Forget spoiling its luxuriousness; glue doesn’t hold on to cashmere wool for long. So, if there’s one stuck on a shawl, it’s a fake…reports Asian Lite News
Pashmina shawls are a source of pride for many Indians, including weavers, because of their opulent elegance, artistic beauty, and great warmth. They are a lavish and vital component of Indian traditional dress, handcrafted with rich embroideries, and with winter approaching, many of us may be considering presenting one to a loved one, or even to ourselves! However, because of its high price, there are many fakes and knockoff Pashmina shawls on the market. It would be simple to be entirely swindled and disappointed if you didn’t know how to spot the genuine ones.
So, to help you out, Nishant Malhotra, Founder, Weaverstory shares five tips to keep in mind while buying Pashmina shawls this winter!
100 per cent Cashmere: Pashmina shawls are made of cashmere, the wool of Himalayan goats, and so always make sure to check or inquire about what the shawl is made of. All authentic Pashmina shawls are made of 100 per cent cashmere, and authentic sellers are also aware and particular about the same. Fibre diameter: Authentic pashmina fabric will have fibres just about 15 -19 microns in diameter, making them thinner than human hair. That low micron count is what makes Pashmina shawls feel light and soft, yet luxurious. So, checking the fibres before buying one is a must. Uneven weave: Cashmere wool is extremely delicate, because of which it can only be spun by hand. As such, authentic Pashmina shawls will always have irregularities in the weave, making them uneven in places, which won’t be there in machine-woven fakes. That painstakingly exquisite handwork is what makes them so expensive as well. Check for static electricity: By rubbing the fabric with your hands, you’ll be able to check if it is made from authentic animal wool fibres or not. Synthetic fabrics create a lot of static electricity when rubbed together, causing the hair on your body to stand on end.
Check the label: As a rule of thumb, all authentic Pashmina shawls will carry a label calling out the make and composition proudly. But real Pashminas will always have the tag stitched onto the hem because it cannot be glued or stuck onto the fabric. Forget spoiling its luxuriousness; glue doesn’t hold on to cashmere wool for long. So, if there’s one stuck on a shawl, it’s a fake.
You can also perform other tests to determine the authenticity of a pashmina shawl, such as a single-thread burn test or pilling inspection. But these are the five essential things to look for when purchasing a Pashmina shawl, so you may be the proud owner of an authentic and elegant Pashmina shawl!
This comes as India summoned the South Korean envoy over Hyundai Pakistan’s social media post on Kashmir….reports Asian Lite News
South Korean Foreign Minster Chung Eui-yong on Tuesday conveyed regret to his Indian counterpart S Jaishankar over the offence caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post on Kashmir.
“Foreign Minister of Republic of Korea H.E. Chung Eui-yong called External Affairs Minister this morning. While they discussed several issues, the RoK Foreign Minister also conveyed that they regretted the offence caused to the people and Government of India by the social media post,” said External Affairs Ministry Spokesperson Arindam Bagchi.
This comes as India summoned the South Korean envoy over Hyundai Pakistan’s social media post on Kashmir.
In a media response, Bagchi informed that India expressed its strong displeasure of the government on what is described as an “unacceptable social media post” by Hyundai Pakistan.
“Immediately after this social media post on Sunday, 6th February 2022, our Ambassador in Seoul contacted the Hyundai Headquarters and sought an explanation. The offending post had been removed subsequently. The Ambassador of the Republic of Korea was summoned by the Ministry of External Affairs yesterday 7th February 2022,” the MEA spokesperson said.
“The strong displeasure of the Government on the unacceptable social media post by Hyundai Pakistan was conveyed to him. It was highlighted that this matter concerned India’s territorial integrity on which there could be no compromise,” he added.
Bagchi further said India welcomes investments by foreign companies in various sectors. “But, it is also expected that such companies or their affiliates will refrain from false and misleading comments on matters of sovereignty and territorial integrity.” (ANI)
After surgery, she had to spend nine years on bed. she was unable to sit due to the plate being attached. She was despair in all time during her recovery to mobility. People’s taunts were making her weak every day…reports Dilshad Noor
Insha Bashir, who represented India in America, is the first female basketball player from Kashmir. As the captain of the Jammu and Kashmir Wheelchair Basketball women’s team, she has played in many events including the National Championship. Now her dream is to win gold for India.
