In an age where borders have been transgressed and in fact flattened by web, how has the youth of Kashmir benefitted from this information revolution? KASHMIR LIFE interacted with students from three universities of the valley to find out how they utilize this important communication tool.

In today’s world, Internet has become an important part of our lives. While it allows us to connect with the entire world, the information available on websites has changed the dynamics of knowledge gathering. We use it as a medium to connect with others, sharing files, getting information and lots of other activities.

Umar-Farooq-Malik-The phenomenon of emailing has bought a tremendous change in the way we live. It allows people to send files from office to schools, from businessmen to colleges, students; everyone sends files through Internet which is an essential part of our lives. We can get information on latest happenings around the world by using internet. We play games, watch live matches, videos, etc. which entertains us apart from filling up the information void. It has become as one of the important part of life.

Umar Farooq Malik
Centre for International Relations, Islamic University.

One of the most important things, apart from air and water for the human beings to survive, is Internet. It has revolutionized our lives and changed our working culture and atmosphere for good. It has build bridges and reduced gap between people. I use internet for reading ebooks and keep track of developments occurring around the world. As a student of International Relations, we are supposed to update ourselves about world situations everyday. So we use internet to look for those developments to understand what is happening in the world of politics and economics and why.

Rabia-Yousuf
Rabia-Yousuf

Google had revolutionized our lives. It allows us to get information and books on any topic. The social networking sites like Facebook and Twitter, apart from staying in touch with our friends, allow us to get to know about lot of things which are happening in the world.  We also use internet for online education. Internet has has bought so much change in the education sector. But we should use it cautiously and wisely and we should not waste our time on it. That is how I use internet.

Rabia Yousuf
Centre for International Relations, Islamic University

 

Nowadays almost everyone is using Internet. People use it for exploration of market, knowledge and entertainment. Internet has brought the world together. We can reach anyone at anywhere within a fraction of time. I can send email to a friend sitting in New York or London which was impossible some time back. I use it for different purposes like reading news, sending email and browsing it to get information related to Kashmir and about the current trends in the world.

Imran Khaki
Imran Khaki

One of the things which have made our life easy is banking service provided on the internet. We can transfer money from anywhere to any person in this world. People are getting even married on Internet. Apart from it, there is every kind of knowledge present in it. My life has changed because of this. I use it for communicating with friends and sometimes even with the far extended family.

Imran Khakhi
Centre for International Relations
Islamic University.

The way internet has changed our life is indefinable. There was a time when students had to sit in library whole day searching for books and other reference material. Now it is just a click away. Type the name of the book and you get the result. I have been using internet to communicate with friends and relatives. I chat with my relatives who are living outside on internet and it is cheap as compared to telephone calls. You can even see a person sitting just like next to you.

Nahida Akhtar
Nahida Akhtar

While the world is globalizing more and more, we are the mercy of the government in Kashmir on how, what, and when we use the internet. The recent ban on the Facebook and other social networking sites is a classical example. We are supposedly living in a so called democratic society but where democracy is only visible in Delhi, not outside its borders. The state is so ruthless that it can ban specific websites in the name of security. So we are at the mercy of government to use the internet.

Nahida Akhtar
Islamic University

Internet to me is nothing less than ALADIN, where I type a wish & it gets fulfilled. To me it is a giant colossal well of knowledge, wisdom & experience. From reading Harvard Business review to watching lectures of MIT, from staying connected with Great Business leaders across the globe to sharing beautiful moments with the people close to me. I spent quality time on taking online certification courses, which is not possible otherwise (offline).Apart from all this, I must say Internet has an incredible impact on my learning .Internet has made it possible to seek knowledge & wisdom without being confined to boring & traditional classrooms where is imperative to follow a particular code of life while in the case of internet you can learn while having a cup of coffee in your hand & light music in the background.Umran-Mufeed

Umran Mufeed

Integrated MBA, University of Kashmir

The basic purpose of using internet is to stay in touch with the rest of the world by virtue of social networking sitesJasim Malik

and also gain access to the vast, diverse and virtually free information resources available at convenience which wouldn’t have been possible otherwise. For me, purchase of books and other products over internet too is a money saving activity since most of the products on e-commerce websites are offered at discount.
Jasim Mailk
Integrated MBA, University Of Kashmir

