Srinagar, July 23 -- At Srinagar's Government College for Women, M.A. Road, the auditorium turned into a forum of hard truths on Wednesday.

One after another, young speakers stood up to confront the crises shaping their generation, turning a campus conference into something far more powerful: a glimpse of a future speaking for itself.

The college's Debating and Seminar Committee had titled the one-day student conferenceHereandBeyond, part of a yearlong celebration marking 75 years of the institution.

The event brought together voices from across the valley, many confronting the very issues shaping their generation.

"This college has always been more than classrooms," said Principal Prof. (Dr.) Yasmeen Farooq. "It's a space where ideas...