This success of Insha, who lost her walking power at the age of 15, has never been easy. Her life was very challenging. In 2008, when she was in intermediate, she met with an accident. Insha, who was suffering from gastric ulcer, was vomiting blood and feeling dizzy on the day of the accident. Suddenly she went to the balcony and being helpless, she fell from the roof. Due to which she suffered a serious injury to her spinal cord. She also had to face surgery after the accident. But she could never walk again. Her whole life was confined to a wheelchair.
Regarding the accident, Insha says that this accident changed her life forever. After surgery, she had to spend nine years on bed. she was unable to sit due to the plate being attached. She was despair in all time during her recovery to mobility. People’s taunts were making her weak every day.
Those people worried about her more than her parents. They used to comment who would marry her. They were talking as if she was burden on her parents. She added that, “I must die but my parents never gave up. They supported me in every step. My father used to inspire me all the time reminding me of my childhood dreams. He was sure that his daughter would make his name bright one day. So I decided to fulfill my father’s dream.”
Insha, who hails from a small village in Budgam, Kashmir, finally had to go to the Shafqat rehabilitation centre. she saw people living here in worse conditions than herself. These people inspired her to play basketball. While in the rehabilitation center, she learned to play basketball on a wheelchair. Eventually her hard work paid off and in 2017 she participated in the National Championship in Hyderabad. At that time, she had to play in the boys’ team as there was no separate team for girls. After that she played many national events.
In 2019, she was invited by the US Consulate to attend the Sports Visitor Program.
Insha tells that some people were pessimistic towards her because of her being Muslim and wearing hijab. She believed that she would not be able to achieve anything. But people accepted her and she was welcomed wherever she went in the country. From the officials to the team members, she was helped all the time. She got offers to join teams from many states. But she decided to come back to Kashmir and form the J&K Wheelchair Basketball women’s team. In which she was assisted by the Basketball Federation of India.
Federation organized a camp here in 2019 and 12 girls joined her team. She told that initially she did not get any support from the government. But when Sports Minister Kiren Rijiju came to know about her, he helped her a lot in his two consequent meetings with her. He also helped her in recently surgery she had gone through it. he arranged tickets and everything else for her to attend the national selection camp. When he came to know that she did not have a sports wheelchair to play with, he also provided her an expensive sports wheelchair.
The Sports Ministry has also released a fund of Rs 6 lakh to Insha under Deen Dayal Upadhyay Welfare. Insha is now looking forward to representing India at the Paralympics.
Several protest rallies are held across PoK in areas like Bagh, Mong and Hajira where the people lambasted Islamabad for its double standards on Kashmir….reports Asian Lite News
The people of Pakistan occupied Kashmir (PoK) have condemned Pakistan for observing February 5 as Kashmir Solidarity Day and on the contrary marked it as “Fraud Day”.
Several protest rallies are held across PoK in areas like Bagh, Mong and Hajira where the people lambasted Islamabad for its double standards on Kashmir.
Young political activists in their address compared the infrastructure of Srinagar to Islamabad. They said that Srinagar has better facilities than even Islamabad, so what kind of solidarity is the Pakistani establishment talking about?
Sajid Amin, a political activist said, “I will not compare development in Muzaffarabad, Rawalakot and Mirpur with Srinagar but Srinagar’s comparison has to be done with Islamabad. The kind of hospitals Srinagar city has, such a facility is not even available in Islamabad. I wish there could be a university in Rawalpindi and Islamabad which can be compared with the university in Srinagar. Our resources have been looted and our rivers have been diverted (by Pakistan) that causes severe environmental hazards”.
PIC CREDITS ANI
Other political activists have accused Islamabad of using Kashmir for political gains and spreading anti-India hatred and propaganda. Pakistan has designated February 5 as a national holiday in order to “express solidarity” with the Kashmir separatist movement. Since its launch in 1990, anti-India groups and individuals have used Kashmir Day to convince the people in J&K and incite violence.
Since the abrogation of Article 370 and 35 A in 2019, the efforts of Pakistan have had no effect in Kashmir, indicating a shift in the narrative and Pak-sponsored agendas have failed consistently in the valley.
The situation in Jammu and Kashmir is rapidly improving, with civilians cooperating with the army and other forces to eradicate terrorism and create a peaceful atmosphere. (ANI)
Muslim Brotherhood (MB), a transnational Islamist organization, had launched a boycott campaign against India in September last year to dent its image and discredit its prominent figures…reports Asian Lite News
Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir on Wednesday refuted linkages with Muslim Brotherhood, a transnational Islamist organization which launched an anti-India campaign in September last year.
Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir, which has its headquarters in Srinagar, India, also denied any link to Russell’s Tribunal on Kashmir that was held recently at Sarajevo, Bosnia. It said no member or representative had participated in the Bosnian conference and that it “was not involved in the conduct of any conference”.
“All the queries raised about the participation of Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir in the conference Russell Tribunal on Kashmir held at Sarajevo, Bosnia openly or tacitly are not justified at all. Jamaat before the ban was a social-religious organization working for the betterment of humanity at large in accordance with the divine guidance of Islam,” Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir said in a statement today.
“Organizations and individuals should not claim to be part of Jamaat and try to malign the image. We are not involved in the conduct of any conference,” it added.
Jamaat-e-Islami Jammu and Kashmir had been banned for five years in 2019 on grounds that it was “in close touch” with terror outfits.
Muslim Brotherhood (MB), a transnational Islamist organization, had launched a boycott campaign against India in September last year to dent its image and discredit its prominent figures, all in name of human rights, according to a media report.
This anti-India campaign, launched in collusion with domestic elements, tried to replace the non-violent image of India with a “radical narrative”.
The campaign is initiated with the larger aim to create a conflict space in the conflict industry, using the Boycott, Divestment, Sanction, Movement model.
Certain anti-India narratives that have been built in the last few years are building blocks for this conflict industry, which runs into billions of dollars, according to reports.
Backed by Turkey and Pakistan, it was a campaign by Muslim Brotherhood through the new emerging nexus of Qatar-Turkey-Pakistan, to target India via a malicious Kashmir narrative.
The key features of such an industry are that it involves different states and different religions or ethnicities.
Another important feature is that most vocal faces and organizations would generally have nothing to do with the conflict situation, would have no direct experiences, and yet would be the foremost noisemakers.
Experts and fact-checkers say Kashmir is not new to the conflict industry.
Previous reports have revealed how scores of fund-raisers are being run in the name of Kashmir by random ‘activists’ and ‘NGOs’ and ‘humanitarian relief’ organizations.
Several of these organizations do not have the basic capabilities to carry out any actual work. (ANI)
In January 2021, Bhat also filed an RTI enquiring about the implementation of rural waste management projects under SBM-G in Budgam district…reports Mukthar Dar
Up until a few decades ago, the small canal (locally known as ‘Gaam-i-kul’) passing through Budgam district’s Lasipora village was not just another feature in Kashmir’s exhilarating landscape. It was also a life-sustaining resource for the villagers. Residents, especially women, would often be sighted on its banks drawing the crystal clear waters carried down from the Karshan stream. However, this beautiful Gaam-i-Kul (Gaam means ‘village’ and Kul translates to ‘water canal’) has lost its charm over the years due to human activity.
“Single-use plastic bags, polystyrenes, and other non-biodegradable material have found their way into the stream. Besides that, untreated solid and liquid waste is directly being discharged into this canal,” Rifat Qadri, a 25-year-old student from the village said.
In Kashmir, there are 2,827 canals most of which are suffering a similar fate.
“There is at least one Gaam-i-Kul in every village in Kashmir, serving as an irrigation canal and as a source of water for its residents for centuries,” said Ghulam Rasool Sheikh, a school teacher from Budgam’s Chakpora village.
“With the advent of modern living, households are now dumping into the kuls their solid and untreated liquid waste without any hesitation, and there is a criminal silence in the civil society and government about this brazen violation of moral and legal laws. We have polluted them so much that they are no longer even fit for agriculture,” Sheikh said. He believes that Gaam-i-Kuls, once a source of livelihood, have now deteriorated to the point that they are affecting the village’s sanitation.
Once a source of life, now a breeding ground of illness
Sheikh’s claims are proven right in every village we visited to report this story. For instance, in Ramhuma village in the same district, the people who reside near the stream dump their waste on the banks every day. Mohammad Yousuf, a local said, “We don’t have a waste processing site. It is the responsibility of authorities to identify a proper site so people can dispose of the waste properly.” Failing this, the canal has become a place where all kinds of communicable diseases originate, he said.
