Kupwara’s Toyiba Bashir breaks barriers, earns spot in Global Youth Fellowship

Kupwara, Jul 14: In the remote village of Mughalpora, tucked amid the forested hills of north Kashmir’s Kupwara district, a quiet celebration is taking place—not in noisy gatherings or festive lights, but in proud, hushed conversations.

Toyiba Bashir, a determined and soft-spoken young girl from this lesser-known corner of the Valley, has been selected for the prestigious 360Plus Global Youth Leadership Collective 2025—an international fellowship that brings together exceptional youth from across the world. With this, Toyiba becomes the first girl from Jammu and Kashmir to be chosen for this global platform, a milestone that has stirred a gentle wave of hope across the region.

Toyiba’s journey to this remarkable achievement began in modest classrooms with tin roofs that rattled in the rain and snow. There were no privileges, no spotlight—only resilience and a quietly growing conviction. Though she never made bold proclamations about her ambitions, those close to her—teachers, neighbours, and family—sensed the determined purpose in her gaze. That quiet purpose has now found its voice on a global stage.

The 360Plus Fellowship, based in the United States, selects young leaders from underrepresented regions and offers them a rare opportunity to participate in cross-cultural learning, leadership training, and community engagement. Toyiba will be among just 38 fellows from around the world, preparing to engage with peers, mentors, and communities far beyond the borders of her home. For a girl who has never stepped outside the valley’s slopes, the journey ahead promises to be both challenging and transformative.

Teachers at her local school recall her as a sincere and focused student, never boastful, always attentive. Her dedication, they say, made her stand out quietly. In a district where stories of opportunity are often eclipsed by hardship, her achievement feels like a rare breakthrough—a shaft of light in a place too often defined by its struggles.

At home, her family prepares with a mix of disbelief and pride. Her father, a farmer, says they always tried to support her dreams but never imagined they would carry her so far. For the family, and perhaps for many others in the region, Toyiba now carries more than just luggage—she carries the weight of aspirations long held but rarely spoken aloud.

As she prepares to embark on her journey, Toyiba carries with her not only the hopes of her village but also the quiet dignity of countless young girls across Kashmir who dream beyond the limitations of their geography. She sets out, as she says, “as a Kashmiri girl who comes from silence but speaks with purpose.”

Her story is already resonating across schools and homes, wherever a young girl dares to imagine that her path doesn’t end at the village road. In Toyiba’s ascent, Mughalpora has found a voice. And Kashmir, long spoken for, is beginning to speak for itself through the steady, confident steps of one of its daughters.