Television actor Hina Khan on Thursday interacted with students and teachers at an Army Goodwill School in Boniyar in the Uri sector of Jammu and Kashmir’s Baramulla district, praising the students’ confidence and urging them to remain focused on their ambitions despite challenges.
Khan, who hails from Srinagar and is known for her roles in popular television shows such as Yeh Rishta Kya Kehlata Hai and Kasautii Zindagii Kay, said she was impressed by the confidence, intelligence and clarity of purpose among the students.
“I felt really wonderful coming here, meeting the students and seeing their confidence levels. I got to know a lot about the school infrastructure and how confident and intelligent the students are,” she told reporters after the visit.
She said she was particularly encouraged to learn that several students from the school had qualified for the National Eligibility-cum-Entrance Test (NEET).
“I even got to know that a lot of the students have qualified for NEET, which is great,” Khan said.
The actor said the students appeared clear about their career goals, with some aspiring to become doctors and others wanting to pursue engineering.
“I asked everyone if they wanted to qualify for NEET, but not everyone raised their hands. Only a few students did because they have clarity. They are very clear about what they want in life. Some want to do engineering, some want to become doctors, but they are very clear,” she said.
Khan also praised the manner in which the students were being educated and cared for at the school, crediting the defence forces for running educational institutions in remote areas.
“Everything is subsidised, and I think the credit goes to the defence forces and the way they have planned so many schools in such small and remote areas,” she said.
She suggested that similar initiatives could be considered in major cities to provide children with access to quality education and teachers.
“I was telling them, please do something like this in the main city where your children can study and get such a good education. There are such good teachers,” Khan said.
Referring to her interaction with students, she said their happiness and long association with the school reflected the quality of the institution.
“I was interacting with a few kids and they also told me how happy they are. This tells you a lot about the school, the system and the people involved,” she said.
Khan said nearly all the students she spoke to had been studying at the school since nursery and had continued through Classes 9 and 10.
“When I asked the kids since when they have been in school, 99 per cent of them told me that they have been in school since nursery. Today they are in the ninth or 10th standard. So when you don’t leave your school, understand that the school is very good,” she said.
She urged the students to preserve their ambition and determination while acknowledging that the path to success can be difficult.
“What I felt here was the confidence in the kids and the desire to do something in life. We should maintain that desire. I know it is a bit difficult, it is a bit hard. We are also going through it, they are also going through it, and all the youth are going through it,” she said.
Khan told the students that perseverance through difficult phases would eventually bring its rewards.
“But after this difficulty, when you see it later, when you get the fruit of it, you will be very, very happy,” she said.
She also emphasised the importance of maintaining balance in life while pursuing one’s goals.
“Try to balance it in life. It is very important; you should balance it out,” Khan said. Khan also shared videos on Instagram from a marriage function in Srinagar, giving her followers a glimpse of the celebrations. In the post, she recalled her earlier viral tumbaknaari performance and wrote: “After the most casual and unplanned viral tumbaknaari session, when you are invited to play it once again at your little sister’s sasural after her bidaai, and you make sure as an elder sister aapki behen ka dabdabaa banaa rahe.”
She also shared glimpses of herself participating in the traditional celebrations, adding a personal touch to her visit to Kashmir.
