Women-led businesses are shaping entrepreneurship in Kashmir

Kashmir is witnessing a number of young women turning to entrepreneurship while overcoming the challenges of lockdowns, rising unemployment, political instability, and a conservative societal setup

When Sadia Mufti, a 29-year-old science graduate from Srinagar, decided to open a designer store in 2014, she drew flak from the conservative section of society. The devastating floods that year and a six-month-long agitation in 2016 after the killing of Hizbul Mujahideen commander Burhan Wani left her almost broke. But she didn’t give up. Five years on, Mufti has two top-notch fashion stores in Srinagar – one in Jehangir Chowk and a recent one at Hazratbal – and has created a first-of-its-kind ethnic clothing label, Hangers The Closet, in strife-torn Kashmir.

Among the first make-in-Kashmir labels, its traditional pherans to tilla (embroidery) outfits have gained popularity in India, the US, UAE, and elsewhere. Her success has inspired several women in Kashmir and “I have conducted many workshops to train them in fashion designing. Many of them are doing well,” Mufti says. She is happy to see scores of fashion boutiques coming up. “Women are not confining themselves to government jobs or working in their homes; they now come forward and display their talent,” she says.

Kashmir is witnessing a number of young women turning to entrepreneurship while overcoming the challenges of lockdowns, rising unemployment, political instability, internet shutdowns, and a conservative societal setup. From food to fashion designing, organic farming, cricket bat manufacturing, beekeeping and the travel industry, they are seizing business opportunities in diverse fields.

Haya Vakil, 36, was Kashmir’s popular radio jockey for 13 years with thousands of listeners waiting for her “Big Noon Chai” segment. Today, she runs the popular Café Liberty in the Valley, a dream that was realised in 2016 after the six-month-long unrest. Today, over 40 young men work in her café. “We always encourage women to come forward and become independent. It is great to see a good café culture in Kashmir,” Vakil says.

According to the Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises, a total of 3,933 MSME units owned by women have come up in Jammu and Kashmir in the last one year. Of these, 3823 are micro, 107 are small, and three are medium units.

And, 855 new MSMEs, including 684 micro, 165 small, and five medium units, have been started by educated women in Jammu and Kashmir under the Udyog Aadhaar Memorandum.

According to the Jammu and Kashmir Entrepreneurship Development Institute (JKEDI), which trains and funds aspiring entrepreneurs, a total of 3,500 women have established their units.

“We have started two branches in Srinagar exclusively for women. Now women are coming in huge numbers to avail benefits of the government schemes and establish their units,” says Irtif Lone, head of the Innovation and Incubation Centre at JKEDI. He adds that from 16 per cent in 2016, the proportion of women establishing their units has gone up to 23 per cent now.

The Periodic Labour Force Survey (PLFS) 2019-20 substantiates this claim. Female Labour Force Participation Rate (LFPR) in Jammu and Kashmir has increased to 37.4 per cent, which is much ahead of bigger states including Uttar Pradesh (17.7 per cent), West Bengal (24.0 per cent) and New Delhi (16.1 per cent)

Going private

With government departments saturated with men, several women in Kashmir are opting for the private sector. According to PLFS 2019-20, Jammu and Kashmir have among the lowest numbers of women employed in the government sector as legislators, senior officials, and managers.

The survey reveals that the ratio of female workers to total workers in managerial positions is 9.2 per cent in J&K. The union territory has a ratio of 10.4 per cent women working as managers against men. At the national level, the ratio is 23.2 per cent.

The survey also highlights that the ratio of female workers to male workers as legislators and senior officials managers is just 8.2 per cent.

Gazalla Amin, a prominent businesswoman and member of the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI), says the dearth of jobs is driving women to look for other avenues.

“Women here have been traditionally working in the education department as teachers and doctors in the health department. But now there is a dearth of jobs, and entrepreneurship is becoming a favourable choice for them to use their skills in earning handsome money to support their families and become financially independent,” she says.

For Iqra Amin, 28, social media helped her to expand her business. After an MBA from Islamic University, Awantipora, she applied for many government jobs but couldn’t make it to the selection list.

Ample leisure time and a love for baking landed her in the bakery industry. “It was my elder sister who had done a basic baking course,” Amin says. “She would make cakes on Eid and functions, and I used to assist her. Now, it is my full-time profession.”

Amin created an Instagram page, “The Cake Room”, and was soon receiving orders for her cakes. Hundreds of such women-led businesses are using social media platforms to advertise their products. The Valley has also seen a spike in the number of young women who are full-time YouTubers who have their food channels.

Source: Political challenges

Shutdowns and frequent internet curfews have, however, hit businesses in Kashmir. Women entrepreneurs, too, have suffered losses.

Insha Rasool is an example. Rasool feels she made the wrong choice of quitting a lucrative job in South Korea to take up organic farming in Kashmir in 2019.

“In 2018, I quit my job and returned to Kashmir with a mission to introduce the concept of organic farming. The following year, the internet was snapped, which was very demotivating,” she says. “I had to restart everything since I couldn’t get the material needed for organic farming due to internet curfew and shutdowns.”

That year, the shutdown cost the Kashmir business fraternity losses to the tune of Rs 100 billion, according to the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce and Industries (KCCI).

“We have many women who sell their products through social media. Even the tourism industry has many female travel agents who lost their business due to the uncertainty and internet curfews,” says Sheikh Ashiq Ahmad, former president of KCCI.

Women-centric policies

Seeing the shift in entrepreneurship, the government has launched several schemes aimed at benefiting women.

“HAUSLA-inspiring her growth” is one such comprehensive programme that aims to promote women entrepreneurship in the union territory. Under this scheme, the government’s target is to provide financial aid to 50,000 Kashmiri youth, particularly women, this year.

Similarly, Manoj Sinha, the lieutenant governor, unveiled SAATH to promote women entrepreneurship in rural areas. Designed by Jammu and Kashmir Rural Livelihood Mission, SAATH aims to encourage and upscale women-driven endeavours in business, industry, and agriculture. Under the programme, the government aims to help over 400,000 women.

Mahmood Ahmad Shah, director, Industries and Commerce Kashmir, says, “We have earmarked a land quota for female entrepreneurs. Priorities are both assistance and handholding for women entrepreneurs,” he says, adding, “Women have excelled as entrepreneurs particularly in the handicrafts sector in Kashmir. They run successful units that deal in hand-stitched pashmina, bridalwear and apparels."