Four years ago, Harsh, one of our co-founders, was visiting Ladakh and looking for a place to stay. He initially found a homestay in the Saboo region, but since it was full, the owners offered him a stay at their homestay in Stok instead. A year later, our other co-founder, Durgesh, visited the same homestay upon Harsh’s recommendation. During his visit, Durgesh noticed the challenges of internet connectivity in the region and initiated a discussion with the homestay owners about our work in providing reliable internet services. This conversation marked the beginning of our efforts to improve connectivity in Stok.
Over time, our work extended to supporting Rabzes, the daughter of the homestay owners, who became the first female ISP in Ladakh. Since then, we have provided stable internet connections to multiple homestays, hotels, and schools in Stok, addressing critical connectivity gaps.
Enhancing Education with Internet Access
Schools like Siddhartha High School and Stok Government Primary School faced challenges due to the lack of internet. Teachers were required to submit student attendance online, but without internet access, they had to leave school premises daily to find a mobile signal strong enough to complete this basic task. This was time-consuming and inefficient. With internet access now available, teachers can complete their tasks more efficiently, and students have access to online resources to support their learning.
Supporting Tourism Through Connectivity
Stok is a popular destination for travelers, including remote workers who rely on stable internet. In the past, poor connectivity made it difficult for tourists to work and for homestay owners to manage bookings and communicate with guests. With improved internet access, homestays and hotels can now cater better to visitors, helping them stay connected and extending their stays, which benefits the local economy.
Positive Impact on the Community
Reliable internet has made daily life more convenient for residents. Families can communicate more easily, businesses can operate more effectively, and students have better access to learning materials. While there is still work to be done, this initiative has been a step toward bridging the digital divide in Stok and similar remote regions.
Our goal is to continue expanding internet access to villages that have yet to experience the benefits of stable connectivity, ensuring that more communities can stay connected and grow in the digital age.
In July 2024, our team set out on a mission to connect Turtuk, a remote border village, to the digital world. The first step was a site survey—assessing the landscape, identifying potential connection points, and determining where our BTS (Base Transceiver Station) and main hub would be placed. Homestays, hospitals, and key community spaces were marked as priority locations for connectivity.
The challenge was clear—Turtuk’s existing internet infrastructure was unreliable. BSNL’s fiber-based network, the only available option, could take a week or more to restore when damaged. With no local engineers, repairs meant waiting for a technician from Leh, hours away. Power sources for the BTS were also scarce, making infrastructure planning even more critical.
In August, we returned, this time with hardware in hand. The mission had gained local support—residents eager for connectivity helped spread the word. Crucially, our approach was different. Unlike fiber, which was prone to breakage and long downtimes, we introduced a wireless network, offering stability and ease of maintenance. The region’s extreme weather made traditional subscription management cumbersome—pausing a connection required a trip to Leh just to submit a form. A better system was needed.
As installations began, momentum built. Connections went live, and demand grew. But by October, Turtuk began to wind down for the winter, with many residents temporarily relocating to Delhi, Chandigarh, or Leh.
Our work didn’t stop at Turtuk. Nearby, in Tyakshi, we discovered another BTS, presenting an opportunity to extend our network. A P2P (Point-to-Point) axis was established, bringing internet to four homestays in the village. Even beyond Turtuk, smaller communities remained disconnected.
One such village was Puchathang, accessible only via a rugged trek. With no roads leading in, our team hiked through challenging terrain to complete a site survey. The need was clear, and so was our mission—to ensure that this year, even Puchathang gets connected.
As we look ahead to summer 2025, the goal remains the same: bridging the digital divide, one village at a time.
“Oh, are you an electrician?” “What is this Wi-Fi business?” “Do you even make money doing this?” “How come you are doing this work as a girl?” These are just some of the common remarks Rabzes hears as she forges a new path in Ladakh’s digital landscape. But rather than letting these comments deter her, she embraces them as markers of the change she is driving.
Rabzes is Ladakh’s first female Internet Service Provider (ISP), leading the charge in bringing connectivity to the region’s most remote villages. Her journey has been anything but conventional, marked by perseverance, learning, and a passion for breaking stereotypes.
A Childhood of Curiosity and Learning
Growing up in Stok, Rabzes spent her childhood playing ‘teacher-teacher’ after school. Later, when she moved to Skalzangling in grade seven, she had better access to coaching centers, particularly for math and science. Though she had a laptop at home, the internet remained an unknown entity. Her first exposure to a laptop came through a tenant, as she had only seen computers in school. Driven by curiosity, she pleaded with her father, who was traveling to Delhi for business, to bring her one.
The Early Days of Internet Discovery
Rabzes first encountered Facebook in ninth grade, accessing it at a cyber café with her friends—a ritual that quickly became a daily routine after school. Phones were a rarity, and she received her first one in tenth grade, though without a SIM card. By the time she reached eleventh and twelfth grade, her focus shifted entirely to academics at her boarding school, where devices were not allowed. Determined to secure a place in a good university, she immersed herself in her studies.
