Despite facing academic struggles, Junaid persevered to achieve his goals. He believes that consistency is more critical than just working hard. He also emphasizes the importance of giving back, particularly among the younger generation, taking inspiration from revered figures.

Junaid Mushtaq originates from Magam village in the Handwara Tehsil of Jammu and Kashmir. He is a PhD student at University of Florida.

Junaid admits that he was not a very good student during his school years. When he reached 11th grade, he initially wanted to pursue either Commerce or Mathematics. However, due to his parents' wishes, he ended up selecting the Science stream.

After his 12th-grade exams, he attempted a common entrance exam for medical colleges but didn't succeed. Consequently, he enrolled in B.Sc at S.P College, Srinagar. Throughout most of his undergraduate studies, he maintained a mediocre academic performance. However, during his third year of college, he felt compelled to study harder and improved his grades, says Junaid.

Junaid says that after finishing his graduation, he attempted an entrance exam at the University of Kashmir but did not succeed. Feeling uncertain about his future, he was considering his options when he learned about the central university entrance tests that were being conducted. Upon his friend's advice, he decided to apply and take the exam. Although he did not initially pass the entrance test, he had a stroke of luck as four students dropped out, leading to an available seat. As a result, he enrolled in the Central University of Jammu, pursuing a course in Environmental Science.

Surprisingly, during his third semester in the Master's program in Environmental Science at the Central University of Jammu, Junaid achieved a remarkable feat. He became the sole student in his batch to successfully clear the UGC NET exam that year, says Junaid.

After completing his third semester, when there was a one-month vacation, he chose not to return home. His sole focus was on studying, so he decided to stay back at his hostel. During that time, he received guidance and support from his teacher, Dr. Irfan, which proved instrumental in his academic success.

Junaid shares that he successfully passed the NET examination on his first attempt, a significant achievement. However, he narrowly missed securing the JRF (Junior Research Fellowship) by a mere 0.3%.

After facing multiple challenges in his pursuit of a PhD opportunity, Junaid opted to pursue an M.Tech. in Geo-Informatics. Subsequently, he seized an opportunity to work as a Junior Research Fellow at ISRO. Following his tenure at ISRO, Junaid embarked on a PhD journey once more, this time at Kashmir University. However, he eventually had to quit due to various reasons.

Junaid says that subsequently, he received an opportunity to pursue his PhD at the University of Florida, where he is currently engaged in research related to strawberry crops using drone imagery. He expresses great satisfaction with his work and life in Florida.

Junaid's success mantra is rooted in consistent hard work, emphasizing that making changes in one's life is essential for achieving success. He values honesty and confidence, along with giving hundred percent effort to reach one's goals. Additionally, he believes in not trying to change people unless they themselves are willing to change.

Recalling  his childhood, Junaid says he had a relatively normal upbringing. He recalls a moment from his 3rd or 4th grade when his father gave him a book to read. This experience deepened his religious inclination, leading him to feel a change in the way he prayed.

Despite the confinement brought about by the COVID-induced lockdowns, Junaid sees several positive aspects of this pandemic period. He views it as an opportunity to embrace technology, particularly Zoom meetings, which allowed him to connect with experts in various fields, something that would have been challenging due to geographical distances and other physical constraints.

Junaid draws inspiration from a single figure as his role model: Prophet Muhammad, whom he considers the most complete and perfect individual to have ever lived on this planet.

Junaid emphasizes the significance of consistency over mere hard work, highlighting the importance of forming a habit of reading books, particularly religious texts, on a daily basis, which he highly recommends to youngsters.

Junaid encourages the younger generation to be givers rather than takers, aiming for a level of selflessness inspired by figures like Hazrat Ali.