Srinagar, Dec. 17 -- The winter sun spills over the rooftops of Plan Bandipora, setting the mountains aglow with golden light. Kashmir travel guide

In the narrow lanes below, children dart after stray puppies, and the damp earth smells fresh from the morning frost.

Inside a small, silent home, a young woman leans over a sheet of paper. Her hand moves with calm precision. Each letter flows like it belongs only to her, a signature of patience and care.

This is 25-year-old Sabreena Bano. In this still room, she is silently shaping a life that many of her peers are still chasing.

Young Kashmiris of her age mostly spend years preparing for government jobs, endlessly chasing exams, or hoping for opportunities that rarely come. Sabreena chos...