A curious trend has quietly taken root in Kashmir’s academic and intellectual spaces. A PhD in physics renames himself “Quantum.” A scholar of zoology becomes “Mendel.” Others attach Einstein, Darwin, Tesla, or similar towering figures of science to their names. At first glance, it may look harmless, even playful. But beneath this habit lies a deeper social and intellectual unease that deserves reflection.

Knowledge is meant to illuminate, not decorate. Yet in Kashmir, learning is increasingly worn like an ornament rather than practiced as a discipline. When individuals feel compelled to rename themselves after scientific concepts or historical scientists, it often signals not confidence but insecurity. It is an attempt to borrow authority instead of earning it.

This obsession is rooted partly in credential anxiety. Degrees in Kashmir come after years of struggle, uncertainty, and limited........

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