Kiran’s journey to success began in a remote village in Hunza, where she completed her primary education at Diamond Jubilee Primary School. Raised in a family that highly valued education and its importance for progress and survival in a rapidly changing world, Kiran’s parents instilled in her a passion for knowledge and a desire to dream big.

After completing her primary education, Kiran’s family moved to Gilgit so that they could have better educational opportunities. While, Kiran focused on her studies, she also participated in extracurricular activities and rendered voluntary services in the community. Her outstanding academic performance and efforts in community service earned her honors and awards such as Head Girl and Student of the Year during school and college.

Kiran’s involvement in organizations such as The Ismaili Girls Guide Association, Religious Education Center (REC), and later the Local Education Board (LEB) profoundly impacted her life. These platforms enhanced her intellectual growth and developed her life skills, spirit of volunteerism, leadership abilities, and networking capabilities. Kiran even started her teaching practice as a volunteer, eventually tutoring as a part-time job until completing her masters to ease her parents’ financial burden. Despite these responsibilities, Kiran was still able to give proper time and attention to her studies.

Kiran earned a master’s degree in chemistry with distinction from Karakoram International University, where she was awarded a gold medal for her academic excellence. Her research on the phytochemical screening of a local medicinal plant and isolation of the bioactive compounds sparked her interest in learning more about the unexplored medicinal flora of her region to develop therapeutics for diseases such as cancer. The motivation Kiran received from her professors at university inspired her to pursue her goals even further.

Kiran’s determination and hard work paid off when she received an admission offer for the M.Phil program at Hussein Ebrahim Jamal Research Institute of Chemistry (HEJRIC), which included a reserved stipend for meritorious students. Competing with students from across the country, Kiran’s achievement boosted her spirits and strengthened her belief that determination and hard work are key factors in achieving success. She excelled in her coursework with the highest GPA in her class and successfully completed a research project. Kiran also took online courses to expand her knowledge and attended international conferences to present her research work and explore new areas of study.

Driven by her desire for personal growth and knowledge, Kiran attended an international summer school (online) hosted by Shanghai Jiao Tong University, where she participated in intellectual discussions, informative lectures, and cultural celebrations that helped her thrive in a multicultural community and grow as a global citizen.

These experiences led Kiran to yet another milestone in her career: recent fully funded admission offers to Ph.D. Programs in chemistry from Michigan State University and Carnegie Mellon University in the US.. In her doctoral studies, Kiran aims to conduct impactful research on cancer using her chemistry background. Additionally, she plans to return to her homeland and play an active role in educating and training researchers and conducting research on the prevailing diseases in the region, as well as working for women’s empowerment and children’s rights.

Kiran’s journey from a remote village in Hunza to receiving fully funded offers for prestigious Ph.D. programs at renowned US universities is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and a passion for learning.

As an alumna of the Karakoram International University, Kiran serves as an inspiration to the next generation of students who strive for excellence and wish to make a difference in their communities and the world.

Are you ready to hear an incredible story of hard work and determination? Buckle up because we are about to take you on a journey through the life of Sonia Zahara, an alumna of the Department of Chemistry, Karakoram International University, Gilgit-Baltistan.

Sonia’s success story is an inspiring testament to the power of determination and hard work. Coming from a small town in Pakistan and graduating from an Urdu-medium high school, Sonia initially struggled with self-doubt and underestimated her own abilities. However, through her perseverance and unwavering dedication, she proved that one’s background should not limit their potential for success. This story delves into how Sonia overcame adversity and attained remarkable feats in academics and research. Despite facing limited academic opportunities, Sonia refused to accept society’s negative preconceptions that a graduate from a government school could not accomplish the extraordinary. Her narrative is about to disprove several stereotypes.

