Srinagar, May 8 -- A hundred kilometers from Srinagar, Zahoor Hussain Hakeem is quietly transforming a forgotten village. Dewalgam, nestled in misty Kokernag, has long been a place marked by isolation and hardship. But at 40, Zahoor has become its beacon of hope, defying the odds that once held him back.

Zahoor's story began at 15, when his father sent him to Srinagar to ease the family's financial burdens. Working as a servant for a wealthy man, Zahoor earned just enough to survive.

Yet, despite the hard labour, he found time to study. His late nights were fuelled by philosophy, literature, and Urdu poetry. It was through this self-discipline that he earned a degree in Political Science and a teaching credential, both with top marks. ...