Kashmir’s Yumberzal Applied Research Institute

KYARI

Manifesting The Hope & Positivity Of The Yumberzal

The Yumberzal is a native indigenous flower (Narcissus) in the region of Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The blooming of the Yumberzal is seen as a sign indicating the end of a long, gruelling & harsh winter, as well as the beginning of a beautiful summer. KYARI, which also means ‘flowerbed’ in Hindi, reflects the essence and hope of the Yumberzal and aims to bring positivity in the society with our research that drives change.

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KYARI – Kashmir's Yumberzal Applied Research Institute is a private research organisation headquartered in Srinagar, India. KYARI is powered by the belief that academic research paves the way for debates, discussions and ultimately, decision-making in matters of public policy. Our focus is to conduct Applied Research on a broad spectrum of topics that impact civic and social issues in J&K. We hope to identify developmental issues in the region and subsequently provide effective, efficient, and economical solutions for the same.

Based on our study and research, we aim to develop policy papers on various issues like Education, Sanitation, Electricity, Tourism, Conservation, Economic Empowerment of Women and others affecting the J&K region and more. Our mission is to focus on the developmental issues hindering the economic and social growth of the Union Territory. We will conduct deep dives into district-wise issues, creating papers that we aim to publish in internationally acclaimed journals, while simultaneously striving to achieve tangible change in society.

KYARI will be a trusted grassroots level partner in Kashmir, offering credible, agile and responsive research solutions to institutions, governments, and civic bodies.

Our People

Meet the KYARI Team

Arhan Bagati

KYARI is managed by a team of dynamic youngsters under the leadership of Arhan Bagati. A Kashmiri Pandit by birth, Arhan is the founder of and driving force behind KYARI. After his International Baccalaureate Diploma Program (IBDP), he completed his Liberal Arts education with a Bachelor of Arts in Politics (specialization Comparative Politics) and in Asian Studies (with a concentration on India), from one of the best undergraduate institutes in the world - Pomona College, USA. He was also selected for a semester abroad at the University of Cambridge, perusing Law, Politics, Creative Writing, and Modern Art.

He is the Awareness and Impact Ambassador of the Paralympic Committee of India (PCI) and has been spearheading the growth of the Paralympic Movement in India since 2014. He founded LetsEnable.com and launched the mobile apps InRio and IndTokyo to assist the Indian Paralympic athletes. He also sponsored a few Paralympic Athletes, including Mariyappan Thangavelu and Varun Singh Bhati, who won Gold and Bronze respectively in High Jump at the Rio Paralympic Games of 2016. Arhan also lead the Indian Paralympic contingent for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic games held in August-September 2021 as the youngest in the world and first ever - Deputy Chef De Mission from India.. Credit goes to the PCI for its vision to promote the youth who can contribute to the growth of the Paralympic Movement.

Some of his other skills & achievements include writing and publishing on a wide range of topics like national security, J&K, and other current events, at prestigious platforms including Firstpost, The Quint, Greater Kashmir, and more. Currently, he has moved back to his native place in Kashmir and is involved full-time in establishing and growing KYARI as a premier research institute in the region.

Nusrat Farooq

Nusrat Farooq, a Cluster University Arts Graduate, is a brilliant new addition to Team Kyari. Her interest lies in becoming a helping hand to society. Always keen to gain in-depth insights in this domain from the researchers, Nusrat yearns to help the orphans, widows, homeless, etc. She firmly believes in giving her 100% percent, whatever the job may be, and is, more often than not, the hardest worker in the room.

Since the beginning of her teen years, Nusrat has been an ardent aspirant of serving the needy. A standout from the crowd of her age, she has chosen to follow her passion through a career in the same.

Sanya Jain

Sanya Jain, the young climate campaigner aspires to contribute towards KYARI's aim of bringing a positive change in the society. Through her experience, education, and innovation, she looks forward to serve the people. Sanya has a penchant for understanding the very minute reasons behind climate change and its impact on society; and how anthropogenic activities are one the core reasons behind the increasing environmental problems Working as a Research Associate with KYARI, she is on her mission to highlight and address such issues, and gain new experiences on the way.

Bijoy Basant Patro

Bijoy Basant Patro is a development writer, editor and journalist with over 20 years of experience in the humanitarian and development sector. He loves learning about – and writing on – the journeys of people and communities. His canvas of journalism extends well across the regions, sectors, and prominent organisations like OneWorld SouthAsia, International Federation of Red Cross, etc.

Prior to his association with the development and the humanitarian sector, he worked for a range of media, mainly in print journalism – covering a range of development beats, including agriculture and rural development. A fellow of the prestigious KK Birla Foundation, Bijoy came to Kashmir to explore KYARI & its contribution to the lives of people. He's actively engaged with the organisation to design a multipronged programme in consultation with local communities.

What Do We Do?

Identifying The Damage: The Wounds They Can't See

We conduct academic research on issues hindering the growth and progress of Kashmiri society. Our research is based on four pillars: using technology to drive development, enhancing the human capital of the Union Territory, fostering innovation and fuelling economic progress.

Fight Against The Misinformation

KYARI & Pixstory have joined hands to combat the 'infodemic' of misinformation in Jammu and Kashmir. The objective is to bring about the change long needed to promote RESPONSIBLE journalism. The partnership will be contributing constructively to accurate research-driven information concerning the valley.

The Philosophy Behind Our Work

The philosophy behind our work is that we believe progress is possible only when societies invest in their human capital. This philosophy is more important than ever before at this juncture of the development story in J&K. Through our research we aim to work towards bringing about policy change in critical public issues.

Our Research

We aim to help policymakers take critical decisions using robust and objective research. We will use economic models in our research papers and combine them with modern tools to provide critical findings. We will also create fact sheets and policy briefs to communicate our research findings with a non-academia audience.