To overcome her self-doubt, she took the first step by enrolling in an English-medium college for her higher secondary education. Transitioning to a new medium of instruction came with some new obstacles, but she pushed through and made it to the top of her class. But that was just the beginning. While talking about her transition from an Urdu-medium school to an English-medium school, she said, “Although I had to work extra hard to overcome the challenges that came with attending an Urdu-medium government high school that wasn’t exactly top-ranked, I did not let that stop me from pursuing my dreams. ” She mentioned that throughout her academic journey, she had been fortunate to have had an abundance of supportive teachers who provided unwavering encouragement and guidance. She expressed her gratitude for her teachers from college who had helped her make a smooth transition from Urdu to English medium. Moreover, she acknowledged the pivotal role played by the unwavering support and mentorship of her university professors in her success story.

As an undergraduate student at Karakoram International University, she not only excelled academically by maintaining a perfect GPA, but also thrived in extracurricular activities, taking her overall performance to the next level. During her undergraduate studies, she was awarded a fully-funded scholarship (UGRAD student exchange program) to attend a university in the United States as an exchange student. She was one of only three students from KIU to receive this prestigious opportunity, which speaks volumes about her academic excellence and potential. While talking about her exchange program to the US she said “It is funny that when I got selected for the UGRAD student exchange program, some of my so-called friends tried to convince me not to go to the US alone citing I was a “girl”. Ha! Little did they know that I was unstoppable. I had Iot more friends who were very happy for me, and encouraged me.” She ended up attending Dickinson State University and earned a place on the dean’s list, which is a remarkable achievement reserved for students with excellent academic performance. Her inclusion in the dean’s list is another testament to her dedication towards her studies.

Country presentation at Dickinson State University, USA

Upon returning from the UGRAD program, she found herself falling behind in her coursework. However, she received exceptional support from her teachers in the Department of Chemistry KIU, who offered additional office hours to help her catch up on the material. She expressed her deep gratitude towards her teachers for their assistance, which enabled her to cover the course content and get back on track. In recognition of her academic excellence and outstanding performance, she was awarded a gold medal in 2019, which was reflected in her perfect CGPA of 4.0.

Receiving a gold medal from President Arif Alvi at KIU, Gilgit

After receiving her undergrad degree with distinction, she sought admission to HEJ Research Institute of Chemistry for an M. Phil. degree. And guess what? She did not stop there. She also attended a fully funded summer school at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China. No big deal!!! But wait, there’s more….

Representing Pakistan at Shanghai Jiao Tong University, China

In 2022, Sonia was selected by the Higher Education Commission Pakistan to attend the Nobel Laureate meeting in Germany, which is a great honor in itself. It is worth mentioning that she was among only six young researchers selected from across Pakistan. As an alumna of KIU and a girl from a small town in Pakistan, it was a remarkable achievement for her to be rubbing elbows with some of the most brilliant minds in the world. When asked about her experience at Lindau, she described it as a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. She was surrounded by intelligent people and the world’s best scientists, and the highlight of her experience was having lunch with Nobel Laureate William G. Kaelin Jr. She couldn’t help but express her excitement and said, “I mean, can you imagine how star-struck I was? :D”

With Nobel Laureate William G. Kaelin Jr. and some young researchers from around the world

With Nobel Laureate Jean-Marie Lehn and a fellow researcher

Upon completion of her M. Phil. degree, she secured a teaching position at KIU, her alma mater, where she motivated and guided the next generation of talented students.

Upon reaching the point in her academic career where she sought to undertake a Ph.D. program, she was offered several esteemed scholarship opportunities from numerous institutions worldwide, including the ANSO scholarship for the University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, the Fulbright scholarship, and direct admission offers from several US universities. However, she ultimately chose to attend Boston University, where her current research revolves around the Nano-Bio interface. Additionally, she is working as a teaching assistant at BU, which brings its own set of challenges.

Thus, ladies and gentlemen, that’s her tale of rising from KIU to BU, full of struggles and obstacles that cannot be explained in words but she laughed her way through them all. Because as it turns out when you work hard and never give up on your dreams, the universe has a way of rewarding you in ways you never could have imagined.

