Afaq Giri became first person to crack IAS exams from Banihal. Riyaz Ul Khaliq and Saima Rashid report the story behind his success

Afaq Giri

When asked what it means to crack Indian Administrative Services (IAS) exam, Afaq Giri said, “Now my mother’s soul would rest in peace. I have achieved what she had dreamt for me.”

An engineer by profession, Afaq says that his mother’s last wish to see him as an IAS officer made him work hard.

“In November 2012, I had to bid adieu to my job in Gurgaon to attend my ailing mother back home,” he informs, “She was not keeping well for some time.”

Afaq says that once home, his mother motivated him to prepare for union civil services.

“I started preparing for the elite exam but my mother’s health deteriorated and I had to accompany her to SKIMS for over a month,” Afaq says amid sobs, “It was our last meeting. She could not recover and left for her heavenly abode!”

Broken and dejected, Afaq was home for some three months but his mother’s wish did not let him rest. More so, his family, particularly his grandfather, pushed him for the prelims.

First to succeed in the Indian Civil services from his home district of Ramban, Afaq did his schooling from Sainik School Nagrota.

As he completed his 12th in 2004, Afaq got selected in an engineering course through J&K CET.

“I studied Electronics and Communications engineering from GCET Jammu,” he informs.  “As my course was over, I got job placement in Nokia Siemens network as core planning engineer at Gurgaon in NCR.”

Till 2012, Afaq was working in Nokia Siemens before he got a call from home.

“My mother was going through worst times due to bad health conditions, which compelled me to quit my job and return home,” explains Afaq. “I had a job offer in Brazil as well but how could I accept it when my mother needed me the most.”

As he successfully completed his prelims, Afaq went to Jamia Milia Islamia, New Delhi. “My stay in JMI has been very helpful,” he continues. “I had a 24×7 library at my disposal, very helpful professors and a friendly environment to study.”

Succeeding in his first attempt, Afaq says, “Circumstances were not in my favour but still I cracked the UPSC exams on the very first attempt in geography.”

He says that one need to be a good time manager and counselling by those who are already in service is necessary. “Hard work, time management, guidance from successful IAS officers is a must,” he says.

Afaq, who is a social activist, after successfully completing his mains exam, set out to help Muzaffarnagar riot hit victims. “I came to Srinagar and contacted my friends and well wishers and informed them about the plight of our brothers in UP,” he explains. “I managed some rupees four lakh in cash and other necessities as well.”

Leading a group of volunteers, he reached Muzaffarnagar and Shamali areas and camped in UP. “We helped the victims in their rehabilitation by providing them cash and kind as well.”

He adds that the group gave some loan to those who intended to re-start their business. “Loans are free of interest,” he says.

Afaq says that riot hit victims were all praise and their prayers resulted in his success.

“The supplication and prayers of the people we helped in one way or the other were in support of me,” he exclaims.

Being first from his native place to qualify the high profile exam, he is a role model now in Banihal.

People of the area are all praise for Afaq’s success. “He has been a torch bearer in the area. With his success, the youth are set to follow him,” Ahmadullah Mir, a teacher from the area said.

Afaq has a word of advice for the youth who want to achieve success in their lives. “No substitute to hard work. Have faith in Almighty, and keep your parents happy!”

Two young friends, Abid Khan and Faizan Zaroo, started an event management company that organises cultural events. Nuzhat Mushtaq reports the story of their struggles and success

Abid Q Khan and Faizan Zaroo, both in their twenties, met through their mutual friends, whenever they used to go for an outing. Once they came to know each other, they became closer to each other than the friends they met though. It was in 2011, that their friendship changed into partnership, which gave birth to an event management company known as Markus Kraft, which means a medium. “An idea of starting this company came from the college farewell party that I had organized. I conveyed it to Faizan and he appreciated it. He told me that he will help me to establish it,” says Abid.

Within a year, more young minds like Sheikh Atib, Amir Yusuf, Sufi Shakir, Sadiq Husain, Masroor Ellahi, and Omer joined them and started working for the development of the company. They would get paid after every event. Abid, the founder of Markus Kraft, has pursued Bachelors in Computer application, Cisco Certified Networking Associate (CCNA) and has worked as a networking trainer in Delhi as well as in Srinagar. Abid’s friend and co-founder of Markus Kraft, Faizan has completed his Bachelor’s in Arts. Besides being a student he runs Smart Jeans, a shop of readymade garments in Sheikh Bagh area of Srinagar city.

Markus Kraft has so far organised eight events across Kashmir successfully. Abid vividly remembers the first event that his company organised. “It was called Rap Impact – a rap singing competition where rappers from across Kashmir participated,” recalls Abid.  But it was Taseer, a painting competition on the theme of ‘Save Dal’, which brought them into limelight.  The big-break came when Abid and his team tied up with 92.7 Big FM, to organise a talent hunt show called ‘RJ Hunt’. It was a huge event, something that Abid and his team were doing for the first time. “We had people from Big FM in our team of organisers. It helped us to learn how to work in a coordinated manner,” says Abid. “Abrar Zargar the Programming head at 92.7 Big FM gave us an opportunity to work with them and it helped us to groom,” he added.

Ridding on the success of Big FM event, a few months later, Markus Kraft organised Gindbash – an event focusing on local culture and its importance. With more than 1700 audiences and a melange of local artists, including folk dancers, singers and comedians participating, Gindbash was the biggest event for Markus Kraft. “The event was a big success. At the end of it District Commissioner, Srinagar gave our team a cash price of rupees 50 thousand,” says Abid.

During the initial stage when Abid came up with Markus Kraft he faced many difficulties and was even criticized by his parents because they wanted to see him as a “director” of a government department. “Even after many failures, I never gave up but worked harder and harder to establish my own business. There was a time when we used to pay from our pockets, but now the time has changed and few sponsors have come forward for the support,” he added.

From his childhood, Faizan believed that there was an artist in him but due to lack of opportunity, he never got a chance to showcase his talent. “The reason I supported Abid to launch Markus craft was because I never wanted to see any other artist suffer or lose hope like me. So I thought about providing them a platform, so that they can show the world Kashmiri youth is full of talent, be it painting, singing or dancing,” says Faizan. “The artists who performed in our events got a platform and a chance to showcase their talent by performing in a three day long spring festival, organized by Jammu and Kashmir tourism department.  They were highly appreciated by Bollywood celebrities such as Imtiyaz Ali, Shewata Pandit, and Vishal Bharadwaj,” Faizan added. “Abid Husain, Junaid, Adil, Abida, khushi, Insha, Harmeet Kour had earlier participated in our events, and were among the top performers of that spring festival.

Markus Kraft also managed to bring back the Valley’s lesser known comedian Seth Rafi. Abid believes that in next ten years Markus craft will grow as an organization that will be renowned internationally. He wants the organization to host events outside Jammu and Kashmir in order to provide international platform to Kashmiri youth.  Currently the organization is focused on organizing ‘Taseer’ and ‘Gindbash’ twice a year. These events are based on the Kashmiri culture and its lost heritage.

“We believe that Kashmiri culture and heritage is dying, we want to preserve it and bring it in front of the world, what Kashmir looked like and what it looks like now. There will be a live painting and photography competition and we are hopeful that many people will participate in it,” Abid says.

Known for his humility and brilliance, a youth from Sopore made a hat-trick in civil services. As his departure from academic to administrative setup begins, Riyaz Ul Khaliq & Saima Rashid profile the journey of the man so far

He wasn’t a boy next door. There was something special about him since his school days. When it comes to studies, he would always emerge as the first among the equals. Much to his own ignorance, he was already an inspiration for his batchmates and juniors. He would always finish at top in debates, essay competitions and others school activities. Now out of school, the boy has grown up into a young man. But he continues to impress people with his brilliance. He cracked the civil service exams thrice in his last three consecutive appearances.

Bashir Ahmad Bhat, 25, hailing Batpora Sopore is presently posted as First Class Magistrate Sogam, in north Kashmir’s Kupwara district.

After topping class 12 from Sainik School Manasbal in 2005 under Central Board of School Education, he got selected for Bachelors in Veterinary Sciences from a Jammu college. While he was studying veterinary sciences, Bashir was simultaneously preparing for civil services. And as his degree completed in August 2010, he appeared in Kashmir Administrative Services (KAS) examination in 2011 and then in he appeared in IAS in 2012. He made to it in both attempts.

“My back to back achievements are the outcome of my hard work,” Bashir says, in his soft tone. “And, I never took any coaching or so.”

Bashir, his teachers say, has been a very hard working and obedient student. “We have no words to describe Bashir,” says Abdul Hamid, who taught Bashir Sainik School Manasbal. “He has been a gem. His success is what he has been!”

Coming from a modest family, Bashir’s journey, so far, has been inspiring. His father is a shopkeeper in his own locality at Batpora, in apple town Sopore.

