Meet our team
From its inception to its execution, the Ladi Shah Project has brought together a diverse group of individuals who have contributed their unique talents and experiences to make this project a reality.
With their dedication, the Ladi Shah Project has recorded over 150 interviews in Kashmir and is working to gather and share more stories each day. The team is committed to giving Kashmiris from all backgrounds the opportunity to speak for themselves, and treating every project participant with dignity and respect. Through this effort, the team seeks to preserve the rich, multi-dimensional history and culture of Kashmir for future generations.
The Ladi Shah project was conceived and funded by the Guru Charitable Foundation. To learn more about the foundation click here.
Aqsaa Nowshahri
Interview Facilitator
Aqsaa conducts interviews for the Ladi Shah Project. Aqsaa is a research assistant with the Jammu and Kashmir Institute for Mental Health and Neurosciences, where she studies post-traumatic stress disorders. Aqsaa holds an M.A. in Social Work and a B.S. in Industrial Chemistry, Chemistry, and Zoology from the University of Kashmir. She has a Diploma in Software Engineering from NIIT Srinagar. Aqsaa has completed internships with CHINAR Kashmir, the Jammu and Kashmir Department of Social Welfare, and the Sher-I-Kashmir Institute of Medical Sciences. She lives in Srinagar, Kashmir.
Khurshid A. Guru
Director
Drs. Khurshid and Lubna co-founded GCF. Khurshid conceived, researched and developed the Ladi Shah Project since its inception in 2009. Together with Yousef Mian, they laid the pathways for its elaborate archiving, best practices and converted a truly American project to a grass roots Kashmiri program. Khurshid is a robotic surgeon with expertise in pelvic oncologic surgery and Lubna is a practicing Pediatrician. They live in Buffalo NY with their three children Shireen, Nurayn and Yousef.
Iliyas Rizvi
Interview Facilitator
Iliyas conducts interviews for the Ladi Shah Project. He is currently doing research on climate change and has studied Medicine in Iran and Environmental Studies in Kashmir. Writing on diverse issues with a special focus on public health, environment and development, his work has appeared in Greater Kashmir, Rising Kashmir, The Times of India, and Kashmir Life. Iliyas lives in Kashmir.
Samia Shafi
Project Coordinator
Samia co-launched the Ladi Shah Project in Kashmir, and she is responsible for training and providing ongoing support to program staff. Samia also manages communications and development for the Ladi Shah Project. Samia has four years of experience as a fundraiser for not-for-profit organizations in New York City, where she currently resides. She holds a B.A. in Individualized Study from New York University.
Shifa Ali
Project Consultant
Shifa planned and co-launched the Ladi Shah Project in Kashmir, training and supervising project staff. Shifa is currently an M.A. student in the Near Eastern Studies Program at New York University. She is a Fulbright Fellow and holds a B.A. in Critical Theory. Her academic and artistic work in oral history, photography and creative writing focuses on the city of Tangier, Morocco.
Yousef M. Mian, Esq.
Legal Counsel
Yousef has been involved in grant writing and legal oversight for GCF since 2009. He has actively participated in developing best practices for the Ladi Shah Project's critical documentation & archiving sections. He is an attorney specializing in cyber law and intellectual property matters, particularly patent prosecution and litigation. Yousef lives in New York City, NY with his wife, Sophia.
Rohi Jehan
Project Coordinator
Rohi is responsible for the recording and archiving of oral histories in Kashmir for the Ladi Shah Project. Rohi is an M.A. student in Mass Communications and Journalism at the University of Kashmir, where she has written articles for MERC Times, the Media Education Research Center newspaper, and anchored the university's news program, Quest. Rohi has created several short documentary films on Kashmiri society and culture. She has a B.S. in Chemistry, Botany, and Zoology from the University of Kashmir. Rohi lives in Srinagar, Kashmir.
Doug Nixon
Audio Production Expert
Doug has approximately ten years of experience in sound related operations that includes sound reinforcement, effects and mixing for overall and total sound related performance. His desire to support the mission of preservation of voices of people of Kashmir has lead to quality sound performances for Ladi Shah Project. Doug received a Associates's from Villa Maria College, and currently serves as the Creative Multi-media Expert for Simulated Surgical Systems LLC. Doug lives in Buffalo, NY.
Meet our friends
The Ladi Shah Project is supported and aided by many who share its vision and believe in what The Ladi Shah Project is working to accomplish.
We are deeply grateful for their help and expertise, which has brought this project to fruition and will strengthen our work in the future. Through the support of these partnerships, the Ladi Shah Project will be a vault for preserving the vibrant culture and traditions of Kashmir.
Advanca Inc, Little Red Truck Idea Company has been The Guru Foundation's technology partner for the last many years and we have been very fortunate to be part of The Ladi Shah Project – the first of its kind in the Kashmir Valley. This is a start of a very important project for GCF and Little Red Truck – making this a work in progress. Stay tuned for more from the Ladi Shah Project. Congratulations on the launch of the Ladi Shah Project. We wish the Guru Foundation all the success in the future.
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Jackson Powell, Partner & Creative Director
