Srinagar, July 19 -- Yesterday evening, I went for a walk with my cousin, Advocate Zia Sultan. As we strolled, our conversation took a thoughtful turn.

We were discussing the latest National Family Health Survey (NFHS) report, which revealed a steep decline in Kashmir's Total Fertility Rate, from 2.1 to 1.4.

As we passed a modest house, our eyes caught a woman in her 40s standing silently on a balcony. She looked elegant and educated, yet burdened.

Her stillness spoke volumes, of silent struggles, delayed motherhood, and societal expectations that no longer align with reality.

Our thoughts soon turned to Mr. X, a mutual friend. He's well-qualified, ambitious, but still unmarried and financially constrained.

Like many others, he's stu...