Srinagar, April 30 -- About a decade ago, while I was pursuing my graduation, my father, despite having faced his own share of adversity, remained a man of education, vision, and aspiration. Among his many hopes for me, one stood out distinctly: he dreamed of seeing me become a doctor. However, owing to lack of proper academic guidance and counselling, along with other intervening factors (financial constraints, notably, were never among them, as my parents consistently assured their support), I was unable to continue in the medical stream.

Consequently, I transitioned into the field of computer science. I completed both my Bachelor's and Master's degrees in the discipline, with the aspiration of entering academia by qualifying for lectu...