The Tech Tide Rising In Kashmir
(MENAFN- Kashmir Observer)
Representational Photo
By
When Sahil Qadri fired up a basic code editor in his small Srinagar home in 2009, he was doing what thousands of young coders around the world do. But there was one big difference.
His internet connection was running on 2G. It took minutes to load a single library, and video tutorials buffered endlessly. Still, he stuck with it.
Today, Sahil works remotely for a Bengaluru-based AI startup. His journey, from 2G to AI, mirrors a slow but steady shift happening across the Valley.
The global rise of artificial intelligence is no longer just a Silicon Valley story. It's already transforming everyday services in Kashmir.
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In healthcare, for instance, a valley-based startup is testing an AI tool that reads X-rays and flags possible lung infections. In agriculture, pilot projects are using machine learning to predict apple harvest yields.
These aren't polished commercial products yet. But they point to something deeper: local developers and engineers are starting to apply AI to problems that matter here.
Generative AI, too, has made an entrance. Scribes and scholars in Srinagar are experimenting with it to enhance their work. Teachers in Anantnag are using it to explain complex topics to students with varying learning styles. It's not replacing people, but it's changing how they work.
When Kashmir's longest internet shutdown lifted in early 2020, businesses scrambled to digitize. That's when cloud computing took off.
A small chain of valley-based pharmacies moved its entire billing and inventory system to the cloud. Local schools began relying on Google Workspace and Microsoft Teams to run classes.
The cloud has been a game-changer in a region where physical infrastructure remains tricky and unreliable.
You don't need to maintain bulky servers when you can rent space from Amazon Web Services or Google Cloud. Even small businesses are now uploading data, running analytics, and managing customer flows remotely.
During the pandemic, this shift helped some companies stay afloat. For students, it meant access to online lectures, recorded sessions, and remote exams. The cloud didn't just bring convenience, it brought continuity.
With more data moving online, cyber security has become a pressing issue.
In 2022, a prominent institute in Kashmir faced a ransomware attack that locked student records for days. That scare prompted a wave of interest in digital safety.
Today, local IT firms are offering basic cyber hygiene training. There's talk of biometric log-ins and encrypted messaging apps, but adoption is slow. Most people still rely on simple passwords and unsecured Wi-Fi.
But change is brewing. A small cyber security collective was recently launched in Pulwama. A handful of saffron growers now use IoT sensors to monitor soil moisture in Pampore. A Srinagar-based tech store sells smart lights and voice-controlled fans that work with Alexa.
These devices don't just add flash, they bring efficiency. Farmers get alerts when their crops need water. Shops track stock with connected shelves. Even traffic police are testing smart cameras that can detect violations without human monitoring.
Still, limited 5G penetration and frequent power cuts hold things back. Some innovators are turning to edge computing-processing data locally, right on the device. That reduces the need for constant internet, a big plus in Kashmir's unpredictable connectivity landscape.
While quantum computing feels far away from Kashmir's current tech stack, it's not completely out of reach. Last year, an NIT Srinagar student made headlines for contributing to an open-source quantum project hosted by IBM.
These moments, though rare, matter. They show what's possible when young minds in Kashmir plug into global tech currents. Quantum may not solve local problems now, but it symbolizes something bigger: ambition.
But as digital adoption grows, so does electricity use. Data centers, though not yet based in Kashmir, consume massive energy. Local activists and engineers are pushing for greener solutions. Solar-powered routers, energy-efficient devices, and cloud platforms that use renewable energy are gaining traction.
Even students are joining in. A group from Islamic University of Science and Technology recently developed a prototype laptop that runs on low-voltage solar panels. It's early-stage, but it speaks volumes about where the conversation is headed.
Technology is not just reshaping jobs-it's creating them. Dozens of Kashmiri youth now work as freelance developers, digital marketers, and UI/UX designers. Many found clients through platforms like Upwork and Fiverr. Some were self-taught, using free courses from YouTube and Coursera during lockdowns.
At the same time, there are real fears. What if AI replaces human jobs? What about bias in algorithms?
Educators are now blending tech with ethics, discussing these issues in classrooms and seminars. A few schools are even piloting AI awareness classes at the high school level.
Kashmir's tech scene is still small. But it's not passive. It's growing, it's localizing, and it's adapting fast.
The innovations may not be big, but they are real. They speak to a place trying to modernize without losing its soul.
