Arush Chowdhery

High School Finalist, Grade 9
New Hyde Park, NY

The Valley of Kashmir

On the night of January 19th, 1990, the Valley of Kashmir rested silently. The villagers all whispered their nightly prayers and lay serenely in their humble homes. Without warning, a voice echoed across the night sky, resonated against the nearby Dal Lake, and bounced off the sky-scraping mountains of the Himalayas. 

“Convert, Leave, or Die.” 

Within hours, a once heavenly place became consumed by destruction. Thousands of armed militants and terrorists rushed the streets, killing hundreds of Kashmiri minorities in the process. A paradise full of beautiful mountains, lush fields, and lakes that rested with an unearthly holiness, regressed to a hotspot of violence, fear, and chaos. Facing a new life in different parts of the world, these individuals have forged a new society, enriching their Kashmiri children with the stories of their past and the events they’ve experienced. I am one of those children, one who has become immersed in the culture, history, and resilience of my people while living in the United States. Yet, the tension still persists, only emerging once every few years as a reminder that one of India’s most gorgeous lands is still threatened. However, with more international awareness, the world can put an end to this ongoing conflict that has continued to serve as an obstacle to India’s development. 

Context and Implications 

After India’s independence in 1947, the British Empire created superimposed boundaries to divide up its territory. As a result, people were arbitrarily partitioned based on religion instead of ethnicity, neighborhoods split up, mass migration commenced, and tension was born  (Britannica, 2025). Years after these borders were demarcated, violent disputes regarding the possession of Kashmir emerged. Even now, this region remains involved in a dangerous game of tug-of-war with nations such as India, China, and Pakistan. 

The tension between these countries erupted in May 2025, when India and Pakistan both launched missiles that hit the Indian and Pakistani sides of Kashmir (CBS News, 2025).  When these missiles impacted, they caused severe structural damage to the nearby infrastructure and ended the lives of 31 individuals (Al Jazeera, 2025). While India might commence one attack and Pakistan may start another, the innocent people of Kashmir are the ones who fall victim during every single altercation. Aside from external threats, Kashmir also faces multiple internal complications. For example, over the past few years, there have been several cases of journalists and reporters being harassed in the area (Al Jazeera, 2024). One reporter was called for an interview with Al Jazeera, where he stated, “Sometimes we are asked to disclose details about reporting or personal travel. This environment has led journalists to  self-censor and avoid topics that are sensitive to report freely.” This suppression of free speech threatens the democracy that India was founded upon. Lastly, studies show that Kashmiris continue to endure trauma and mental health issues due to past political instability in their homeland. It has been uncovered that 11.3% of all adults in the valley suffer from a mental illness while only 12.6% of that group actively seek medications (National Library of Medicine, 2024). Therefore, the traumatic conflicts in Kashmir, combined with the stigma associated with mental health, contribute to the despondency and demoralisation in the Valley. 

Solutions 

Change has never been an immediate process. However, even from 7,600 miles away, we can still perform a role that will eventually restore the tranquillity of Kashmir. 

1. Building More Shelters and Sending Resources to Orphans. 

By partnering with NGOs such as Athrout that have previously operated in  Kashmir, more homeless or orphaned children can be sheltered. Additionally, we can pinpoint the most efficient locations to build these homes by utilizing GIS and  GPS systems that will overlay maps of Kashmir with concentrations of orphaned populations. Then, by collaborating with Helping Hands J&K, donation systems can be arranged in developed countries to supply food, medical supplies, and books to Kashmiri orphans. 

2. Promoting Expression Within the Kashmiri Community. 

Working with the Free Press Kashmir Organization, we can organize websites or platforms where Kashmiris can write and publicize their original thoughts, stories,  and ideas. Additionally, by liaising with Lawyers Without Borders, legal support can be provided to local reporters and journalists. 

3. Advocating For Mental Health in Kashmir. 

With KashmirLifeline, an organization specializing in providing psychological aid to Kashmiris, we can boost awareness about the crucial nature of mental health.  In the past, KashmirLifeline has provided community-based, effective assistance to the inhabitants of the valley (KashmirLifeline, 2010). With more support, this organization can continue to expand its influence to extirpate the stigma regarding mental health. 

While Kashmir can be considered many things, a lost cause is not one of them. I believe that with the collaboration of global and regional nonprofit organizations, we can help to rehabilitate and restructure Kashmir, paving the way for India’s development in the process. If a region cannot develop, neither can a nation. In order to fully promote India’s development, the Valley of Kashmir, along with its inhabitants, requires support. When this issue is finally eradicated,  thousands of displaced families will flood back to India from across the world, reliving the long-lost days where Kashmir was not a battleground, but a home. 

In Kashmir, time is not marked by the hours, but by the colors in the landscape. And the colors show that the time for change has arrived.