of her parents and Kashmir society she carved a niche for herself and is presently busy training the Indian team for the Asian Canoe Slalom championship to be held at Thailand....

Kashmir’s first female commercial baker - Farah Tanki

Young and energetic Farah Tanki has turned her hobby into a successful business venture. She introduced fondant cake making in Kashmir and brought eye pleasing sumptuous novelty cakes to the state. She started her business page, Sweet Mixc Up by Farah Tanki on Instagram. On posting...

A Kashmiri woman's pursuit for success beyond traditional confines

Dr Gazelle Amin, became the first woman member of the Jammu and Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the first step she took was to put up a ‘no smoking’ signboard outside the office! When the city received its heaviest snowfall of the season, bringing normal life to...