Srinagar, July 12 -- That's what makes the launch of a 24-hour student hackathon in Srinagar so important. Open to schoolchildren and first-year college students, the event offers hands-on training in coding, artificial intelligence, and collaborative software development. It is a window into a world most young Kashmiris rarely see.

The program is simple in form, yet ambitious in purpose. Beginners start with Scratch, a visual language that teaches the logic behind programming. Others move on to more advanced concepts, including large language models and version control systems.

But what matters most is not the syllabus. It is the invitation, to think differently, work in teams, and build something new.

In many parts of India, such pro...