July 15, 2025
Photo essay: Kashmir’s pencil village faces a raw material crisis
Oukhoo, a village in Kashmir, produces most of India’s pencil slats. But the felling of poplar trees is now threatening wood supply, jobs, and the region’s economy.
Sajid Raina is a Delhi-based freelance journalist who writes on politics, human rights, and social justice. His work has appeared in News International, Article 14, The Diplomat, The Polis Project, FairPlanet, and other platforms. He holds a master’s degree in mass communications and reports with a focus on marginalised communities and underrepresented narratives.