Since he joined his veterinary course, Bashir had made it sure to get through the civil services examination in the very first go. And eventually the time came when he got selected in state level administrative services. After his training and probation at J&K IMPA in Srinagar, Bashir was sent to frontier district Kupwara and posted as Tehsildar Sogam – the post he still occupies. But the thirst of doing something more did not let him rest.

“In 2011, I got selected in Indian Administrative Services (IAS) with 432 rank but I did not left my KAS posting,” he informs.

His colleagues in his office describe him the most efficient official they have ever seen. “You won’t see him sitting idle in his office,” one of his sub ordinates said. “Completion of cases on fast track basis is his mantra.”

And then in 2013, he again appeared in IAS. And the recent results declared him successful at rank number 189, bettered his previous rank by the margin of 243 higher slots.

“Yet I have no thoughts like joining it, but when services will be allotted only then I will decide whether to join or not,” Bashir says.

Till recently, Bashir was facing financial hiccups, but now the scenario of his life has completely changed. But he says, he is still the same person. One of his friends who attended boarding with him in picturesque Manasbal says there is not an iota of doubt of his intelligence. “But what makes him different from others is his grounded character,” says Tasveer Ahmad, his erstwhile classmate and now a Economics contractual lecturer in Kashmir’s Central University.

Bashir and his younger brother Imtiyaz Ahmad had their same schooling up to twelfth then Imtiyaz left for mainland India. “Both of them were toppers. In fact, they used to share top positions many times,” Tasveer added. Imtiyaz is PG Economics from JNU and preparing for PhD.

Bashir advises the youngsters who want to join civil services to work hard as there is no substitute to it. Just possessing dozens of administrative books doesn’t really make it up, but the consistent revision actually takes you to the roots of success, he advises.

“It is not only to proclaim that one is going to be an administrative officer, you have to prove it,” says Bashir.

Bashir owes his success to his parents. “You can’t expect miracles if your parents don’t support you,” he exclaims. “They should be ones back force even if monetary hiccups are there.”

Besides, Dr Bashir is all praise for his Alma meter days. “I had my golden period of life at Sainik School though we faced some problems at an earlier stage,” he said. “I had my vision broadened there.”

By Saima Rashid

All writing is creative to a degree. Writers must think of words to use, how to organize their thoughts and how to appeal to an audience. However, creative writing tends to refer to writing specific types of things that include poetry, drama, short stories, personal essays, long and short fiction and some non-fiction. It goes beyond writing in certain formats like journalism or technical work, and there are sometimes grey areas where writing is both creative and professional.

In many colleges and in some vocational schools people can study creative writing and they may also study it at the high school level. Those who want to major in this art should expect to do a lot of reading. They’ll read example material from some of the best writers in the world, past or present, and they’ll also read books, texts and guidelines on how to begin or enhance their writing skills. It almost goes without saying that someone studying creative writing will need to spend a lot of time practicing the art form too.

In college settings, students may earn a BFA, or Bachelor of Fine Arts degree by studying creative writing. Some people earn a BA in English literature instead, but have had a primary focus on creative works in their college studies. Students can also progress to the graduate level and there are many programs that offer an MFA or Master of Fine Arts degree in the area of creative writing. Some doctoral programs exist that may offer this study too, though these are still relatively rare.

When people want to write primarily plays or screenplays, they may study for this separately. They’re still likely to earn a fine arts degree but it might be in screenwriting or in drama instead. This can depend on the school, but many people who choose to specialize in one of these areas look for a school that offers this specific focus.

It isn’t always necessary to major in creative writing or in fields like English to choose this as a career. People may come to it from a variety of directions or disciplines. John Grisham was a lawyer before he penned works like The Firm, and JK Rowling did her university studies in French. Other writers like Laurie R. King, have studied in diverse fields like religious studies.

There are many potential paths to having a writing career. While some people will go to school to study, others learn by doing, and might take the occasional creative writing workshop. There are many of these located online and in numerous local communities.

It should be stated that some of the most successful writers in the world never took a class on creative writing, but it can certainly help. It is important to have good writing skills, which means at minimum most creative writers need to understand grammatical conventions and the art forms in which they work. They must possess, in general, very strong language skills.

A degree in this field is certainly not a requirement, but persistence is, in addition to being able to take criticism. Most writers are used to having their work rejected, repeatedly. The field is also not one where most will hit the jackpot and make tons of money.

Yet many may make a living at least, if they continue to work and submit work, and there are now many ezines and Internet sites that pay a little bit for creative works, in addition to the more traditional publications like magazines and if you like write and are wondering how to take your passion and turn it into a job you will enjoy, consider the following 15 writing career options.

Some creative choices you might want to consider are writing (1) poetry, (2) fiction, (3) plays, (4) screenplays, (5) TV scripts, (6) comedy material, and (7) trivia. Although the odds of succeeding in any of these endeavors are not great, there are still many people who are successful writing in these various genres.

Both poets and short writers can market their work to magazines and online publications. There are also numerous contests available that both poets and short story writers can enter. Novelists will need a publisher for their work. One great place to start looking is The Writer’s Market.

Playwrights can also enter contests but they can also approach theaters directly that might be interested in staging and performing their work. For screenplay and TV writers, they need to write a spec script and send it to an agent who can market it for them.

In the case of the TV writer, the script is not often purchased; instead, it serves as an example of the kind of work you can do and often opens doors for you to pitch story ideas to various shows. If you have a good sense of humor and enjoy making up jokes, consider writing comedy material.

Comedians are always looking for new jokes and monologues. You can contact comedians directly, offering to write some material for them on speculation. If they like your stuff, they just might hire you. Another fun thing to write is trivia questions. You can create crosswords, word searches, puzzles, etc. Many magazines and newspapers buy this sort of material, and if you write enough of it, you can actually create a book that you can publish books.

By Durdana Bhat

The world has witnessed a phenomenal and unprecedented explosion in communication technology and media. All boundaries have been transcended, and the entire global community seems to have been brought together into one unified whole. And it is here that mass-communication, as a stream of study, and as a career, becomes so important and enviable.

Mass Communication is not limited to journalism alone. To a great extent mass media is a modern reality which covers all aspects of human life. Moreover, a great change can be observed in the concept of people working in mass media. Careers in Mass Communication are not only high paying but also bring in a great deal of job satisfaction and expression of creativity.

Not long ago, people with good communication skills and a degree in literature were considered fit for journalism and other areas of mass communication. However, with technology playing greater role in our lives, all professions related to mass communication now require skilled professionals who work fast and efficiently send across the message to a whole range of audience.

Unlike engineering or medical streams there are no preparation strategies or set formulae for making a career in mass communication. A graduate degree in the field is good to start with but a post graduate degree or diploma is almost essential to be considered for responsible positions in any organisation. Meanwhile, you need to start blogging or work as a freelance contributor to newspapers and a host of online publishing sites to develop your communication skills. Maturity, objectivity and a sensible train of thought are essential.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

Answering this question requires a critical self-evaluation. You need to have creativity—a way with words and excellent communication skills as you will be required to explain and inform, about the most complex of issues, in the simplest of terms—to a large number of people. Moreover, you require great deal of patience, because in this field, it takes a lot of hard work, and quite some time, to make it to the top.

What would it Cost Me?

Courses in Mass Communication are expensive as tuition fees and charges and expenses for doing projects, internships, and field work are quite high. Most of the institutes offering under graduate courses charge anywhere from Rs 60,000 to Rs 2, 00,000 per year. It means you will have to pay nearly three lakhs rupees for a course of three years duration. Similarly, a PG diploma course from Indian Institute of Mass Communication can cost in the range of Rs 40,000 to Rs 1,00,000  for one year. PG course in Mass Communication from MCRC at Jamia Millia Islamia can cost around one lakh for two years.

Funding/Scholarship

IIMC offers scholarship for candidates in each branch i.e. print media English and Hindi and Electronic Media which is almost half of the fees – for first two toppers. Several other memorial scholarships at the institute are based on merit. Other mass communication institutes too provide merit based freeships and scholarships.

Job Prospects

A professional course in mass communication opens doors for a career in films & TV, publishing, public relations, journalism, editing, direction, filmmaking, scriptwriting, production, etc. In nutshell, Mass Communication widens up the horizon of career options for a person. Depending upon personal interest and inclination a mass communication professional can choose a job. Attractive and high paying jobs as journalist, actor, director, editor, screenwriter, RJ, producer, VJ are available to the talented and trained individuals.

Whereas candidates passing out from IIMC, MCRC Jamia, Symbiosis College and many other institutes receive attractive placement after their courses and handsome salaries, students from not-so-well-known institutes have to work hard to get placed. Starting salary for a mass communication professional could be between Rs 12,000 and 25,000. After 5 Years of work experience a professional can expect higher salary in the range of Rs 50,000 to Rs 1,00,000 per month.

