• SHAHID AHMED HAKLA

: This paper presents an in-depth socio-cultural and economic exploration of the Gujjar and Bakarwal community of Jammu & Kashmir, India—nomadic tribes whose way of life is deeply aligned with nature and rooted in tradition. Drawing on secondary data, oral histories, and ethnographic sources, the study highlights their origins, cultural divisions, language, customs, political marginalization, and economic challenges. Despite their rich heritage and historical resilience, Gujjars and Bakarwals continue to face poverty, illiteracy, and infrastructural deprivation. The paper aims to provide a comprehensive understanding of their identity, challenges, and the policy gaps that hinder their upliftment. It underscores the urgent need for targeted interventions in education, livelihood, and political representation to support their integration in a rapidly modernizing society.

Gujjars, Bakarwals, Nomadic Tribes, Jammu and Kashmir, Tribal Marginalization, Gojri Language, Pastoral Economy, Mobile Education, Transhumance, Scheduled Tribes, Socio-economic Conditions, Tribal Culture, Folk Traditions, Livelihood Patterns, Political Representation, Indigenous Identity, Cultural Heritage, Tribal Literacy, Tribal Occupation, Social Backwardness

"Ethnographic and Socio-Political Study of Gujjars and Bakarwals of Jammu & Kashmir", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 6, page no.e619-e629, June-2025, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2506468.pdf

"Ethnographic and Socio-Political Study of Gujjars and Bakarwals of Jammu & Kashmir", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.12, Issue 6, page no. ppe619-e629, June-2025, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2506468.pdf