Guardian of Wahibugh

In a village shaped by Kashmir’s quintessential struggles, 27-year-old Suheel Gulzar Sofi uses education, faith, and service to unite his people.

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In Wahibugh, where nearly every household carries a story of struggle, Suheel has become the person people rely on when daily life falters.

Nestled among orchards and streams that feed the Jhelum, this small Pulwama village depends on agriculture, with few opportunities beyond the fields.

Unemployment among Kashmiri youth remains among the highest in India, government surveys put it above 18 percent, and many young men leave the valley in search of work.

Suheel could have followed the same path. With degrees in civil engineering and computer applications, he had every reason to pursue a career outside his village.

Yet, those who know him say he made a different choice: to use his education to serve the people around him.

His professors remember him as a student who grasped difficult concepts with ease. His neighbours remember him as the young man who fixes water pipes, tutors children, and helps carry the sick to hospitals.

“Suheel has the rare ability to understand complex things and still remain grounded,” one of his teachers recalls.

For many families in Wahibugh, Suheel's greatest gift has been education.

Each week, he gathers children from underprivileged households and teaches them for free.