Similarly, the Gaam-i-Kul at the heart of the Chewdara village in Budgam, originating from the famed Sukhnag stream, has turned into a garbage dumping yard. Sarpanch Hilal Mir said that while he has planned to dredge it under MGNREGA it will not be a long-term solution as long as people continue to discharge waste into it. It needs community and administration intervention to safeguard it from further pollution. He added that the government, in collaboration with the panchayat body, should prepare a sustainable long-term plan for waste management for rural residents including providing alternatives for and incentives against dumping into the water bodies.
Around two kilometres away in Ohangam village, a resident, Muntazir Dar, said that their canal “has now become a breeding ground for illnesses. The foul smell emanating from it indicates how serious a health hazard it is to nearby villagers.”
“Labartal kul of Sholipora village, that draws its water from Ahij stream, harbours all the plastic waste generated from the village market. The everyday waste that accumulates in its banks gradually flows into it,” Khursheed Ahmad, another resident said.
Awaiting implementation
Under the Swachh Bharat Mission – Gramin (SBM-G), rolled out by the ruling government in 2014, each state must identify suitable technologies or methods to manage the liquid and solid waste generated from villages. For this purpose, Rs 7,00,000 are allocated for Gram Panchayats having 150 households and Rs 20,00,000 for Panchayats having more than 500 households.
The majority of the population in Jammu and Kashmir lives in rural areas. Yet, only Rs 4 crores have been allocated by the administration towards waste management in rural areas as compared to Rs 464 crores for 91 urban local bodies in the 2019-20 budget.
The fund allocated for solid and liquid waste management through SBM-G remains unspent, according to an official who wanted to remain anonymous. As per SBM-G guidelines, every state should have at least one Solid and Liquid Waste Management (SLWM) consultant at the state level and one consultant for the District Water and Sanitation Mission (DWSM) to guide preparation for SLWM projects.
However, the Department of Rural Development, which controls the Mission Directorate of SBM-G, failed to appoint consultants at the district and state levels, according to an official in the Rural Sanitation Department.
Is hope around the corner for Gaam-i-Kuls?
Advocating for a cleaner Kashmir, notable Srinagar-based RTI activist and columnist Raja Muzaffar Bhat has been keenly following SBM-G policy implementation in the union territory. He said, “The rural areas of Kashmir are facing severe problems of waste management. The unscientific waste disposal in rural areas of Kashmir is more cause of concern compared to our urban areas. People are not sensitised about the proper disposal of waste, and they are discharging their liquid waste to nearby water bodies without any legal or moral impediments. This has become normal practice in every nook and corner of the valley.”
In January 2021, Bhat also filed an RTI enquiring about the implementation of rural waste management projects under SBM-G in Budgam district. The response to the application revealed that not a single project had been implemented in the 296 panchayats of Budgam. “The departments lack technical know-how, and there is also unease within the administration, post the abrogation of Article 370,” Bhat said.
Now a year later, the Rural Sanitation Department has finally begun to implement SLWM programs in Panchayats, according to an official in the Rural Sanitation Department. He said that the SLWM program in rural areas was in the initial stages and they plan to cover 1,000 locations. He further added, “We didn’t have an expert who could guide us in implementing the plan due to which we were facing problems, but recently the department has hired an expert to carry out the waste management plans successfully in rural areas.”
Another official in the Rural and Panchayat Raj Department of Budgam said that the SLWM program had not yet been implemented in any panchayat of Budgam district. “We are going to implement 31 projects for which dumping sites have been identified, and the department has sent a Detailed Project Report (DPR). As soon as the funds are granted, projects will be implemented. Five sites have also been identified where plastic will be dumped and treated scientifically,” he added.
Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA
The Indian Army has helped the children of Kashmir to hold pens and build their future while on the other Pakistan Army has tried its best to provide the children of Kashmir with guns and explosives to fight its proxy war….reports Asian Lite News
The Army Goodwill Schools (AGS) in Kashmir during the past thirty years of Pakistan sponsored turmoil have played a pivotal role in imparting education to children. Nearly one lakh students have passed out from these institutions run by Srinagar-based Chinar Corps.
At present there are 28 Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir, which educate more than 10,000 students each year. The Army has set up many schools in far-off areas where government and private schools don’t exist. These institutions are providing education to such children who are deprived of proper schooling and don’t have access to learning.
The Army Goodwill Schools have devised special scholarship schemes for the children from weaker sections of the society. The basic aim is to equip the Generation-Next with knowledge and skills to compete with the world.
In present day Kashmir, AGSs are the symbol of quality education, imparting knowledge and values to the students. The quality infrastructure, diverse co-curriculum and focused educational mechanism have been the benchmark of these schools.