But like any career option, Mass Communication too has positive features as well as a flip side.

A career in Mass Communication requires commitment, dedication and sacrifice of personal time for the sake of staying on front or top, particularly in news industry. A journalist may have to work day in and day out to get breaking news. Similarly, media professionals who are in entertainment or film making need to work with passion which may come at the cost of their personal life.

However, in a nutshell, Mass Communication as a career provides job satisfaction, name and fame and a challenge to live with.

Following are the various job profiles offered to graduates in mass communication:

Fashion Photographer, Film Director, TV Correspondent, Producer, Radio Jockey/ RJ, Screenwriter, Sound Engineer, Sound Mixer and Sound Recordist, Special Correspondent, Video Jockey, Art Director, Editor, Event manager and Public Relations Officer.

Top Institutes

Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication, Pune-411004

AJK Mass Communication Research Centre, Jamia Millia Islamia,

New Delhi-110025

Indian Institute of Mass Communication, New Delhi-110067

Asian College of Journalism, Chennai

Makhanlal Chaturvedi National University of Journalism and

Communication, Bhopal

Achieving third rank in 2014 CET exams was no cakewalk for a Sopore boy whose father was devoured by Kashmir conflict. Riyaz Ul Khaliq & Saima Rashid profile the topper who smiled his way to the top slot by maintaining a simple study approach

Tufail Ashoor

Toppers in every field of life are known for their extraordinary traits. They aren’t different, but are known for doing things differently. A Sopore boy who finished third in 2014 JKCET exams belongs to the same frame of mind. He doesn’t call himself ‘different’, but asserts that his efforts for cracking the exam were indeed different.

But emerging topper isn’t a new experience for Tufail Ashoor Bhat, 18, of Dangerpora from Apple town Sopore. For a boy, who rates himself as an average student, the feat came after putting up persistent efforts and after maintaining consistency in his studies.

In his second stint with CET, Tufail scored 182.6 points out of 210. Last year he missed the chance of getting into MBBS cadre by just 0.6 points.

“I got selected in bachelors of dental surgery (BDS) last year,” says Tufail, in a very brisk tone, “but counting myself among the MBBS crackers was my priority, rather it was my passion.”

After failing to figure in MBBS list in his first attempt, Tufail availed coaching from Srinagar’s coaching hub, Parra Pora. And with that began a period of strenuous efforts to crack the coveted list. “A blend of my tutor’s guidance and self study made it possible for me to make my way into medical course,” says Tufail. “I kept my study simple by focusing on the basics.”

But before his MBBS feat, Tufail was like any other student who did his primary schooling from AFI Model School in his hometown. He moved to Sainik School Manasbal through the scheduled entrance of the very school, where he studied up to class 12. He later passed the class with 88.8% by finishing the topper of his school.

“The journey of Sainik School proved quite productive for me,” asserts Tufail, “my basic concepts in all the subjects prescribed in entrance exams were very clear.”

But for the son of a slain father, achieving success came after enduring a tough mental battle. During the same period, he says, his mother stood by him like a rock. And now, he dedicates all his achievements to her for supporting him mentally, psychologically or emotionally.

Tufail was studying in first standard on January 5, 2001, when he was orphaned. On that day, when his father, Mohammad Ashoor Bhat was returning home from market at around 7 pm in the evening, some unidentified armed men fired on him, killing him instantly. At the time of his father‘s killing, his brother was in fourth standard, while as, his sister was studying in seventh standard. His father was in fruit business and had distanced himself from militancy.

“It was hard for a seven-year-old boy to comprehend the importance of losing a father,” says Tufail, in an apparently sad tone. “I had no idea that ‘late’ prefix would be added to my parentage now.”

After his father’s killing, it was Tufail’s grandfather and two uncles who shouldered the responsibility of Tufail and his siblings. “My father’s death was a great loss for me, but my grandpa and uncles have nourished me in such a way that I never felt missing my father,” he says. “But I pray no one’s father dies like I lost my father.”

Tufail’s brother is a final year student at Degree College Sopore, while his sister was married off after finishing her Fazila course.

His teachers describe him the most obedient and hard working guy. “The three things – hard work, obedience and intelligence that define a successful student are imbibed in Tufail,” says his teacher, GM Shah, who taught Tufail at Sainik School.

Now after emerging with flying colours in medical entrance examination which yearly sees participation of thousands of medical aspirants, Tufail says that consistency in self study is the key to crack the exam. Only paying large amount of bucks to professors doesn’t work, he says, rather proper concentration, attention during your classes and dedication towards your target actually speaks louder in the world of success.

“I used to study for 10 hours a day,” he says, “but maybe you can make it possible in only 3 hours, as mental faculties vary. The only thing which matters the most is being loyal to one’s study.”

By Durdana Bhat

The scope of foreign languages as career is stupendous and candidates willing to explore it have multitude of job opportunities in various multinational companies and multilateral organizations. Moreover, language skills are essential attribute in most professions and help in the advancement of career.

There are various options to learn foreign languages. Whereas several students start learning a foreign language in their schools, numerous others choose the course after their 10+2 and go for graduation courses that are offered by various institutes, colleges and universities. Then there are some certificate courses and diploma courses which take less time and duration and are available in a condensed form – candidates who have done 10+2 are eligible for such courses. Those who are interested in higher education in foreign languages can opt for post-graduation and PhD which is being offered at selected universities in India.

Is it the Right Career for Me?

If you have a deep interest in knowing the way of life, language and culture of other people, learning a foreign language is an extraordinary career option. Career in a foreign language is not only attractive in terms of fulfilling the innate passion to know culture and people but also earns you handsome salary. Knowing one foreign language alongside English adds significant value to career prospects. However, be ready to put in a lot of effort as learning a language is a painstaking task and requires high levels of concentration and a lot of hard work.

What would it Cost Me?

Whereas fee for foreign language courses in central universities such as University of Delhi and Jawaharlal Nehru University is minimal, Max Mueller Bhavan or Inlingua charge considerable fees from students. The fee depends upon the language and the number of learners. Whereas learning Korean, Japanese and Chinese is tough; these are available at only few centres in India and are available at a high cost. Arabic and Persian are available at most of the national universities and that too at very low fees. Alliance Française offers courses in French language and the whole course lasting for five year can cost anywhere between Rs 3-4 lacs.  Institute Of Foreign Languages, University of Kashmir, Sgr offer Diploma in French and German Language. They are in process of planning to introduce more courses including Spanish and Portuguese.

Funding/Scholarship

Jawaharlal Nehru University offers attractive scholarships for students studying foreign languages. The university has excellent student exchange program with various universities and foreign language students receive option to study in foreign universities for certain period during their study in JNU. University of Delhi too offers certain scholarships based on merit and performance in university exams. Similarly, governments of South Korea and Japan offer students of Korean and Japanese a number of scholarships. Max Mueller Bhavan offers two scholarships at its centres in India to the two best students of advanced level learning. They are offered a chance to visit Germany and observe the society and people to learn the language with first hand interaction.

Job Prospects

Academic qualification and proficiency in foreign languages opens the gate for career in sectors such as tourism, embassies, diplomatic service, entertainment, public relations and mass communication, international organisations, publishing, interpretation and translation, etc. Additionally, various multinational corporate bodies require candidates possessing excellent language skills in French, German, Russian, Chinese, Japanese, Spanish, Korean, Portuguese, etc. Some new avenues such as online content writers, technical translators or decoders too have come up in a big way.

International organisations such as the United Nations Organization (UNO), Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) and various Indian national organisations such as Ministry of External Affairs, Reserve Bank of India (RBI), etc too require professionals who have specialisation in foreign languages.

Pay Packet

Foreign language professionals earn attractive remuneration depending upon the work and the organization. Professionals working for PR or Marketing Department of any MNC can earn Rs 30,000 – 50,000 per month. Teachers can earn any salary in the range of Rs 15,000 to Rs 25,000 a month.  Translators on the other hand receive Rs 250 to Rs 500 per page; compensation depends a lot upon the proficiency in the language. Similarly, an interpreter who is paid on an hourly basis can earn Rs 2000 to Rs 4000 per hour, again depending upon his calibre and work experience.

Demand and Supply

Despite huge demand for foreign language professionals there is not much information available for aspirants. As a result few professionals come out from foreign language institutes which ultimately results in a dearth of trained foreign language experts. India requires a huge number of foreign language experts, particularly in Chinese, Japanese and Korean languages. Whereas India possesses millions of English language experts, it faces shortage of people who know French, German and Portuguese. One important reason for shortage of trained foreign language professionals is lack of infrastructural set up in institutes and universities. Also, there are not many institutes which offer quality training in any foreign language.