In her final remarks, she emphasized the importance of family support, especially for girls. She conveyed that families should be equally supportive of their boys and girls but girls need extra permission and support to overcome societal and cultural barriers. Without their family’s support, the journey toward success can become significantly more difficult for girls. Hence, she urged families to be supportive and provide their daughters with the necessary resources and encouragement to help them pursue their dreams and achieve success. Moreover, Sonia also expressed her wish for parents to trust their children. She believed that when parents trust their children, it instills a sense of confidence and self-belief in them, which is essential for achieving success in any field.

We would like to express our heartfelt gratitude to the successful alumna for sharing her inspiring story and insights with us. Her journey toward success is a testament to the power of hard work, determination, and perseverance, and we are grateful for the opportunity to learn from her experiences. We wish her all the best in her future endeavors and hope that she continues to inspire others to pursue their dreams and achieve success.

Beyond the shadow of a doubt, “nothing succeeds like success” once a person gains success in something, it is easier to achieve success in other things. Among such successive stories, there is the story of Samana Rahim. She belongs to Shimshal valley in Hunza has been considered an adept student in the Department of Tourism and Hospitality Management, Karakoram International University. 

“I have faced many challenges in my life till now.  Mountaineering is a risky field. There are difficulties at every step but this is what makes one’s life worth living. After all, this is what life is all about.”

In 2010, Samana had her first mountaineering adventure on Yazghial Trek. The trek ignited a fire inside her, leading her to start a career as a mountaineer. In 2016, she participated in and won the first ice climbing championship, organized by the Aga Khan Youth and Sports Board for Pakistan (AKYSB), which proved to be the turning point of her life. 

In 2017, Samana was part of an expedition that attempted the Passu Peak (7478m), however, finding themselves in a predicament, they canceled the expedition and Summited the Kuksail Peak (5500) instead. That same year, with the sponsorship of the Karakoram club, she led a successful expedition with three other girls to the Manglik Sar (6050).

In 2019, Samana, after ten tough days, led a Swedish client to Manglik Sar Peak as the first female guide.   “As there are no high altitude female lead climbers in Pakistan, I want to become one.” Says the aspiring mountaineer.

She climbed Manglik Sar Peak (6050), once again, with four other girls in 2021, the same year she trekked k2 base camp (500) with Saad Munawar’s team. The future high-altitude alpinist has also summited the Shimshal pass (4700) more than ten times. 

In 2020, she joined Rakaposhi base camp Trek, Ghugrave Trek, and crossed Boisam pass (4900).

 Samana has also won a bronze medal in the Naltar skiing competition. Her love for mountains does not end here – the mountaineer working as the first female licensed guide is helping others accomplish their dreams by being an ice and rock-climbing instructor at Chitral, Hopper, Passu, Shimshal, and Khyber.

According to a wise man, the most difficult part of any work is getting started. Once you get started, you’ll find the rest of the task easy to do. Mountaineering is not easy, however, she says she is happy and satisfied with her hard work.  Reported by her, her family was so insecure about her choice of career. However, her mother became her inspiration and strength. Her mother has always encouraged her in every aspect so that she doesn’t fall upon any hurdle in her career. 

“For females, traveling alone is not easy but my family keeps a positive perspective about me and gives me a chance to avail myself opportunities in my life without any hurdles.”  Her focus is to work for women’s empowerment. In the future, she aims to start an organization that leads women expeditions, promotes tourism, and sports in GB.  

“I am thankful to the Director of the Hunza campus for creating such opportunities and encouraging me to participate. He gets me engaged in practical fields and helps me achieve my goals.”  — Samana

Upon asking ” where do you see yourself in the future?” Summiting K2 she replied! with sparkling eyes

“K2 is my dream and my priority.” 

We too hope that one day she’ll lead her dream expedition.