Over the years, the academic results of AGSs have shown a steady growth. The whole hearted efforts put in by the dedicated staff members of the schools have yielded positive results. The systematic approach adopted towards overall development of students has ensured that they carve a niche for themselves in the society. With the inception and impact of technology in education, the Indian Army has incorporated innovative changes in the existing learning and teaching methodology.
Proud alumni express gratitude
Pass outs of Army Goodwill Schools proudly call themselves as alumni of these institutions. In December 2021, the Army Goodwill School Hajinar in frontier district of Kupwara organised an alumni meet. It was attended by the ex-students of the school who shared their experiences with the students studying at AGS Hajinar, which was established in 1999, when Pakistan was busy training Kashmiri youth to become militants. The former students shared their memories with the students and made them aware of the circumstances during which they were enrolled at AGS Hajinar. The alumni narrated their success stories and thanked the Army for providing them with the guidance and help when they needed it most. At present nearly 500 students are enrolled at Hajinar Army School.
Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA
Army sponsoring undergraduate courses
In August 2021, the Army took one more initiative for the youth of Jammu and Kashmir. It announced that it would sponsor undergraduate courses and school education to selected children and youth from J&K in residential schools and colleges functioning under the Army Welfare Education Society (AWES) across the country. The move has helped the students to explore the career opportunities available in the country and has also integrated them with the rest of the country. Under this initiative seats have been reserved in undergraduate courses in some Army-run colleges like Army Institute of Hotel Management and Catering Technology and Army Institute of Fashion Design in Bengaluru, Army Colleges of Nursing in Guwahati, and Jalandhar.
Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA
Signs another MoU with IBF
In January 2022, the Indian Army signed a Memorandum of Understanding with Indrani Balan Foundation (IBF) for financial sustainability of Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir. This was the second MoU signed with the foundation for financial sustainability of additional four Army Goodwill Schools at Baraub, Dawar, Balapur & Behibagh in Kupwara, Shopian and Kulgam districts respectively and the Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS), Pahalgam in Kashmir.
Indrani Balan Foundation is a welfare foundation that is active in a variety of philanthropic work across India. The foundation under Punit Balan has vast experience of social work in fields of education, health and sports, which contributes immensely in improving the quality of education as well as self-sustainability of schools.
Last year, Chinar Corps had signed a similar MoU with the same foundation for financial sustainability of five AGSs of Uri, Wayne, Trehgam & Hajinan in Baramulla & Kupwara districts for five years.
In addition, the Foundation has built a new infrastructure for Pariwar School Society for Specially-abled children of Baramulla. This year, the MoU focuses on the four Army Goodwill Schools (AGSs) and Army Goodwill Public School (AGPS) and would entail financial support of Rs. 3,28,00,000 per year for the next five years.
Army Goodwill Schools Pic credits Twitter @ChinarcorpsIA
People repose faith
The path breaking steps taken by the Indian Army in Kashmir vis-a-vis education have gone a long way in building strong bond between the local populace and the soldiers, who besides fighting the Pakistan sponsored insurgency have been at the forefront to empower the children of a common man in Kashmir. The citizens of Kashmir by admitting their children in Army Goodwill Schools have reposed faith on the Army. They have sent a strong message to Pakistan and the ultras sponsored by it that they know who their true friend is and who their enemy is.
The stark contrast between the two armies is clearly visible. The Indian Army wants Kashmiri children to excel in their lives and shine as stars, while the Pakistan Army wants them to die and end up in graveyards.
People of Kashmir are holding the hand of the Indian Army strongly and are treading on the path that would lead them towards prosperity and a bright future. They don’t want their children to die for the sake of a country which wants to keep Kashmir burning to avenge the defeats which it has faced in all the conventional wars it has fought with the Indian Army since 1947.
Visible difference
Efforts of the Indian Army to reach out to the people of Kashmir and make them self-reliant are ample proof of the fact that it’s People’s Army and it’s a true-friend of Kashmiris. It has gone out of way to help them out in every field. It has guided their children in the most turbulent times and has ensured that they don’t go astray.
On one hand Indian Army has helped the children of Kashmir to hold pens and build their future while on the other Pakistan Army has tried its best to provide the children of Kashmir with guns and explosives to fight its proxy war.