Different Roles, Different Names

Foreign language experts don a variety of roles depending upon their skills and experience as well as the job. Here are some of the professions you can look for: Diplomatic Service Professional, Foreign Language Trainer, Translator for MNCs and Government Organizations, Research Associate, Interpreter, Tourist Guide, Air Hostess or Flight Steward, Attendant at hotels, Freelance Writer, Translator, Interpreter and Public Relation Officer.

By Saima Rashid

These days mathematics is applied almost everywhere, and this wealth of activity cannot be encompassed in one university department. The focus of the Applied Mathematics Department is application of mathematics to problems in science, engineering, and medicine.

The Applied Mathematics major equips students with the mathematical theories and procedures required to find solutions to business, government, physical, life, and social problems. Advances in information technology, climatology, biological sciences, economic and environmental emissions modeling have resulted from the use of mathematic techniques.

Furthermore, industries rely on those with mathematical abilities to design and develop products such as computers, cars, communication systems, textiles, and prescription drugs, and underpin processes and services such as supply chains, logistics and production scheduling.

Undergraduate programs are based on courses that provide a strong mathematical and computational background, while offering a selection of courses in areas of application. These application areas are quite diverse, and reflect the research interests of members of the department.

For example, the behaviour of fluids and their motions is essential to our very existence on this planet. Think of the oceans, the atmosphere, the earth’s crust, underground fossil fuels…
Describing the flow of fluids, including the waves that travel within them, comprises the subject of fluid dynamics. A sequence of two courses will introduce you to this fascinating area.

Perhaps you are interested in learning about chaotic dynamics, the unpredictable behaviour of nonlinear systems, or how engineers design control systems, which are used in diverse areas such as robotics, aerospace engineering and biomedical research..

Have you ever wondered about Einstein’s theory of relativity, one of the revolutions in physics of the twentieth century? Or about how quantum mechanics — the physics of very small scales — differs from the classical mechanics of everyday life? If so, you may be interested in a course in general relativity or quantum mechanics.

Of course all of these applications require a strong mathematical background, which is developed in the first three years, starting with Calculus and Linear Algebra.

An education in Applied Mathematics gives you not only knowledge, but also the ability to organize and use that knowledge profitably. Every Applied Mathematics course is geared toward providing the students with the ability to use a variety of mathematical and computational tools to solve problems in various fields.

Graduate Attributes and Employability

Bachelor of Mathematics gradates with a major in Applied Mathematics will have the skills, abilities and knowledge sought after by a broad range of employers. On completion of the degree, graduates can expect:

1. In-depth knowledge and skills in mathematics, including:

a. Proficiency in the fundamentals of mathematics and statistics.
b.     Knowledge and skills of at least one area of Mathematics to a depth sufficient for further study, research or employment as a mathematician or statistician.
c.     Overview of areas of mathematics and understanding of connections between them.

2. Experience and understanding of mathematical applications, including the:

a. Ability to formulate mathematically problems arising outside mathematics.
b. Ability to validate mathematical models and to interpret their results.
c.   Ability to apply and adapt mathematical or statistical knowledge to a wide range of situations.

3. Judgement and ability in problem solving, including the:

a.     Ability to form conjectures and test them using mathematical or statistical methods.
b. Ability to reason formally from hypotheses to conclusions.
c.     Experience in the use of mathematical and statistical resources from the literature or in computational tools.

d. Ability to develop mathematical methods for the solution of problems.

4. Effective communication with the mathematical and broader community, including the:

a. Ability to use mathematical or statistical tools to assimilate and to present information.
b. Ability to present clear and systematic reasoning in an appropriate form.
c. Ability to articulate mathematical concepts and arguments.

5. Independence and collaboration, including the:

a. Capacity to work autonomously.

b. Capacity to work in a team.

c. Sound basis for independent learning and awareness of directions further study might take.

6. Understanding of the importance of standards of mathematical practice within the profession and broader community, including the:

a. Awareness of importance of using appropriate mathematical and statistical models.
b. Able to validate the reliability of mathematical techniques and cognisant of their scope.
c. Prepared to keep up with developments in mathematics and statistics

If you look at job ads online, you won’t find many requests for applied mathematicians. That’s because “applied mathematics” is not a profession in itself, but an education that can lead to many different professions. That can be a real advantage because as an applied math graduate you are not “typecast”. Years after graduation, as the needs of the economy change, you will be able to use your education to quickly and efficiently retrain yourself for the new opportunities (which may not be the case for many “professionals”). Keep in mind that the days when people stayed in one job for a lifetime are over!

• Applied Mathematics graduates with a B Math degree find many different types of jobs, because the skills of problem solving and critical thinking developed in our programs make them versatile and adaptable. These jobs typically involve research and development, software development or consulting, in areas such as:
• • Aerospace (Bombardier, CAE, Raytheon, Spar Aerospace)
  • Communications (Nortel, Mitel, Cantel, Telesat Canada)
  • Energy (Esso, Petrocan, Atomic Energy Control Board, Ontario Hydro)
  • Environment (Environment Canada, Dept. of Fisheries and Oceans, Nuclear Safety Solutions, RWDI Consulting Engineers)
  • Health and Medical Technology (Agfa Health Care)

The following list provides some example jobs available to graduates of a Bachelor of Mathematics majoring in Applied Mathematics. Some of these jobs will depend on the amount and level of study undertaken, level of experience, the combination of other majors and electives studied, while some may require further study.

• 3D Modeller
• Actuary
• Algorithm Designer

• Mathematical Geologist
• Mathematical Modeller

By Saima Rashid

Now that your Class 12 exams are over, what will be your next course of action? You may be finding yourself at the crossroads, with no idea on which way to turn. It’s about making the choice of your life, or more appropriately choosing your life. Selecting the right PUC course and the ideal college to make the grade is the first step in chalking the career plan. It’s crucial since after the choice is made, there will be no turning back. But the problem is there are too many options. You may witness persuasions coming in from all directions, but to make the most crucial decision, you need to be well informed. We have the details on what are the career options available for students pursuing higher education after class 12 Board examinations.

Chartered accountancy (CA) is one of the most popular choices of a student. The main duty of a chartered accountant is auditing company’s books, stock brokers and income tax assesses. A student who has avid desire to become a chartered accountant should try to join a CA course either after the 10+2 board examination by registering for the Professional Education (PE)-I course (a 10-month course) or after graduating (with the specified percentage) by registering for the PE II course (also 10-months long). Chartered financial analyst (CFA) is another exiting course for Commerce pursuer students. The chief responsibility of a chartered financial analyst is to manage in the areas of financial accounting, management accounting, financial management, investment management, security evaluation, project planning, venture capital management and credit rating. The duration of the course is 3-years after post graduation degree.

Company secretary (CS) is other interesting career which a person has certain liability for ensuring the company meets its statutory obligations. Student can apply for a company secretary course after passing (10+2) examination. Cost accountant course can take a student who passes the Senior Secondary Examination (under the 10+2 scheme) of a recognized board.

Earth Science deals basically with subjects such as geography, geology, oceanography, and concerned with the study of the earth, its composition or any of its changing aspects. Geosciences is not only just interesting as it involves the exploration of mysteries of earth, it is also a lucrative career option opening a wide range of opportunities to the aspirants of this course.

Earth Science Courses

A quite good number of institutions offer B.Tech and M.Tech course in the field of Earth Sciences. M.Sc program in geology, applied geology or geophysics cover theoretical aspects in this field, whereas M.Tech program covers practical application such as exploration of petroleum, metal and non-metallic minerals and ground water.

•          M.Tech in Petroleum Geosciences

•          M.Tech in Applied Geology

•          M.Tech in Applied Geophysics

Earth Science Eligibility Criteria

Students who have completed M.Sc in geology, applied geology or geophysics and have a valid score of GATE are eligible for the M.Tech courses.

Earth Science Job Prospects

Placement is not a problem for the students of this course. Students can get jobs in the oil sector, mining sector, remote sensing sector and petroleum sector.

Geoscientists with experience have lucrative prospects in private consultancy work also. International consulting opportunities are bright for those who have had prior experience on international geoscientific projects.

Earth Science Pay Package

The salary of the students ranges from Rs 3 lakh to Rs 6 lakh per month depending upon the sector one has joined.

Astronomy is the science dealing with all the celestial bodies in the universe. It is the study of the movement, nature and constitution of heavenly bodies. It is also the study of the laws which direct them, as also the effects, which they produce upon one another.

Branches of Astronomy

Astrochemistry: A branch of astronomy and chemistry dealing with the chemical composition and evolution of the universe and its parts.

Astrogeology: The science dealing with the structure and composition of planets and other bodies in the solar system.

Astrometeorology: The study of the theoretical effects of astronomical bodies and forces on the earth’s atmosphere.

Astrometry: The branch of astronomy that deals with the measurement of the positions and motions of the celestial bodies.

