(This story originally appeared in on Nov 02, 2015)

SRINAGAR: A madrassa in Sopore district, one of the hotbeds of militancy in Jammu & Kashmir, is being prepped for imparting formal education along with theological study of Islam - the idea is to set an example for more such Islamic seminaries to open up to formal scholastic education."My aim is to revolutionize madrassas in Kashmir after I learnt that terrorists are produced in Islamic seminaries," Sohail Nasti, a doctor who has also trained as a rescue pilot, told TOI.Nasti's international charity organization, Mother Helpage Worldwide, has worked on several projects in Kashmir in the last two decades. Modernising madrassa is the latest step, following an increasing perception that these seminaries have become breeding grounds for militants and terrorists of all shades.The first seminary identified for modernization is Darul-Uloom Mahrajpora, Sopore, 52km from Srinagar. There are more than 12 madrassas in Sopore which are suspect, state government sources said. "We have informed the authorities (about their activities)," a top intelligence officer told TOI.The officer recalled that in December 2006, the security forces had come to know about a full-fledged recruitment cell of the Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT) in a madrassa in Sopore, after the parents of a young student (talib) informed the Army unit at Pattan about their son having gone missing. The boy was rescued from the Kupwara forests, and he revealed the role of the Sopore madrassas.Speaking about his mission, Nasti, who is settled in UK, said, "We provide computers and other equipment to the madrassa to enable students to earn an honourable livelihood after education."Nasti wants to teach science and technology to talibs. "We want scholars who can grow and work as professionals and have regular incomes. An Imam shouldn't be paid for leading the prayers. If an Imam is working in a masjid, his income should be from another source. I want to provide madrassa students with literacy and education so that they earn their livelihood," Nasti said.Religious scholars can serve Islam better if they are assured of an honorable living after they come out of the madrassas, he said."People believe a madrassa is a place where students are taught only religious subjects, and that it has no connection with modern education. I want to change this perception," Nasti said. Besides modernization, Nasti says his vision is to support the youth in need of professional mentoring.