by Faiqa Masoodi
SRINAGAR: Sopore’s Momina Javid has become a shining example of grit, academic brilliance, and the power of mentorship. The young biochemist from north Kashmir has won the coveted IDEX Master’s Excellence Fellowship awarded by the prestigious Université Paris-Saclay in France, earning a place in its highly competitive international Master’s programme in Life Sciences and Health – Infectiology: Biology of Infectious Diseases. Her parents live in Seloo, a Sopore periphery.
A former Gold Medalist in Biochemistry and currently working as a Junior Research Fellow at Jamia Millia Islamia in New Delhi, Momina will now undertake a research-intensive Master 2 programme that spans two continents. Her first semester will be held in Cambodia, with the Institut Pasteur du Cambodge, followed by a six-month Master’s thesis in France. Upon completion, she will be awarded two Master’s degrees, one from Université Paris-Saclay and another from the University of Health Sciences, Cambodia.
“I feel honoured and excited to represent Kashmir and India at such a global academic platform,” she said. “This is not just my achievement but also that of my mentors, particularly those at JK Scientists, who believed in me and helped me aim higher.”
Momina’s journey reflects dedication at every stage. After completing her BSc in Biochemistry from Jamia Hamdard with distinction, she pursued her Master’s from Jamia Millia Islamia, where she graduated with a CGPA of 9.24. Her Master’s thesis at AIIMS focused on the expression profile of miR-223-3p in Vitamin D-deficient allergic rhinitis patients, cutting-edge research that underscored her growing interest in immunology and disease biology.
Currently, she is engaged in translational research on CAR-T cell therapy, one of the most advanced areas in immunotherapy, at Jamia’s Multidisciplinary Centre for Advanced Research and Studies (MCARS), under the guidance of Dr Tanveer Ahmad.
Her selection for the IDEX Fellowship was based on her academic excellence, demonstrated research capability, and the potential to pursue doctoral studies. The Université Paris-Saclay fellowship is part of France’s prestigious Investissements d’Avenir initiative, which aims to bring top global talent into French academia.
“This fellowship is competitive and selective. To have a Kashmiri girl win it is a matter of immense pride,” said a representative from JK Scientists, who mentored Momina through her fellowship application process. “Her success shows what is possible when students from our region get the right platform, resources, and guidance.
Momina is not stopping here. After completing her Master’s, she intends to pursue a PhD in Infectious Disease Biology. “We come from a place that has long needed scientific minds to bring solutions rooted in compassion and innovation,” she said. “I want to contribute to that transformation.”
Her journey has already inspired many, not just in Sopore but across the Valley, where stories of young researchers making it to global institutions remain rare. With her deep interest in infectious diseases, hands-on experience in molecular biology, and now global exposure ahead, Momina Javid is poised to become one of the Valley’s most promising scientific voices.
