The Journey of the Known and the Unknown
Tracking Indian Youth: Hakima Bano Ali
The Pehli Peedi Fellowship presents the first in a series of stories highlighting the experiences of first-generation students across India.
Hakima Bano Ali is a postgraduate in Convergent Journalism from Central University of Kashmir. Hailing from Minjhi, a remote village in Kargil, she is a first-generation learner and one of five siblings, four of whom pursued higher education. Raised in a family with no formal academic background, Hakima navigated her educational journey with resilience and self-direction. Her work reflects a deep interest in storytelling, media, and the power of voice in marginal spaces. As a Pehli Peedi Fellow, she aims to spotlight overlooked narratives from Ladakh and beyond.
"For us, education was not something that was passed down, it was something we had to start on our own."
Read her full story below. Profile by Mir Kouser Gulzar.
Mir: What does it mean for you to be a first-generation learner
Hakima: My parents did not go to school. They had no formal education. I am from Minjhi, a village in Kargil. My mother is a homemaker, and my father is a street vendor in Kargil. We are five siblings, and four of us have completed postgraduate studies. For us, education was not something that was passed down—it was something we had to start on our own. Being the first generation in the family to attend school, college, and university meant figuring out admissions, exams, and career paths by ourselves. My parents supported us in every possible way, but they could not guide us academically.
Mir: Did your parents encourage your education even though they had not been to school themselves?
Hakima: Yes, always. They were focused on ensuring that we studied. For them, education was the path to a better life.
Mir: Could you tell us about your early education and how it shaped your decision to go to college?
Hakima: All my education has been through government institutions. In Class 12, there were around 60 students, and after that, we all joined the only government college in Kargil. There wasn’t much choice, that’s just what people usually did back then. I must say, joining college wasn’t a big decision for us because it was the only path visible to us.
Mir: How was the experience of studying in college?
Hakima: It was mostly fine because it was in our own area, and the people shared the same culture and religion. I did not face major social or cultural challenges. Financially, it was manageable. The fees were low, and my parents managed somehow. I also received scholarships since I was active in extracurricular activities.
Mir: How was your experience as a girl in school and college? Did you face any specific barriers?
Hakima: As a girl, I did not face any major hurdles. It was quite normal for all of us to join school and college. But of course, being a girl, you always have extra responsibilities like helping at home. In college, we faced a lack of adequate sanitary facilities and infrastructure, including proper washrooms, libraries, laboratories, and drinking water. We had to struggle for all of this and used to protest daily for these basic rights. But there was no challenge that directly stopped me from pursuing my studies.
Mir: What was the social composition of your class in terms of caste, class, and gender? How many of your classmates continued to college?
Hakima: We don’t have a caste system here like in other parts of India. People don’t use caste-based surnames, and caste doesn’t define our social identity. So, I never experienced caste-based differences.
Economically, students came from mixed backgrounds. There was also a good gender ratio in all the institutions. Most of my classmates joined the same college after school because it was the only option we were aware of.
Mir: Do you think the absence of a caste system has an impact on how you relate to others?
Hakima: Yes, we felt more equal in that sense. Our challenges came from a lack of exposure and infrastructure rather than from discrimination.
Mir: What were your aspirations after finishing school? How did you choose your field of study?
Hakima: I did not have any clear aspirations. I opted for the medical stream after Class 10 because it seemed fancy, and all the elite and intelligent students took it. I didn’t even know about fields like MBBS, BDS, engineering, nursing, or other technical areas that I could pursue. Later, I realized that it wasn’t the right fit for me. There was no career counselling, and we just went to college because it was what was known to us.
Mir: How did your postgraduate choices come about?
Hakima: After graduation, I stayed at home for three years. I heard about IGNOU and enrolled in an MA English course, not because I was interested in it, but because I didn’t know what else to do. Then one day, I came across a notification for the entrance test for Central University of Kashmir. It was being held in Kargil too, so I applied, and that’s how I got into Convergent Journalism.
Mir: Was there any time when you started thinking seriously about your future?
Hakima: Yes, when I got selected for the master's programme in journalism. That’s when I felt like I was meant for this field and began taking my career seriously.
Mir: Did anyone help or guide you in making these career decisions?
Hakima: No. There was no one in my family or circle who could guide me. I just tried things as they came and figured things out bit by bit.
Mir: What was your experience like as a university student?
Hakima: It was a mix of everything—surprising, overwhelming, thrilling, and exciting. I was the only Ladakhi student in my class. The culture, language, food, and atmosphere were all new to me, and that was a big change. Living in a hostel, away from home, was a cultural shock.
Mir: How did you manage all of this?
Hakima: Initially, I struggled a lot. There was a language barrier—English was the medium of communication, and I wasn’t very fluent. But I practised and improved over time.
Eventually, I found comfort through friendships. I stayed with a Kashmiri friend’s family for a year. That felt like a second home and helped me settle in emotionally and culturally.
Mir: Were there any other academic challenges in university besides what we’ve already discussed?
Hakima: Yes, frequent hartals (shutdowns) were a big challenge. Classes were often cancelled, especially on Fridays. For the first time in my life, I had found a genuine interest in studies and had joined university with the intention of studying seriously, so it was hard to adapt to the constant disruptions.
Then COVID-19 disrupted everything. We missed out on all practical work and field exposure. For journalism students, that was a huge loss, and it still feels like a gap in my learning.
Mir: How did you manage the academic stress during this time?
Hakima: I handled it on my own. My family couldn’t relate to the kind of pressure I was under because they had no experience with it. I shared small things with them but didn’t expect them to carry my academic stress.
Mir: What would be the title if you wrote an autobiography?
Hakima: “The Journey of the Known and the Unknown.”
This is an ongoing series of profiles documenting the experiences of young people across India. Stay tuned for more stories from first-generation students across India. Follow us on social media for more updates.