In the remote village of Lone Harie in the Kralpora area of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, a young girl’s dream of touching the skies is steadily turning into reality.
Mir Sehrish, who has cleared the written examination of the National Defence Academy (NDA), is now preparing for the crucial Services Selection Board (SSB) interview, carrying with her the hopes of her family and the inspiration for many young girls across Kashmir.
For Sehrish, the dream was never limited to conventional career choices. Since childhood, she had imagined herself in the skies, driven by a fascination with space and aviation.
“Since my childhood, I wanted to become an astronaut,” Sehrish says with quiet confidence.
After passing Class 10 with an impressive 98.2 percent from Syed Hyder Public School in 2023, she consciously chose the non-medical stream — a decision she says shaped her path toward the NDA.
At Sir Syed Memorial Higher Secondary School, she pursued Physics, Chemistry and Mathematics, while also opting for Biotechnology as an additional subject. Her academic performance remained consistently exceptional, scoring 97.2 percent in Class 11 and 97.3 percent in Class 12.
Unlike many students in the Valley who prepare for NEET or engineering entrance examinations under family pressure, Sehrish says she remained firm about her own ambitions.
“I never thought of going for NEET. I must thank my parents, especially my father, who respected my decision. Nowadays, many parents impose their choices on children, and ultimately they end up doing nothing,” she says.
Her journey, however, was not without challenges.
Kashmir lacks dedicated coaching facilities for NDA aspirants, forcing many students either to move outside the Valley or abandon the idea altogether. Sehrish chose another route — online preparation.
“Since there is no coaching available for NDA in Kashmir, I joined the JEE batch of [Physics Wallah] for two years, where I received a scholarship covering 75 per cent of the fee,” she says.
Behind her determination stood unwavering support from her family, particularly her father, Wali Mohammad, a computer science engineer based in Bengaluru.
“She chose her own path and I supported her throughout. I pray for her success,” he says.
Now, with the written examination behind her, Sehrish has set her sights firmly on the Indian Air Force, which remains her first preference, followed by the Navy and the Army.
For the young girl from a far-off village in Kupwara, clearing the NDA written examination is more than a personal milestone. In a region where opportunities and exposure often remain limited, her achievement reflects a changing aspiration among Kashmiri girls — one where dreams are no longer confined by geography, convention or expectations.
