Afreen Ashraf
Afreen Ashraf is a trainee journalist covering human development, society, and ecology in Jammu and Kashmir. Her reporting emphasises in-depth, people-centered storytelling that examines everyday realities and brings attention to underreported issues.
Kashmir’s Living Walls
A young Kashmiri PhD scholar is turning Srinagar's fading traditions into vibrant street murals, one brushstroke, one wall, one story at a time, reports...
NEET-UG 2026 Across Kashmir: A Day of Prayers and Pressure
by Afreen Ashraf
SRINAGAR: On Sunday, the National Eligibility cum Entrance Test (NEET-UG) 2026 was conducted across the country, with more than 50,000 aspirants from...
Kashmir’s Vanishing Lakes
When nearly three-quarters of Jammu and Kashmir's lakes disappear or shrink, a region's ecological identity, and its people's safety and livelihood, hang in the...
Kashmiri Engineer Becomes First Woman in Region to Clear DGCA Drone Instructor Exam
by Afreen Ashraf
SRINAGAR: Rutba Majeed, a young engineer from Kashmir, has made history by becoming the first woman in the region to qualify the...
Kashmiris at Sea
From the still shikara waters of Dal Lake to the high-stakes Strait of Hormuz, a quiet generation of Kashmiri men is navigating some of...
Kashmir’s Unclaimed Generation
When Kashmir's child care institutions close their doors at eighteen, young residents are left without aftercare, skills, or safety nets, reports Afreen Ashraf
When Arfa...
Kashmir’s Colon Crisis
Rising early-onset colorectal cancer in Kashmir, late-stage detection, low screening uptake, and social and financial barriers underscore the urgent need for systematic colonoscopy-based prevention...
Kashmir’s Herbal Decline
Kashmir’s medicinal plants are retreating to higher altitudes as climate change alters seasons, threatening biodiversity, traditional healthcare, and centuries of local knowledge, reports Afreen...
‘Almost 90 Per Cent Couples Achieve Pregnancy Within Two Years of Marriage’
Dr Afshan Iqbal, a senior gynaecologist, speaks to Syed Shadab Ali Gilani about rising infertility concerns, PCOS, C-sections and maternal health, offering evidence-based guidance...
‘Winter Constricts Blood Vessels, Elevates Blood Pressure and Increases the Risk of Heart Attack’
Kashmir carries a basketful of challenges that strain its very heart, observes noted cardiologist Dr Nisar Ahmad Tramboo in conversation with Syed Shadab Ali...
Economic Survey Flags Improved Health Outcomes Across Jammu Kashmir
by Afreen Ashraf
SRINAGAR: Jammu and Kashmir has recorded significant improvements in its health sector, with expanded infrastructure, improved emergency services, wider health insurance coverage...
Kashmir’s Silent Storyteller
A hearing-impaired care leaver, Hajira Bano, transforms personal loss into literature and social advocacy, reports Afreen Ashraf
Hajira Bano listens to the world through pen...
MLAs Demand Apology After Sunil Sharma’s Pir Panjal Remark
by Afreen Ashraf
SRINAGAR: The Jammu and Kashmir Legislative Assembly witnessed noisy scenes and a brief adjournment on Wednesday after alleged remarks by Leader of...
Kashmir’s Precious Births
With Jammu and Kashmir’s fertility rate falling to an all-time low of 1.4, well below replacement level, every birth has become precious. Even as...
Two Kashmir Artists Help Team India Win Bronze at Global Snow Sculpture Championship
by Afreen Ashraf
SRINAGAR: Team Snow India has won the Bronze Medal at the Breckenridge International Snow Sculpture Championship 2026, held in Breckenridge, Colorado, USA....
