Baramulla, Aug 15: While classrooms across the valley observed a muted Independence Day, a young band master from Sanctorum Public School was busy rewriting the script of what Kashmiri youth can achieve—with a baton in her hand, not a textbook.
Zainab, the 17-year-old band master of the Sanctorum Public School Pipe Band, did not just lead her troupe to the first prize at the GDC Baramulla function on the auspicious occasion of Independence Day. She led a quiet revolution against the conventional yardstick of student success—proving that excellence is not always measured in marks, but in discipline, rhythm, and national pride.
Speaking to Kashmir Convener, Zainab said, “We didn’t just show up and perform. We were at it all summer—while everyone else was off relaxing, we were in that hall, sweating through every beat, every step, every note. It wasn’t luck. It was discipline. Plain and simple.”
She added, “Look, in Kashmir, everyone cares about marks. Board results, percentages—that’s all people ask about. But this? This was different. My parents didn’t say no when I told them I wanted to do this, and that matters. It matters that they trusted me, that the school backed us, and that we had people like Shakir Ashraf and Muzaffar who actually believed we could pull it off. And the police band—Roof Ahmad and his team—they didn’t treat us like kids. They trained us like we were their own.”
She said, “When we walked up there, it wasn’t just about winning. It was about proving that we could do something beyond textbooks. And when we actually did it—when that moment came—it felt like all those months of practice finally made sense. Proud? Of course. But more than that, it felt earned.”
The ceremony’s chief guest, Agriculture Minister Javid Dar, and senior civil defence officers were seen visibly moved by the band’s precision and spirit. But the real applause, perhaps, belongs to Zainab’s parents—and the growing tribe of Kashmiri families who see their children’s future in the cadence of a drumbeat, not just in the pages of a book.
Notably, this is not the first milestone for the Sanctorum band. Already selected to become the first band from Kashmir to present at the Republic Day function in New Delhi, they have proven that extracurricular excellence is not a distraction from academics—but a parallel path to building character, teamwork, and love for the nation.
In Zainab’s story, Kashmir sees not just a winner, but an example—of how beyond the blackboard, a student can march towards a future defined by passion, patriotism, and purpose.
Speaking to the Kashmir Convener Chairman of the Sanctorum Institution, Shakir Ashraf expressed his deep pride in the achievements of these young girls. He reaffirmed his unwavering commitment to supporting them in every possible way, emphasizing that their bright future remains his top priority.
Shakir shared his heartfelt aspiration to see them scale great heights and expressed a particular wish to witness many among them successfully clearing the NDA examinations in the years ahead.
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