A New Path in Taiwan
After completing high school, Rabzes pursued commerce in Delhi while simultaneously studying Chinese at DU. She had always envisioned herself studying in China or Taiwan. Although obtaining a Chinese visa proved difficult, she successfully secured one for Taiwan. However, delays in receiving graduation documents forced her to postpone her plans. Finally, in December 2019, she arrived in Taiwan, where she pursued an MBA while working part-time at an Indian restaurant and later as a teacher.
Finding Purpose in Connectivity
Upon returning to India, Rabzes continued working remotely in education, but she couldn’t ignore the persistent lack of internet access in her homeland. Her father, already acquainted with Durgesh, a founder of Hybrid Internet, saw an opportunity for collaboration. Inspired by the idea, Rabzes partnered with Hybrid Internet to expand its services in Ladakh, beginning with Stok and Saboo. In the following year, she fully committed herself to the mission.
Despite initial skepticism and gender biases, she immersed herself in the technical aspects of wireless connections. She encountered challenges, particularly in Shey, where inconsistent signal strength made traditional wireless solutions ineffective. Determined to find a solution, she learned fiber-optic connections from her engineer within two days, successfully bringing stable connectivity to the area.
Transforming Ladakh’s Digital Landscape
One of her most impactful projects was in Hanley, a village entirely cut off from the internet. The gratitude of the villagers upon receiving connectivity reaffirmed her purpose. Additionally, her expertise caught the attention of Oberoi Grand Hotel, which onboarded her for their Leh location—a major milestone in her career.
Breaking Barriers and Inspiring Change
Rabzes’ journey is a testament to the power of determination and breaking stereotypes. She believes that no job is too big or small, and that gender should never define one’s career choices. Her advice to young people is simple: if you are capable and determined, no barrier—technical or societal—can hold you back.
Through her work, she is not only bridging Ladakh’s digital divide but also inspiring a new generation of women to pursue careers in technology. Rabzes is living proof that with vision, hard work, and resilience, unconventional dreams can become reality.
On a crisp morning in Turtuk, a village perched at the edge of India, we stumbled upon a group of children laughing by a brook. They were splashing water, their faces alight with mischief, as if untouched by the challenges of their remote home. Their laughter was infectious, but beneath it lay a story of challenges, perseverance, and dreams tethered to an unsteady educational foundation.
When we asked these young learners about school, their answers were candid and thought-provoking. One common thread emerged: consistency.
The Struggle for Stability
Turtuk’s schools rely heavily on volunteer teachers, which brings passion and diversity but also creates a significant hurdle—frequent teacher turnover. As educators come and go, students must adapt to new teaching styles, often within the same academic year. It’s like resetting their learning journey repeatedly, leaving gaps in their understanding and stability.
For these children, textbooks in Hindi—a language they’re still mastering—pose an additional challenge. With limited access to resources, the classroom often becomes the only place they can attempt to make sense of unfamiliar words and concepts. But what happens when they don’t understand something during the lesson? Who do they turn to when the teacher is no longer around?
A Bridge Called the Internet
In our conversation, their wish was simple yet profound: access to the internet. They didn’t dream of games or entertainment; they dreamed of learning. They saw the internet as a tool to revisit lessons, seek explanations in Hindi, and build a solid foundation for their studies.
“If we had the internet,” one child said shyly, “we could find videos that explain our lessons better. If we don’t understand what the teacher says, we can learn it again.”
For them, the internet represents consistency in a world of constant change. It’s a bridge to revisit forgotten lessons, a tutor to clarify confusion, and a mentor that doesn’t leave. With online access, they could learn at their own pace, returning to concepts until they feel confident.
Education Beyond Borders
Turtuk’s story is a reminder of the power of connectivity. For these children, the internet isn’t just a tool—it’s a lifeline to stable, consistent education. It’s a way to overcome the barriers of language and geography. It’s an opportunity to dream beyond the confines of a remote village.
Imagine a world where a child in Turtuk, after struggling to understand a chapter in a Hindi textbook, could watch an engaging video that breaks it down step by step. Imagine a teacher thousands of miles away inspiring a love for science in a classroom they’ve never set foot in. Imagine the collective dreams of Turtuk’s children taking flight, powered by the endless possibilities of online learning.
Bridging the Digital Divide
Turtuk’s children showed us something we often forget: the internet isn’t just about convenience—it’s about equity. Their desire for connectivity isn’t driven by frivolity but by a hunger to learn, to grow, and to keep pace with the rest of the world.
As we walked away from the brook that day, the kids waved, their laughter echoing in the mountain air. But their voices stayed with us, a poignant reminder of why we do what we do. Bridging the digital divide isn’t just about technology; it’s about giving children like those in Turtuk a fair chance to rewrite their futures.
Let’s work to make their dreams a reality. One connection at a time
“How do you chase big dreams when the rules of the game suddenly change?”
For these schoolgirls in Turtuk, Ladakh, this question isn’t just rhetorical—it’s their reality. After Article 370 was revoked and Ladakh became a Union Territory, their education system shifted from the simpler Jammu & Kashmir State Board to the more rigorous CBSE curriculum. The change hit hardest after their 10th grade, leaving them unprepared for the academic leap required to clear their 12th board exams.
