Bandipora, Aug. 20 -- Suhail Rather

In North Kashmir's Bandipora district, 27-year-old Shahida Khanam has turned what began as a personal fascination into a mission that now carries the weight of an entire community's history.

From her modest home in Aragam village, she has built the region's first tribal museum, an archive of Gujjar identity that doubles as a platform for empowerment.

For Shahida, the journey started not with grand plans, but with a lingering curiosity. "I would often notice the vibrant dresses, jewelry, and the distinct way of life in my community," she recalled in a conversation with Kashmir News Service (KNS). "But I also saw how little effort was being made to protect it."

That observation pushed her to act. What...