Since 1990 Pakistan Army has turned the children and youth of Kashmir into cannon fodder by showing them dreams about the so-called Azadi, while on the other hand the Army Goodwill Schools in Kashmir have prepared responsible citizens who are serving the nation. These institutions are symbols of empowerment of common Kashmiri, who want to live a peaceful and dignified life.
Blogger and influencer Aliayah Hussain, an MBA degree holder has a committed clientele of clients — jewellery brands, gaming arenas and specialised clinics for which she does digital marketing, besides running her own jewellery and skincare page on Instagram…reports Sukant Deepak
Well, she told her parents that she was taking classes for JEE (Joint Entrance Examination). but Mehak Suhail
(23), Kashmir’s youngest woman architect, was in fact preparing for NATA (National Aptitude Test in Architecture).
It was only after the results came out that she told her folks. Someone who completed more than 70 projects in the past two years, a time when the pandemic had derailed everything, being young in a conflict zone is all about adapting, innovating and not shying away from risks.
While completing her architecture degree in Pune, when Suhail came to Kashmir to intern for eight months, she realised that there was not enough material available to play with, weather conditions were extreme and no young woman was in the field.
“But I preferred to look at the fact that there was less competition.”
For someone who never advertised her practice, the breakthrough emerged when she designed a set for an exhibition at a major hotel in
the valley, where one of the organisers was a home baker and wanted to set up her bakery.
“There was no turning back after that. People liked the cafe I had done, and the word travelled. It is just ‘word of mouth’ publicity that established me.”
Dealing primarily with men in her profession. she has had to adopt a very different face during work time.
“My inherent disposition is to talk softly but now I prefer a more ‘firm’ stance. There have been occasions those labourers and artisan don’t listen because I happen to be a woman. Sometimes clients take you for a ride and do not pay up. One time, a client insulted me and beat my workers. Now my criteria of working with a client are not limited to the fact that he can pay — his conduct has to be conducive as well,” says the architect, who also works with the government and has designed two major stadiums, besides
working on several heritage projects in Srinagar, Budgam, Gulmarg and Ganderbal and other places.
She however stresses that she likes working in the Valley.
“There are challenges, but ample opportunities. The challenge is the climate, and mindset of some people. But the pleasure of getting a chance to carry on with your passion in your own surroundings is unparalleled.”
There is quite a buzz at The Derma Aesthetics and RK Beauty Studio run by 23-year-old Insha Muzaffar Wani in the Barzulla area of Srinagar.
Still, a student of Hotel Management at IHC, Wani, who started the city’s first upmarket beauty salon is comfortable giving instructions
to the staff while answering questions.
“After all, I started the business when I was 21…” While her offices may be housed in the building owned by her father, the young woman raised capital herself to start both the businesses.
“And in the case of Derma Aesthetics, which boasts of cutting edge equipment, I didn’t even tell my father that I had taken a loan of around 70 lakh from J&K Bank,” she smiles.
Stressing that she always wanted to start her own business (“academics and I seldom got along”), RK Studio, she says has become a trendsetter in the region.
“Before us, there were only beauty parlours. What you are seeing right now matches any upmarket salon anywhere in the country. I have not held back from investing in staff training and ascertaining that only top-of-the-line products are used here.”
Though not a medical student, before starting her next venture, Derma Aesthetics, Wani wanted to ascertain that she acquired at least some knowledge about the field.
“I did a course in Medical Cosmetology for that. Besides the usual botox and filler procedures, we have a specialist team of plastic surgeons from Mumbai on call.”
Adding that when she started out, there were not many young women entrepreneurs around, so it was a constant struggle to make people believe in her abilities, Wani says, “My partner in RK backed out on the day of the inauguration, every step has been about proving myself. When you are a young woman, you have to try twice as hard to earn credibility.”
Blogger and influencer Aliayah Hussain, an MBA degree holder has a committed clientele of clients — jewellery brands, gaming arenas and specialised clinics for which she does digital marketing, besides running her own jewellery and skincare page on Instagram.
It all started when during the start of the pandemic, a friend manufacturing masks asked her for help.
“The sales rose phenomenally after we launched an innovative and eye-catching campaign on social media. There has been no looking back ever since. I’ve lived here forever, so I know what will click with people across age groups.”
Adding that contrary to popular perception, even small businesses in the valley run by educated youngsters understand the benefits of
social media, Hussain adds, “Mainstream media advertisements are expensive. Also, thanks to the deep digital penetration in the valley,
it makes all the sense to have a solid social media presence. Newer businesses are looping in people like me for their business accounts
as they understand the short- and long-term benefits.”
