We want to expose them to the real knowledge in industry, what goes on in industry, some short programme in terms of a project and then introduce them to industry so that they can be employed.This is just the first programme; we will do many such programmes,” said Godrej.

The students were happy with the initiative.“I would like to say that we are talented and as good as anyone else.The country is growing. We also need to grow. We should hold each other’s hands and go forward,”said a Kashmiri student, Basant Ahmed.

Udaan is expected to provide industry based skilled training to over 40,000 students from Kashmir.In a recent survey conducted by the London-based think tank Chatham House, 96 percent of respondents from the Kashmir Valley identified unemployment as one of the main problems facing the state of Jammu & Kashmir along with confl ict and corruption.

The government is aware of the problem of unemployment and has launched a number of programs such as “Udaan” to address the issue.