Astrobiology: The study of life beyond the earth’s atmosphere as on the planets

Astronomy Eligibility Criteria

For pursuing a career in Theoretical Astronomy/observations, one can do B.Sc. in Physics and /or Mathematics after 10 + 2. Master’s level course in Astronomy with specialization in Theoretical Astronomy is offered by various institutes and universities.

To pursue a career in Instrumentation/Experimental Astronomy, one can do Bachelor of Engineering (BE) in Electrical / Electronics/Electrical Communications, after 10 + 2. Then one can appear for the Joint Entrance Screening Test (JEST) examination, which makes one eligible to do specialization in astronomy leading to Ph. D.

A professional astronomer also takes courses in microelectronics & instrumentation. One can also contact the Board of Graduate Studies at IIA bgs@iiap.ernet.in.

Astronomy Job Prospects

After completion of a course in Astronomy, one can find placement as a Research Scientist with several research institutes and big Government organizations like the Indian Space Research Organization (DRDO).

Qualifying Indian Engineering Services (IES) wasn’t a cakewalk for the son of farmer hailing from a remote village. But as Riyaz Ul Khaliq finds out that Zahoor Ahmad Chath of Kangan did what others perceived as hard nut to crack

With the boost in morale of students preparing and joining civil services, less is known about high profile engineering posts and its services.

Last few decades saw huge number of students preferring Humanities after completion of their class 12 and preparing for state and union level civil services. Not only this, Kashmir saw doctors getting top slot in union public services commission’s exam a few years ago. Yes, Shah Faesal after doing MBBS did not practice medicine but went to New Delhi and prepared for IAS. When the results were out, he was All India topper. The year was 2010 when Kashmir saw huge anti-India protests.

Likewise, many engineering graduates do not practice engineering instead they too choose civil services. But little they know that engineers too have such services parallel to IAS, IFS or IRS.

The engineering graduates who have done their B. Tech or B.E. in four branches viz Civil, Electrical, Mechanical and Electronics and Communications are eligible to sit for the examination of Indian Engineering services (IES).

After they are declared successful, the IES candidates are then absorbed in various union government departments as high profile executives not less than the rank of an Executive engineer.

Central Works Commission, NHAI, Indian Railways and many more union departments are the employers of these IES qualified engineers.

Back in valley, the technical education has seen a boost. Besides, valley based government engineering colleges and one private college, a large number of students go to places like Punjab, Haryana, Rajasthan, UP etc to take this course, privately. But since then they don’t go for such engineering services. Either they go for private jobs in foreign countries or come back and do menial jobs.

But, for Zahid Ahmad Chath, knowledge and exposure of the subject is must, if anyone wants to do big in his/her subject. Zahid qualified IES from Valley after many years altogether.

Coming from a very humble background, Zahid did his matriculation from Radiant Public School situated in his native village of Kangan in South Kashmir’s Pulwama district.

After passing class tenth, Zahid topped twelfth from Fayaz Educational Institute, Nowgam in South Srinagar. He scored 623 out of 750 in full medical in 2007-08 academic session.

“In 2008, I qualified All India Engineering Entrance Examination (AIEEE) and was 167 topper of J&K state,” Zahid says. “I was allotted civil engineering branch and got National Institute of Technology, Hazratbal to pursue my course.”

Zahid was in his final semester when he qualified General Ability Test (GAT), in engineering and was declared 82 all India topper.

“As I got a very good rank, I easily managed admission in master’s course,” he informs. Qualifying GAT is necessary to get in to M. Tech course.

While, he completed B. Tech in July 2012, he started studying M. Tech. His being one of the top all India ranks, Zahid has specialisation in Structural Engineering. He completed M. Tech in 2014.

Meanwhile, Zahid informs that, in mid 2013 he applied for Indian Engineering services. “In September 2013, I qualified its MAINS and in March 2014, my interview session was done,” he continues.

Zahid, 24, comes from what he calls ‘backward than a declared backward village’. “We don’t have regular, I mean normal electricity in our village,” he replies when asked why his cell phone remains mostly switched off.

Zahid is the only son amongst his four sisters of his parents. “I am the eldest one. All my sisters are pursuing education and recently one of them completed bachelors,” he says.

Abdul Ahad Chath, Zahid’s father is a farmer. And his mother, a home maker. “There have been financial hiccups but Alhamdulillah, I completed my education successfully,” Zahid says. “While I was in B. Tech, I would get minority scholarship and M. Tech students are given Rs 10000 per month to compete their course,” he informs.

Zahid is highly thankful to his teachers at NIT. “Teachers particularly HOD has been very helpful as I got basic concepts cleared,” he says. “There is no option but a student needs to be dedicated, works hard work, and has will power to do things successfully,” he advises to budding students.

He adds, “Parental care and support is important!”

From a shy student to an outspoken public speaker, a youth from South Kashmir is writing a different life script by focusing on social activism along with his studies. Saima Rashid profiles the multi-talented youth from Pulwama 

Zakir Ayub Bhat

Through his bespectacled eyes, he focuses in the camera eye very keenly to capture emotions and expressions around. His camera work, like his social work, has earned him many accolades. At 21, he is already into documentary filmmaking, photography and social activism.

Zakir Ayoub Bhat hailing from South Kashmir’s Pulwama district is the only son of his parents (Zakir’s father is a doctor and his mother a home-maker.) Last year, he got 2nd and 3rd positions, respectively, in documentary screening and photography in a film fest organized by IUST Awantipora.

“Scoring maximum or being counted among the toppers hardly interests me,” says Zakir, “but people showing interest in my work is the source of my contentment.”

He started his schooling from Army Public School, Srinagar. But due to some personal reasons he left the school midway and joined Good Shepherd Mission School, Pulwama, where he studied up to 7th standard. Then he joined Delhi Modern Public School (DMPS) Pampore, where he passed out his matriculation. For Senior Secondary education, he joined MM Senior High School Pulwama where he passed his 12th Class in 2012 as a non-medical student.

Zakir candidly asserts that he was a shy and reserved guy until he joined DMPS Pampore. Talking openly to his comrades or interacting with teachers was difficult for him, he says. Zakir’s life, however, changed in that school when he was made the ‘school head boy’. “That position invoked a great confidence in me,” he says. “And today, I can face a good audience and the entire credit for this goes to my teachers.” He was awarded “Mr DMPS” 2010 and ”Student Of The Year” by the same school in 10th class. He is currently pursuing Bachelors in Computer Engineering from IUST Awantipora.

In 2011, he met a local lawyer who helped him to step into social activism. He has worked on projects like “Save Hangul” and “Adobe Youth Voices”.

“The majestic Hangul or Kashmiri Stag is a powerful symbol of the future of Kashmir,” he believes, “as Hangul is the national identity of Kashmir.”

To spread the word for “Save Hangul” campaign, he did extensive campaigning in different schools in his area. During campaigning, he faced a huge audience. And every time, he stepped on the stage to address his audience, Zakir was only growing confident.

In 2012, along with his childhood friend (Syed Abdul Mohsin), Zakir joined a project, “Adobe Youth Voices”. The project, he says, helped him to polish his photography skills.

Apart from his interest for camera works and social activism, Zakir is equally devoted to poetry. He penned his first poem in 10th class and over the period of time, he has compiled a collection of his own English poems. And presently, he is writing his first novel “Nineteen”.

“Its [Novel] is all about love and career,” he says. “The story is based on a teenager who gives more importance to love rather than making his career and at last he understands that career must be his first preference.”

In 2011, he participated in ’30th National Shooting Ball Championship 2011′ held at Rao, Madhya Pradesh. In the same year he also participated in ’57th National School Games 2011′ discipline ‘Sepak Takraw’ held at Margoa, Goa. In 2013 he participated in ’31th National Shooting Ball Championship 2013′ held at Ghaziabad, Uttar Pradesh. In 2014 he became the first youngest member of “Talent Club” of Islamic University Of Science And Technology, Awantipora.

With already an array of public performances under his belt, Zakir believes: to be remembered, live uncommon. “I once pondered over life and found social activism my goal,” he says.

Rameez Wani who recently joined America based Dunkin’ Donuts as Field Supervisor at its Riyadh, Saudia Arabia unit tells Saima Rashid how Kashmir’s tourism sector lacks professionals

Kashmir Life (KL): What is the procedure of getting into hotel management?

Rameez Wani (RW):  After passing class 12th, one has to appear in All India CET test, and then authorities select candidates on merit basis for prescribed colleges. But Kashmir is an exception; anyone from any field can be employed in this sector.

KL: What is the scope of hotel management in Kashmir?

RW: There is no scope for a person who holds a professional degree in hotel management in Kashmir. At most you will get Rs 8 thousand a month, that too when you give in more than 12 hours shift.

KL: What do you think our hospitality sector lacks?

