On October 23, 2025, the Shaagird Foundation inaugurated the Habba Khatoon Centre of Learning in Margi village of Warwan Valley, Kashmir, bringing educational support closer to children in a community still recovering from the devastating landslide of August 2025. The landslide had destroyed around 300 homes, leaving families to rebuild their lives amid considerable loss and uncertainty. The disaster affected not only homes and livelihoods but also disrupted the everyday lives of children, many of whom faced difficulties continuing their education. As part of its rehabilitation efforts in the region, the Shaagird Foundation established the learning centre to help children resume their education and provide them with a space to continue learning.
A Learning Centre in the Valley of Loss
The August 2025 landslide brought significant destruction to Margi and its surrounding areas. With homes damaged and families struggling to recover, education became another concern for children whose routines and learning opportunities had been disrupted. Recognising the need to support children beyond immediate relief, the Shaagird Foundation established the Habba Khatoon Centre of Learning. The initiative aims to ensure that the impact of a natural disaster does not become a lasting barrier to children's education.
Through the centre, the foundation seeks to provide children with access to learning opportunities and a supportive environment where they can continue their studies. With a capacity to serve around 80 students, the centre is an effort to make education accessible to children as the community works towards rebuilding its life. The inauguration ceremony commenced with the recitation of the Holy Quran, lending the occasion an atmosphere of solemnity and spiritual reflection. The recitation brought a sense of peace to the gathering, marking the beginning of a day dedicated to learning, hope and the future of children in Margi.
This was followed by an address by Aasif Mujtaba, Founder and Director of the Shaagird Foundation, who spoke about the importance of education in shaping children's futures. Encouraging the students to remain dedicated to their studies, he urged them to approach learning with determination, discipline and a willingness to work hard. “The circumstances you have grown up in, or the difficulties your families have faced, should never determine how far you can go in life. You must continue to learn, work hard and believe in your abilities. Education gives you the opportunity to shape your own future, and I hope this centre becomes a place where you can discover your potential, nurture your ambitions and work towards the dreams you hold,” Mujtaba said.
The centre has been named after Habba Khatoon, the celebrated 16th-century Kashmiri poetess widely remembered as the Nightingale of Kashmir and regarded as one of the most significant literary figures in Kashmiri history. Born as Zoon into a humble family, she developed an early interest in poetry and literature. Her life took a remarkable turn when she became the queen of Kashmir after marrying Yousuf Shah Chak, the ruler of Kashmir.
Habba Khatoon's poetry, known for its emotional depth and expression of love, separation and longing, continues to hold a special place in Kashmiri culture. Her verses remain an important part of the region's literary heritage, with generations continuing to remember her contribution to Kashmiri language and poetry. Naming the learning centre after Habba Khatoon is an effort to introduce children to a significant figure from their own cultural history. It also reflects the foundation's belief in education that not only builds academic knowledge but also connects children with their history, literature and cultural identity.
About Shaagird Foundation: At Shaagird Foundation, we fight for a world where education isn’t a privilege but a birthright. We act as changemakers, paving the way for marginalized children in India, removing the barriers that exclude them from classrooms and opportunity. We believe every child holds the potential to create a meaningful change in society, a potential that burgeons with the power of knowledge. Our mission is to rekindle that spark within, empowering children impacted by dehumanization acts, communal violence, and those from underprivileged communities. We work tirelessly to transform the distant dream of quality education into a vibrant reality. By providing access to education, we empower these young minds to become the torchbearers of their own lives and the future leaders of our nation. We opine that together, we can build a more inclusive, equitable society, one bright mind at a time.
