Founding Story
The Kashmir Care Foundation (KCF) was founded with a vision to empower the youth of Kashmir, a region rich in culture but facing socio-economic challenges. Dr. Altaf Lal, inspired by the untapped potential he saw in the region’s young people, recognized the need for mentorship and resources to help them realize their dreams. His passion for education, innovation, and collaboration led to the creation of KCF, initially aimed at providing opportunities for mentorship and skill development. The foundation’s efforts evolved into Kashmir Global Connect, a global community that fosters the exchange of ideas and promotes accessible education, research, and interdisciplinary collaboration across fields like technology, healthcare, and education. Despite facing limited resources and significant challenges, KCF’s unwavering commitment to its mission has allowed it to create lasting impact. By equipping young professionals with the skills necessary for success and fostering collaboration, KCF is breaking down barriers and driving positive change. What began as a small initiative in Kashmir has grown into a thriving global network that continues to inspire progress and opportunity worldwide.
Altaf Lal
Altaf Lal (PhD), is the President of Global Health and Pharmaceuticals Consulting Inc., a firm offering consulting and advisory services to both for-profit and not-for-profit organizations in the fields of health sciences, pharmaceutical sciences, product development, regulations, and disease control and elimination. He graduated with honors from Kashmir University, earned a postgraduate degree in Biochemistry from Lucknow University, India, and obtained his Ph.D. in Chemistry from Kanpur University, with research conducted at the Central Drug Research Institute in Lucknow.
Dr. Lal serves on the boards of the Foundation for Disease Elimination and Control of India (FDEC) and Sun Pharma Healthcare Society (SPHS), India. He has also held board positions with the Roll Back Malaria Partnership to End Malaria (RBM) in Geneva, the Asia Pacific Leaders Malaria Alliance (APLMA) in Singapore, Chinar International, and the Centre for Kashmir in the USA.
In addition, Dr. Lal is a Senior Advisor for Global Health and Innovation at Sun Pharmaceuticals Industries Limited, India. He previously served as the US Health Attaché and Regional Representative for South Asia at the US Embassy in New Delhi. Dr. Lal was the founding CEO of Hilleman Laboratories, a company focused on developing low-cost, heat-stable vaccines for use in developing countries. He also held the role of Director of the FDA India Office, where he developed policies and strategies for inspecting pharmaceutical products imported into the US.
Dr. Lal has published over 260 peer-reviewed scientific papers. He is the founder and president of the Kashmir Care Foundation, a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization based in the USA.