RW: We lack professional attitude. People are not ready to employ professionals; rather they bring guys from villages and small towns and pay them meagre salaries. This is not how you can leave a lasting impression on visitors’ mind. Even big 5 star hotels like Taj Vivanta don’t have any professionals. That is why they hardly have any 5 star facility available there.

KL: How was your experience of working in Kashmir?

RW: I haven’t worked but interned with Vivanta by Taj  and Centaur Lakeview Hotel. Recently I joined Dunkin’ Donuts after I worked with Dominoz Pizza at its Raipur based outlet as Restaurant Manager for two years.

KL: Please share your experience at Dominoz?

RW: Dominoz Pizza is a 24X7 running service company and Kashmir is an unpredictable place where even strikes can last for months. And moreover Dominoz Pizza provides a good package and if employees prove good, they get promotions after every six months. In Kashmir, employees get promotions nearly after three or four years.

KL: Tourists often carry a bad impression at the end of their visit to Kashmir?

RW: It is because of lack of professionalism and professionals involved with the sector that tourists feel cheated. Product of Rs 100 is sold to them at Rs 1000. We don’t even know how to be courteous.

KL: How can we improve the hotel management sector here?

RW: There is an urgency of grooming the individuals, hiring professionals, and moreover we have to stop cheating tourists by showing them nothing on the quality food, good accommodation and so on.

Mufti Sadia, 23, owner of ‘Hangers the Closet’ tells Saima Rashid that one doesn’t need any degree to become a fashion designer

Mufti Sadia

Kashmir life (KL):  How to become a fashion designer?

Mufti Sadia (MS):  There is no procedure actually. I haven’t joined any institute to be a Fashion designer. All you need is to be creative about making designs. Degree or diploma in fashion designing hardly matters; even I have been a science student and recently I have completed my masters in International business from IGNOU.

KL:  What was your parent’s reaction when they got to know about your interest in fashion designing?

MS: My mother and my sisters were supportive but my father thought, I will be only wasting my time. It took me lot of time to convince my father. Our parents have basically restricted their thinking to medical and engineering fields only. Fashion designing sounds alien to people in Kashmir.

KL:  How to make a career in fashion designing?

MS: One should be creative enough to make designs. The familiarity with fabric usage and fabric type is needed. And most importantly there are some Do’s and Don’ts which one should follow. One should be outspoken and confident to convince customer to buy his/her designs. Over confidence is bad. Rather be down to earth. Do not overdo your designs that will lead to confusion. In a nutshell be simple, be different. And yeah use any kind of fabric.

KL: How difficult was it to open a store in Kashmir?

MS: Always start from the scratch. First I concentrated on designs that were comfortable for Kashmiri consumers. Then I started using Pakistani fabric for my designs because Kashmiri girls are crazy about Pakistani outfits. I rented a low budget shop in Lal chowk to check out the exposure. And then the journey started.

KL: What is the scope of fashion designing in a place like Kashmir?

MS: Usage of designer clothes is growing in Kashmir but at a slow pace. I would say it is very hard to convince an ordinary Kashmiri lady to buy your designs. A normal outfit costs very less than a designed one, because we have to use bulky and expensive fabric to make such designs. In Kashmir, products are purchased on quantitative grounds rather than qualitative. So it becomes very hard to switch customer’s mind to qualitative world.

Tariq Rehmani, associate Vice President in JD Group, a New Delhi based real estate company, tells Saima Rashid that students in Kashmir have almost no exposure even after completing their degrees

Tariq Rehmani

Kashmir Life (KL): What is Marketing Management?

Tariq Rehmani (TR): Marketing Management is similar to MBA. It is an organizational discipline that focuses on the internal organization and on the management of a firm’s marketing resources and activities.

KL: How did you got into this field?

TR: Like every other Kashmiri student, my mind was also confined to the fields like Engineering and Medicine. Becoming a doctor was the only thing that occupied my mind. But when I failed to crack the exam, I joined Islamia College of Science and Commerce. After that, I went to Bangalore to purse MBA.

KL: What is the scope of Marketing Management in a place like Kashmir?

TR: Kashmiris are the most impatient professionals in the world. They expect high profile jobs soon after completing their masters. Moreover, we believe in rote learning. What we need is proper marketing education system in colleges. Presentation skills and personality development is given least preference here. Students in Kashmir have almost no exposure even after completing their degrees.

KL: What are the career opportunities in Marketing Management?

TR: Kashmir offers least career opportunities in this field, if compared with other cities. There are only few corporates who have branches set up in Kashmir. Companies fear to invest here, because of the unpredictable situation. Though there were still fair chances of its survival but our Government policies are least favourable to it.

KL: How far is EDI helpful?

TR: I thing EDI is the only place in Kashmir where youth are trained to be self reliant. EDI helps youngsters in setting up new businesses, which was not a norm earlier. We owe a lot to EDI for promoting small enterprises.

KL: Share your experience as Associate Vice President in JD Group?

TR: I started my career from a small scale jobs like Relationship Executives in banks. Then I was promoted to the position of branch head in Met Life. Profile improves step by step. One should be patient and dedicated towards his job, money will follows itself. The best thing about working outside Kashmir is that you get to rub your shoulders with professionals.

Love for research took a Sopore born scientist to one of the best laboratories in America where he toiled hard to unearth the genetic behaviour, reports Saima Rashid  

In ever-evolving scientific world, fascinating experiments keep altering the outlook of human life. One such experiment happened recently when a Kashmiri born scientist in America used yeast, a unicellular organism known to be used in bread and beverage preparation, as a tool to test human genes.

The experiment was done by Dr Ashiq Hussain Kachroo along with his other post doctoral researchers, at University of Texas (Austin). The team carried out a lauding experiment on Baker’s yeast and transformed this single-celled organism to behave more like humans at a molecular level by a process called “humanisation of yeast”.

“This is something happening for the first time,” said Dr Hussain. “Scientists can now put a human gene in yeast cell to check if it will work well in yeast and moreover can tell us, if a certain human gene causes a disease, then you can simply try a specific drug for that disorder without affecting the other pairs.”

A son of retired teachers, Dr Hussain was born and brought up in north Kashmir’s Sopore. During his school days at Sopore’s Iqbal Memorial Public School, he was more into physics and chemistry, and less into biology. “It may sound strange, but biology never interested me,” he said. “But see the fate; I am now a scientist of molecular biology. I mean, you never know, when and where your interest shifts.”

After passing his class 12 in medical stream, he appeared in JKCET but was selected on payment seat. “My father wanted me to be a doctor,” he said, “and I was simply following his words, but getting admission on payment seat wasn’t acceptable to me. So, I gave up and joined Govt degree college Sopore for Bachelors instead.”

For the next three years, Dr Hussain was battling to give direction to his life. The confusion prevailed till he reached Kashmir University for pursuing Masters in Biochemistry and ended up meeting his mentor Dr Khursheed Iqbal Andrabi, the incumbent Vice Chancellor of the varsity. “He (Dr Andrabi) actually taught us (students) research not books,” he said. “University was fun. We used to have picnics every year outside Kashmir to visit scientific labs.” During one such trip, he visited IISC (Indian Institute of Science) Bangalore.

IISC Bangalore was his dream institute to pursue his PhD from, as some heavyweight scientists like CV Raman, CNR Rao, G Padmanabhan and others were part of it. To clear his doctoral decks, he appeared in All India level entrance test and availed a research slot in IISC. “The place is full of science,” he said, “it enhanced my scientific aptitude.”

It was at IISC, Dr Hussain started making forays in US universities for post doctorate. And the moment his PhD paper in molecular biology was published, it was ranked 19th worldwide and 8th in US.

Once out of IISC, he wanted to do research in Genome Engineering and Synthetic Biology. It was in the same quest, he secured a chance to do his post doctorate from University of Texas at Austin, where he started his research project with Dr Edward M Marcotte, Prof molecular sciences and co-director centre and systems of synthetic biology, in Oct 2010.

And with that begins the five year journey to experiment and publish “humanisation of yeast project”.

The basis behind the experiment was the assertion that humans in no way look like yeast but share thousands of genes with yeast cells. Dr Hussain said they are recognizable and this is because a billion years ago, “we had a common ancestor and we would like to know if their genes work the same way like ours. And for that, we carried out this experiment.”

To perform the experiment, they created hundreds of genetically engineered strains of yeasts, called humanised yeast. Each strain had a disabled yeast gene and a human version of the gene that they could either turn on or off. The human gene acted like a “kill switch”. “And if one turns off the human gene, the cell would die. If we would turn on the human gene, we would see if it is capable of living on active human gene,” he said.

For each gene pair, they tested with the human gene on and off. And with control groups, they were sure of the tests. They tested each pair of gene in three different ways. All of that added to thousands of mini experiments for about four years. The researchers found that half of the 450 yeast genes could grow and reproduce with just the human version. All the human genes roughly around 450 were obtained from Harvard University generated collection.