Iram-Kamili
Iram-Kamili

Do you use Facebook?”, someone asked me randomly while I was boarding the bus from Hazratbal to home on the outskirts of Srinagar city. I was puzzled and surprised because the person who asked me this was a middle aged man who looked well acquainted with the current world. Though we had nothing to share but something was there, may be the question he asked. But of course, my answer was “Yes, I do.” And then he went on asking about things like Google, YouTube, Yahoo and Skype. He looked more inclined, maybe more than I was. Every 3 or 4 minutes he took out his I-phone and smiled – at least the magical world of internet had something in store for the bald man disappointed with the real life, a man of 40. It is why he used internet and if someone asked me why do I use internet- I have my own reasons but we are all connected, aren’t we? Irony yet true.

Iram Kamili
Integrated MBA,University of Kashmir

These days we have many mediums available; TV, radio, newspaper, but internet is the one which is highly accessible and easy to use. One can know everything from his corner of room about the happening in the world. Many times, when I browse internet, I find a number of websites which are helpful to me and through which I can gain more knowledge. There are thousands of websites related to education and they remain a source for education to me. Mostly our young generation browses social networking sites which connects them with friends, relatives and even family. Facebook is widely used these days. One can get much help from this social networking site. One can post anything and on any matter or issue. One can interact with many people who belong to different communities. Internet is a source of entertainment for many of us.  We can upload videos on YouTube without any hindrance. I used internet for getting relevant education from it.
Wasim Nabi
Mass Communication
Central University Kashmir

Internet is a universal platform which has taken us to new horizons, where we share information. There is hardly a reason where I won’t use internet as it dominates everywhere. While surfing internet, I feel connected to the world.
It’s a nice medium  to  connect  with  people where  I can  share files, information and lots of other  activities which are useful  and  beneficial. If I have to sum up, I use internet for the following reasons:
1.    For social networking to communicate with friends and family.
2.    For communication through Gtalk, Skype, Yahoo messenger, etc.
3.    For transfer of files through Gmail, Yahoo mail, Rediffmail, Hotmail, etc.
4.    For information and downloading through Google and other websites like Wikipedia, etc.
5.    For current buzz to get updates on latest news or match score through Rediff,  NYtimes,  Gawker , etc.
6.    For   entertainment by watching and downloading videos from YouTube, playing live games, etc.
7.    For   making financial transactions by transfer money online, paying bills and using internet banking, which saves time and money to a large extent.
8.    For making money online by designing websites, freelancing, consultancies and providing software.
9.    For  online education, internet is  a very  famous  medium  of  study  in developed  countries  and Humaira-Hussaingrowing  in  developing  nations. Various  websites  such  as  Khan Academy  and  Free Video Lectures offer  online  courses  to  learn  various  things  like designing,  programming, engineering, medical, finance and other subjects. This  is  very  helpful medium  to  promote  education  in place s where such courses are not  available easily.
Humaira Hussain
Convergent Journalism
Central University of Kashmir

Internet is the newest form of technology and is used by millions all over the globe, and I am one of them. As far as I am concerned, I believe “internet is like a knife. You can either use it to peel an orange or kill a person.” So I try to use internet in a proper manner.

Saqib Mugloo
Saqib Mugloo

I use internet to remain connected with my friends. I use internet to know about different cultures of the world. So I make friends on internet and chat with them and get to know them. I use internet for entertainment. I watch and download movies and videos on internet. I use internet for studying as well. At times, I listen to lectures on internet also.
Saqib Mugloo
Convergent Journalism
Central University of Kashmir

3 COMMENTS

  1. Interesting to hear all these comments on how young Kashmiris use and percieve internet. The article brings to light that students in Kashmir use the internet for the very same reasons students anywhere across the world will use it. To me this is an important and an encouraging point. Important because it shows the similarity in internet usage in Kashmir and other parts of world. It is encouraging because it shows that internet has the potential to become ever more useful to Kashmiri students, and society in general.

    The comment by Iram on a middle aged man asking her about Facebook goes to show how facebook initiates inter personal connections and how social media is penetrating people from all ages and walk of society even in Kashmir. Of course, the government censorship of facebook, youtube, and other social media websites on regular basis on the argument of maintaining law and order is not correct in my opinion and there must be formulation of a standard policy in that regard.

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your comment!
Please enter your name here