By Beigh Arif CNI
Ganderbal:(CNI) A young tech genius from central Kashmir’s Ganderbal district is making a name for himself across the globe. Muhammad Abdul Raheem, a 16-year-old student from Nunner studying at Hilltop Educational Institute, has risen as one of the most promising coding talents from the Valley, earning accolades in international competitions and preparing to launch his own tech startup.
Raheem’s fascination with technology started early. As a child, he would often take apart laptops just to understand their components and functions. His real journey into the tech world began in Class 7th, sparked by a chapter on HTML in his school syllabus.
“By the time I completed 8th grade, I had already become proficient in full-stack development and had started working on freelance projects, even collaborating with startups,” Raheem shared.
Among his many accomplishments, Raheem secured the 258th global rank in Round 3 of the Meta Hacker Cup 2024, organized by Facebook. He also achieved an impressive 42 global rank, 6 in Asia, and 4 in India at the ICode Global Finals.
He added, “I was the runner-up in CodeCrush, a national-level coding competition, and also received the Developer of the Year 2024 award.”
His win at DevHack 6.0 held at IIT Dharwad further boosted his reputation in the tech industry and encouraged him to push forward with even more determination.
Beyond competitions, Raheem has enhanced his skills through internships with several tech companies and NIT Srinagar. He has gained valuable experience in software development, cybersecurity, and artificial intelligence.
He has also created applications for various startups, many of which are already in successful operation, showcasing his talent in building real-world tech solutions.
“I’m a Certified Ethical Hacker (CEH) from EC-Council. My expertise includes PHP, Laravel, JavaScript, React.js, Python, cybersecurity, AI, and more,” Raheem stated.
He credited his parents for their unwavering support, despite the societal inclination towards conventional fields like medicine and engineering. While he dreams of working at companies like Google and Meta, his ultimate goal remains launching his own tech startup.
Recently, Raheem was invited as a guest by the organizing committee of IICPC Codefest 2025 at IIT Madras, a testament to his growing influence in the coding community.
Sharing a message for aspiring young minds, he said, “Don’t wait for the perfect moment. If you have a dream, start working on it now—or you’ll end up building someone else’s.” CNI