Q, March 7 -- Can you tell us about your journey and what led you to become an educator?

Growing up in Ranbirpora Mattan, a rural village in South Kashmir categorized as RBA (Reserved Backward Area), I witnessed firsthand the barriers to education. Despite my father being the first graduate in our area, our village lagged behind in literacy and quality education. Farming dominated our livelihoods, and the community lacked the motivation to prioritize education for their children.

Determined to change this, I pursued professional degrees in education (B.Ed, M.Ed) and a Master's in Sociology from Kashmir University. Working in reputed schools across Anantnag allowed me to gain diverse teaching experiences. While I initially taught older s...