“We had over 30 news reports on this publication and top US journals published them, like Discovery News, Science daily, MeteoWeb (in Italian), NBS News, Washington Post and many more,” Dr Hussain said. “This was a crazy experiment. I had no idea whether it would be a complete failure or success. But, it was a great success.”

Strategy always fascinated a Sopore born scholar who rose to become Kashmir’s first doctorate in Strategic Studies. But the sad truth remains that in conflict region, there are no takers of this conflict specialist, reports Saima Rashid

Dr Shaheen Showkat

In 2006, a young scholar from Sopore visited neighbouring Baramulla with a motive to teach Military Studies in Degree College there. But the scholar who later became Kashmir’s only doctorate in Strategic Studies shortly had a rendezvous with the reality: The course was banned in the campus after militancy broke out in Punjab. And why it happened, is still beguiling his brains.

The ban was imposed in early eighties, but Dr Shaheen Showkat, who was eager to impart Strategic tutoring at the college, never knew it. With the result, he started focussing on research than chasing job. Nine years later, intriguingly, this post-doctorate fellow is still jobless.

Over the years, his acumen for research established him one of the finest brains of Kashmir trained in Strategic Studies. But before rising in research ranks, the young Showkat from Zainagiree Sopore was a “curious” student of Government Higher Secondary School Sopore, fascinated by strategy. Once done with schooling, he went for Humanities from Government Degree College Sopore, where his passion for Strategic Studies heaved. “During graduation,” he said, “people would ask me about my subjects. ‘I have opted for military sciences, medical sciences, and stone sciences,’ I would reply to thwart all attempts of poking fun of Arts students.”

By the time he was out of college, his passion for Strategic studies had skyrocketed. He shortly joined Pune University in 2003 for pursuing Masters in the subject. Two years later, he joined Pune’s Symbiosis Institute of Mass Communication to teach Journalism, particularly International Relations. A year later, he left the Institute and visited valley.

Back home with nothing significant to do, he returned Pune to pursue his PhD. That was the toughest and testing time for him “because I had to prove myself”. It was 2006 and by spring that year, Showkat started his PhD program. “Hailing from conflict mired state, I chose to do my doctorate in conflict management,” he said. “I was pretty well aware of the fact that conflicts never end, so all we have to do is, to learn managing that conflict.” One of the stark points in his doctorate thesis is: “any misunderstanding in a conflict region can be resolved only through negotiations”.

Once he began working on his PhD, he joined many institutes, either for research or teaching graduate courses. And shortly he realised, strategic studies has least scope in Asia due to “absence of war” in the continent. “But in countries like America with war history,” he said, “The subject is in great demand.” America and West always think on strategic lines, be it in war, or in peace, he said, “Basically war and peace are illness and wellness of a body. If you cannot diagnose the root cause of illness, you can’t sustain wellness.” So, he said, strategic studies—known as Security Studies in America, Military Studies in Australia and Strategic Studies in Asia—is relevant in all terms.

He termed America the “highly cultured strategic thinker”. To thrust on his point, he said, “When war was going on between Russia and Afghanistan, America intervened and pumped up Afghans in the name of Jihad. They knew Muslim countries will send huge monetary aid to Afghan warlords in the name of holy war, who would cash it to avail arms and ammunitions from America. The trick worked and thus boosted American economy thriving on war.”

Showkat said one component of Strategy Studies is “Advance Thinking”. It is a kind of pure analytical mentality asking where you will be tomorrow? What are your short term, mid term and long term plans? How you will achieve those goals which you have been assigned without referring your past or looking towards your past, he said, “the second component of the subject is Extra Mileage, stressing on the fact that you are not sleeping, lazy, luxurious, and a Profilist.”

Presently pursuing his Post Doctoral Fellowship awarded by Indian Council of Social Science Research, New Delhi (ICSSR) at University of Kashmir, Showkat has many national and international publications and few books to his name. “The decision of pursuing Strategic Studies was partly a risk and mainly adventurous for me,” he said. “But till I am not accommodated in government sector, I will do more research, as research opens our mind while money closes it.”

Strategy was always in the “blood” of this Sopore scholar, who is cutting a curious figure for himself. Simply because in the world’s oldest conflict registered with United Nations, this conflict expert has no takers.

Irked by corrupt ration distribution system, a group of five students innovated a biometric system that promises to eliminate black-marketing. Saima Rashid reports

The ‘Rationalising Ration’ team in the technical laboratory of Kashmir University’s engineering department. (Sitting: Mohsib on left and Tanveer Hussian on right)

It was a graduation day for engineering students of Kashmir University. The air of excitement was quite visible inside the auditorium. Soon their names would have a new prefix: Engineers.

Their excitement increased when the head of the department announced that the department was ready to assist any student who had an idea or project with innovative value.

Within no time the students formulated an idea to overhaul the ‘corruption ridden’ Ration Distribution System (RDS) of Kashmir.

Soon, the group, led by Tanveer Hussain, innovated a biometric based Electronic Ration Distribution System that would make ration distribution “completely transparent”.

“The idea was to put an end to overcrowding, wastage of time, regular fights, inaccuracy, black marketing and many such problems on Ration Ghats,” says Hussain.

After finishing their degree in Electronics and Communication Engineering from University of Kashmir, Hussain and his team of four other innovators (three girls and one other boy) were supposed to submit a combined project. That was when the idea about this ambitious project popped in their mind.

“For me, Ration Distribution System in Kashmir is as corrupted as any other government department where some manage to gobble most, while others are left with paltry, depending on how your relation with the Munshi is,” feels Hussain.

The group believes that once this innovation comes into practice, wrongdoings like black markeeting and inaccuracy will surely take a hit.

“The consumer will be allotted only 15 minutes to collect the ration and if he couldn’t pull off in this time, he will have to wait for next month,” says Mohsib, one of the innovators.

Undistributed quantity will go back to Food and Supplies Department, he adds.

Biometric system is completely finger print based, so whole process of printing Ration Cards will become obsolete, and details of the consumers will be saved in the Biometric system. The project is intended for public distribution of essential commodities like sugar, flour, rice, kerosene to a large number of people through a network, on a regular basis, in an automated way.

The project starts with fingerprint enrolment of every adult member of a particular family. Each family will receive a unique ID. Once the fingerprint of a specific family member matches the already enrolled fingerprint library, the message will be sent to the mobile handset of the controller of ghat. The controller will send the message in coded form to the system specifying the quantity of ration that has to be given to a particular family.

“Accordingly, the system will provide the allotted quantity to the customer. A feedback message will be sent by the system to the food and supplies department to update about the collection of the allotted quantity of ration and the remaining quantity of ration left in that particular ghat,” says Hussain.

The major drawback of current RDS is that, if by chance, a consumer is not able to collect ration on time, the distributor would black-market the undistributed ration without anybody knowing.

Hussain, the head of the team who hails from Lawaypora in Srinagar outskirts, is a multitalented person; a script writer, videographer, blogger and now, an engineer.

“I write scripts, and then turn them into videos. Since I have no platform to screen my work, I simply upload them on YouTube. Engineering is my career but script-writing is a passion,” he says.

Hussain is aware that to turn an innovation into reality, one needs capital, equipment, and a well organized lab.

Since Hussain and his group are no longer regular students of KU, they are uncertain if the university will let them work on the project anymore.

“No matter if the innovator is ex-university student or the student of any other college, they are welcome to present their ideas,” says Prof Mohi ud din, HoD of Electronic and Communication Department, University of Kashmir.

In 2014, the students of 4th, 5th, and 7th semester from this department had come up with a range of innovations like Baby Pee Sensor, Priority Wise Voltage System, Electronic Kangiri and what not. “But university has its own approval process.”

“We first make these innovators present their project at the University level in presence of concerned experts called Technology Angels. When they find them worth, only then I recommend their projects for further screening to DSIR and other national labs like PRISM and TOCIC,” says Prof Mohi Ud Din. Till now his department has released Rs 25 lakhs for such innovations.

 “Let these students approach me, they will receive similar support,” he assures.

A small town girl’s month long American tour changed her idea of education and life completely. Saima Rashid narrates her experience

Afeefa and other students who studied Robotic Engineering in US.

The  moment Afeefa Farooq, an 11 standard student from Pulwama district, stepped inside Harvard University in USA, her eyes sparkled in amazement. It was a dream journey. After every step she was promising herself that she will be part of this University, no matter what.

Afeefa was not the only one who was thinking on those lines. Her group mates from Pakistan, and different parts of mainland India were lost in the same thoughts. After sometime everyone started giving voice to their thoughts and unanimously spoke. “We promise to meet at this place after two years. Not as foreign students on a month long trip but as Harvard students. We will be back.”