A Struggle Against the Odds
Turtuk, with its breathtaking landscapes and resilient people, is also a place of educational roadblocks. Limited teachers, outdated textbooks, and societal pressures already made learning a challenge. Now, these girls must tackle a curriculum they weren’t trained for—without the resources their urban counterparts take for granted.
Why Internet Access is Critical
For Tasneem, Sana, and hundreds of others, the internet isn’t about entertainment—it’s about survival in an academic system that moved ahead while they were left behind.
Bridging Knowledge Gaps: Online resources could help them grasp the tougher concepts CBSE demands.
Self-Paced Learning: With limited teachers, digital platforms could provide personalized support.
Competitive Exam Prep: Without coaching centers, internet access is their only shot at cracking entrance tests for higher education.
The Roadblock
Turtuk’s remote location means poor connectivity. Even where the internet exists, it’s unstable and out of reach for many families. Without intervention, these girls risk falling further behind, their dreams shrinking with each dropped connection.
The Future They Deserve
Turtuk’s girls are ready to take on the challenge—they just need the right tools. Access to the internet means access to information, mentorship, and opportunities that can help them compete on equal footing. It’s about equipping them with the knowledge and confidence to shape their own futures.
A connected Turtuk is a stronger Turtuk, where ambition meets opportunity and potential turns into achievement. The path forward is clear—let’s ensure these students have the resources they need to thrive, not just dream.
What happens when a hospital has state-of-the-art facilities but no consistent internet connection? In the remote, breathtaking village of Turtuk, nestled on India’s northern borders, Dr. Javed from Srinagar and pharmacist Dr. Kareem Ahmed confront this reality every day. They are dedicated healthcare professionals working in a facility they proudly maintain as one of the finest in the region, yet they’re held back by a barrier that most of us take for granted—reliable internet.
In this post from our #PeopleWithoutInternet series, we share the story of these committed healthcare heroes, the unique challenges they face, and the lengths they go to provide quality care despite limited connectivity
A Modern Hospital, Limited by Connectivity
The healthcare center in Turtuk is a source of pride for Dr. Javed and Dr. Kareem. When our team visited, Dr. Javed guided us through the facility, showcasing state-of-the-art equipment and spotless facilities—a rare sight in a remote village. This small hospital is as modern as any urban healthcare facility, a testament to the dedication of the staff, who are determined to provide the best possible healthcare to Turtuk’s residents.
However, despite the hospital’s modern infrastructure, its connectivity remains a severe obstacle. Access to the internet in Turtuk is erratic at best, with doctors sometimes going up to a week without internet access. This lack of connectivity hinders their ability to upload essential documents to the government daily, a task that would be routine in any well-connected area. Moreover, without reliable internet, the hospital cannot access specialist advice on call, which is critical in emergencies, given Turtuk’s isolation and the lack of in-person specialists.
The Role of Internet in Remote Healthcare
For doctors like Dr. Javed and Dr. Kareem, internet access is not just a convenience; it’s essential for modern medical care. In an area where bringing specialists on-site is challenging, the internet bridges the gap by allowing remote consultations, enabling them to make informed decisions quickly. Whether it’s uploading patient records, coordinating with government health departments, or seeking specialist advice, internet access is crucial for running an efficient and effective healthcare center in Turtuk.
In fact, reliable internet connectivity could transform the healthcare landscape in remote villages like Turtuk, enhancing access to quality care and reducing the need for patients to travel long distances for treatment.
The Commitment of Turtuk’s Healthcare Team
What struck us most during our visit was the dedication of Dr. Javed and Dr. Kareem. Beyond their professional duties, they are deeply invested in the well-being of their community and are committed to making Turtuk’s healthcare center a beacon of excellence. Their hope is that one day, Turtuk will have the same level of connectivity and access to resources as any major city, enabling them to provide their patients with comprehensive, world-class care.
These healthcare heroes continue to serve with limited resources, working tirelessly to make a difference in the lives of Turtuk’s residents. They are living examples of resilience and commitment, embodying the spirit of healthcare service despite the challenges they face.
Why Connectivity is Key to the Future of Rural Healthcare
Stories like those of Dr. Javed and Dr. Kareem underscore the urgent need for reliable internet connectivity in remote regions. Without it, even the most well-equipped facilities are limited in their capacity to serve effectively. By bridging the digital divide, we can help healthcare workers like Dr. Javed and Dr. Kareem provide the care their communities deserve.
The #PeopleWithoutInternet series aims to highlight these stories, advocating for better connectivity in rural India, where it’s needed the most. When healthcare heroes like Dr. Javed and Dr. Kareem have access to reliable internet, they are empowered to bring life-changing improvements to their communities.
Final Thoughts
Dr. Javed, Dr. Kareem, and their team are committed to providing the best care possible, standing as pillars of hope for the people of Turtuk. Their story reminds us of the crucial role internet plays in healthcare and the importance of bridging the connectivity gap in rural India.
Stay tuned for more stories in our #PeopleWithoutInternet series as we continue to explore the lives of those who tirelessly work to serve their communities against all odds.
