Gone are the days when youngsters in Kashmir were drawn towards terror ranks. A new and positive trend is now visible on the ground.
Across the Kashmir Valley, a quiet revolution is underway. Young boys and girls are joining the National Cadet Corps (NCC) in growing numbers.
"Since childhood I wanted to join the Army to serve both the people of Kashmir and Mother India," says Bintul Huda from Kupwara, a district long known as an infiltration route.
Asked if she faces backlash at home, Bintul is firm: "We are the new generation. We want to script change."
Khushboo Jan, another young NCC cadet from Nawakadal, Srinagar, echoes her sentiment. She joined NCC with one goal - to enter the Armed forces.
"My parents feel so proud when they see me in the NCC uniform, doing march past," Khushboo says, her chest swelling with pride.
The NCC has given many Kashmiri youth the chance to step out of the Valley and experience India.
"I still remember the first time I crossed the Banihal tunnel. During my national camp I saw the diversity and pluralistic character of the country. That changed my mindset," says Numan Nabi, an NCC cadet from Baramulla.
For Bintul, Khushboo, Numan and many like them, the choice is deliberate. Instead of choosing a life of violence, they want to pick up the Indian rifle to protect their people.
The Numbers Tell The Story
Official data shows a dramatic collapse in local recruitment into terror outfits:
2020 - 181 local youths joined
2021 - 142 local youths joined
2022 - 130 local youths joined
2023 - 23 local youths joined
2024 - 20 locals, mostly in South Kashmir
2025 till date - Not a single youth from the Valley has joined terror ranks, according to security officials.
The narrative of Kashmir is changing before our eyes. The era when young boys vanished into the forests with guns is giving way to a new story - of pride, patriotism and purpose.
"For us, the dream is no longer about crossing over," says Seerat Jan, from Bandipora. "It's about wearing the olive green and serving the country. We have seen the devastation of terrorism. Now we are ready to fight it with full energy."