Afeefa was among eight students selected from across India to study Robotic Engineering from University of Rhode Island’s (URI’s). Every year URI conducts a month long Building Bridges programme for students from across the world. This programme is conducted entirely on scholarship basis.  In 2015 eight students each from Pakistan, Turkey, India and the Province were part of this programme.

“I was the only student from Kashmir in the Indian group,” says Afeefa.  “I was very excited about this trip. Not because I was going to America, rather studying in any foreign land from any foreign University excites me.”

Afeefa did her initial schooling from Delhi Public School Srinagar then joined Dolphin International School Pulwama till 10th. Both of her parents are into academics.

“I am never pressurised to study hard or get good grades. My parents always advice me to study for the sake of learning and implementing rather than getting higher grades,” says Afeefa.

Maths is Afeefa’s favourite subject.  With a headphone in her ears she spends entire day solving numerical problems. “Music sharpens my mind rather than creating disturbance,” says Afeefa proudly.

Back in America, URI Building Bridges 2015 had made two more groups to participate from SEA (Summer Engineering Academy), but with a paid participation. “We had four counsellors, two from SEA and two from Building Bridges. Entire month was so productive that we learned to move and program robots in the direction we wished.”

Afeefa recalls that one of her projects was ‘Egg Drop Challenge’. “The aim was to drop an egg from the roof and not let it break,” says Afeefa.

A month’s stay taught Afeefa that ‘America lives in practicality’. American students don’t just read books but practice them, she says. “In Kashmir we are made to blindly follow whatever is written in our textbooks. Unless we don’t introduce a bit of Americanism in our education system we cannot grow,” says Afeefa.

The other projects she worked on along with her group mates were Trebuchet Contest, Propeller Car Challenge and Propeller Car Race. “We were given a motor to make a car propeller.”

Afeefa was part of a group of three students. “My other two mates were from Pakistan and the Province itself,” says Afeefa. “The aim was to see whose car is the fastest and I won the competition. That was the proud moment for me. Appreciation from professors followed,” Afeefa adds.

Afeefa credits her success to her school where she overcame her shy nature and gained confidence. “I still remember the moment when I learnt that my Visa was approved. It was a big moment for a small town girl like me,” recalls Afeefa.

At the end of her month long stay in America Afeefa recalls how everybody was in tears. “I felt terrible when I was about to leave America. But then the hope of coming back helped me smile,” says Afeefa confidently.

First from her community to qualify this prestigious Kashmir Administration Services (KAS), a Muslim girl hailing from Udhampur dreamed to serve society by being the part of administration. RIYAZ UL KHALIQ profiles the 2014 KAS topper

Saba Noor

She is still to complete her Master’s in Zoology yet she topped the recently declared results of Kashmir Civil Services.

Saba Noor, an MSc Zoology student at Jammu University is serial one in the Kashmir Administrative Services results declared by J&K Public Service Commission (PSC) last week. A total of 99 candidates were declared successful by the Commission.

Hailing from Jammu’s Udhampur district, Saba’s cherished dream of serving society was fulfilled with the declaration of the result. “It was in my blood to serve society,” Saba says in a humble tone. “First I thought to go for MBBS which unluckily I couldn’t qualify but dropped at Unani Medicine,” she informs.

After her class twelfth results in 2009, Saba tried her luck in J&K CET and got Unani Medicine branch but did not join.

Eldest of her siblings, Saba instead joined Government Women’s College, Udhampur and completed her Bachelors in Science in 2012. Her two brothers are 2nd year BBA and Twelfth Class students.

“I tried for PG programme in Jammu University and I got in, she says adding, “Meanwhile PSC had announced KAS posts and I applied.”

Saba had her primary education from Allah-Ditta Memorial School, Badali-her home village. The school has been named after Saba’s grandfather, Allah Ditta. “Grandpa was a much respected figure in the area,” she informs. “He would lead prayers in the local Masjid and would also teach students.”

Saba’s father, Noor Muhammad, is a Hardware shopkeeper in Garhi area of Udhampur while her mother teaches at a government run school.

“I was only three years old when grandpa died. What I am told today is that Grandpa had foretold about such a career,” Saba continues.

Saba had her matriculation from Convent Public School and did her twelfth from Happy Model Public School, Udhampur in 2009.

“Not qualifying was no way a disappointment for me as there was a long way to go and it still is,” she notes.

Kashmir saw a huge intervention in its education sector in the last years of first decade of 21st century. Students changed from traditional careers and started taking recourse to administrative line.

“I made it a point then to get into civil services as I think administration is one of the prominent platforms where from we can serve society, serve in a more better and authoritatively,” Saba says.

As she applied for the highest cadre post in Kashmir region, Saba, besides her Master’s subject-Zoology, chose Anthropology. “Anthropology was a good combination because of fewer syllabi and more interesting.”

As she started her preparation for the examination, Saba had to attend her University as well. But as she puts it, “I managed a two hour preparation daily besides my university classes.”

“As Zoology was my subject from class eleventh so it was easier for me. My basic concepts were cleared already,” she informs.

“It would be better if students who wish to join civil services qualify in their own subjects. It would make them Master in their subject of choice as well,” she argues.

First from her community to qualify this prestigious exam, Saba is hopeful that her joining civil services would boost the morale of her area. “Yes, I hope that my achievement is rightly observed and aspiring students work hard and get successful,” she says adding, “Civil Services is not the only option.”

“Whatever career you choose, try to make a difference,” she says. “Right decision at right time is crucial besides, counseling is must.”

Saba credits her success to her parents and teachers. “Nothing less than hard work will help you,” Saba advises aspiring students. She adds, “As is known that Dua is the weapon, so use it profusely! Ask for prayers from your elders, your parents.”

“If it may be right to say but I think Ramadan prayers have been answered!”

Five years back he couldn’t face an audience of even ten people. But the will to overcome his fears bore fruits and helped Muhammad Saud Kashmiri become a well known public motivational speaker. Saima Rashid reports

Muhammad Saud Kashmiri

Every summer Muhammad Saud Kashmiri, 25, visits his motherland to stay connected with his roots.

It is his father’s wish that Muhammad should spent at least two months in Kashmir every year so that he can get to know the people and their way of living. “And thus the tradition started,” said Muhammad.

But after spending time in Kashmir, Muhammad could sense the natives are bright and as intelligent as any other society, all they lack is exposure and confidence. “Helping my people was always on my mind,” said Muhammad.

When this year Muhammad came for his customary two month stay in Kashmir, he had already charted out plans to help the youth. “I will interact with youngsters at a seminar titled ‘Unstoppable: Developing Habits of Success’. This will help them develop leadership skills, discover their potential, and excel in life,” said Muhammad.

At the age of sixteen Muhammad joined an American University. It was there that he honed his leadership skills and focused on public speaking and youth engagement.

“No one is a born genius. But when you are exposed to right people at the right time, success follows you,” said Muhammad.

Five years back Muhammad was a shy and a ‘reserved kind of person’ who would fret at the thought of facing an audience.

“I would tremble if made to express myself in front of people. But my teachers helped me overcome that fear. Now I want everyone, especially Kashmiri youth to believe in their talent and overcome their fears,” said Muhammad. “That is what my seminar is aimed at.”

The event in University of Kashmir on August 23 2015.

But it is in Malaysia from where Muhammad was pursuing a degree in Robotics Engineering that he started his journey as an inspirational speaker.  “I’m really thankful that I get to do this everyday! This is where I come in to help overcome fear of people because I’ve been there too,” said Muhammad.

While still an undergraduate, Muhammad formed a Malaysia based organisation with a motto to instil ambition and develop leadership skills among the youth. So far he has led dozens of project teams and organized over 200 events including five international conferences. These events were attended by 30 international speakers from over 15 countries and 75,000 participants.

“It feels good people say, ‘you have changed our lives for better’. I have seen people who have knowledge, money, and job but couldn’t express themselves. And the hesitation to speak leaves a void in their lives. Lack of confidence makes their lives less appealing. That is where they need me or the people like me who have overcome fear,” said Muhammad.

Muhammad has directed and hosted regular FM radio shows and curated large social media campaigns for global audiences. During his two month long stay, Muhammad has, so far, held a number of interactive sessions in schools and colleges across Kashmir. The main theme of these sessions is: ‘Personality development, Leadership skills, Confidence, Winner’s attitude and overcoming failures’. “Since I can’t reach to everyone in Kashmir I am organizing an event in Kashmir University.”

Unlike other summers Muhammad wants this one to be a memorable and productive one. “I feel good when I am among my people. This is where I belong to. And this is where I must use my skills,” Muhammad asserts.  “These are my annual summer holidays and I’m working harder now than I do during the rest of the year! From the overwhelming response I’ve seen so far from
our youth, I am positive that this is only the beginning of a long ‘Unstoppable’ journey Insha Allah.”