Looking Beyond Burhan Wani, Here¡¯s Why J&K Needs Better Icons That Give The State Education And Jobs

There are no numbers for how many grieved for the death of Burhan Wani, J&K¡¯s militant poster boy. But there are numbers worth reckoning the future of every Kashmiri

Kashmiri youth are looking for jobs

The 2001 census showed 64% of the Valley's population under 30, a number projected to touch 66% in 2011. That means over 7 lakh people 18 and 30 - half of whom are unemployed. Over 78,000 people in the 18-25 age group have some kind of computer education but most of them have no jobs. If educated Kashmiris are escaping their paradise by the truckload, then clearly it is time for the youth to rethink what they believe in.

The region needs economic infrastructure to thrive

Handicrafts and horticulture can only get a region so far. J&K needs to expand on its assets, and develop new strengths. At the moment, Kashmir is among the many states which receives an annual largesse that goes into thousands of crores.

India is keen to push the state's biggest asset, its ambitious youth, forward

bharatniti

The Indian army has been coaching local kids for 25 years to help them crack prestigious engineering colleges, like the IIT. Last year, 23 underprivileged yet academically brilliant students were selected from across the state and coached for competitive examinations in the engineering stream. Of these, one cleared the IIT-JEE Advanced examination and as many as 17 found seats in other prestigious engineering colleges,

This Indian army initiative, (Operation Sadbhavna), was initiated when political turbulence began in 1990

When Kashmir's own government schools ceased to function, it was the army under Operation Sadbhavna, that opened Army Goodwill Schools and rendered assistance to approximately 1,900 state government run schools in remote areas through renovation, construction of additional classrooms, libraries, toilets, playgrounds, sports facilities, provisioning of furniture, computers, educational software packages, stationery and books. About a lakh students have obtained middle and higher secondary level education in Army Goodwill Schools in the last 15 years.

Its time to build ties with India and forge a dialogue - which can only happen if we don't have to quarantine the state off, afraid of constant insurgency.

It is militants who have sprung up from within the state, not across the borders! While these terrorists are able to pull off attacks on jawan convoys, army bases and police stations, it isn't hard to see local Kashmiri casualties among the dead - after all, a grenade isn't precise.

Kashmir has the potential to unleash enterprising poster boys

J&K youth should reach out to, and seek mentorship from the IITians, captains of industry, and other hard working Kashmiri achievers instead of looking upto armed men.

Also read: The Valley Has Decided To Fight Back, More Than 300 Kashmiri Men Join The Indian Army