Even as skincare brands approach her to put their products on her page, she asserts that problems arise whenever there is an Internet shutdown as there is no way around it then.
All set to launch her next project ‘Kehwa and Konversations’ which will focus on the valley’s culture, she adds, “It will essentially be
about culture, tourism and people who have stayed back and are doing interesting projects here. I am sure it will be as much as an
eye-opener for me, as for the readers and viewers.”
Kainaat may have studied hospitality, and despite no background in design or running a business, her store ‘The Perfect Pair by Kainaat’
that sells customised footwear and apparel is quite popular among youngsters. Starting out at the age of 23, this daughter of a single
mother fuses intricate Kashmiri elements (tilla) on kohlapuris and juttis.
“Although I started with a small space at my friend’s office, I slowly managed to make the business vibrant enough to afford a shop
space in very little time.”
Working with a supplier from Patiala, who sends the basic footwear, she is in talks for a collaboration with several major brands.
“Negotiations with some international brands are at an advanced stage. I am looking forward to a major collaboration soon.”
A major challenge is of course, working in a volatile region. “That is something exclusive to Kashmir which people in other parts do not have to encounter. Also, it can be tough for a 25- year-old woman entrepreneur to make people take her seriously. The artisans I work with happen to be men, so how can patriarchy be behind?”
Attributing a major part of her success to social media, she says that it has made things extremely convenient for youngsters like her.
“You don’t need to have a physical presence to be an entrepreneur today. Infact, I plan to put more effort on the social media part, besides expanding my store, of course.”
Kashmir’s participation in upcoming Expos and Trade shows which shall provide international exposure and honour the unsold inventory of Covid days was discussed…reports Asian Lite News
Jammu and Kashmir is ready to showcase its potential through government initiatives for a necessary boost to the handicrafts sector in the post-pandemic world.
Starting with an export promotion in Germany, the Director Handicrafts and Handloom Kashmir, Mahmood Ahmad Shah held an extensive web meeting with Dr Suyash Chavan Consulate General of India (CGI), Germany.
The online meeting exclusively evaluated the scope of developing end-to-end export linkages to provide quality handicraft products of Kashmir to the German Market along with the rest of Europe. Since the beginning of the century, numerous German delegations, like the Indo-German Export Promotion have visited the valley with a keen interest in the handicrafts, especially Kashmiri carpets, which have immense potential in Europe.
Germany is the largest consumer of Kashmir carpets and in addition imports Chain Stitch, Papier-mache, and Walnut furniture from Kashmir. The country’s cold winters make it an ideal destination for the use of Kashmiri shawls, rugs and carpets.
This liaison will also help to build a community of art lovers – handicraft importers of Germany with exporters from Kashmir – and result in shared knowledge pool to achieve master craftsmanship and connect with art connoisseurs through digital platforms, ensuring long term sustainability for arts like Papier-mache, Sozni, Kani shawl, basket weaving, Khatamband, wood carving, silver and copper carving, carpet weaving, leather, silk and Pashmina weaving amongst other crafts that Kashmir is celebrated for in German markets.
Earlier Kashmir-based firms have participated in the Domotex Hannover Carpet Exhibition, one of the biggest carpet exhibitions held every year in Hannover Germany, and stood out as the show-stoppers. Carpets in the historical backdrop of Kashmir go back to the time of the renowned Sufi Saint, Hazrat Mir Syed Ali Hamdani (1341- 1385 AD) of Persia. When he came to Kashmir, he carried alongside him exceptionally talented craftsmen and laid the base for the cottage industry in Kashmir. Kashmiri carpets are considered to be the finest carpets in the world second only to Persian carpets.
Kashmir’s participation in upcoming Expos and Trade shows which shall provide international exposure and honor the unsold inventory of Covid days was discussed.
Firstly, GI certified products of Kashmir shall be presented to the Consulate General of India, Germany which includes Pashmina, Khatamband, Walnut wood carving, Sozni, Kani Shawl, Hand knotted carpet, Papier-mache, and Saffron for display purposes in the Consulate General Munich office and in the exhibitions at Germany. The consulate general was acquainted with the export incentive offered by the Government on GI certified goods and about the renewed focus on Handicrafts in view of the recent UNESCO Craft listing for Srinagar City.
He was briefed about initiatives taken to promote artisans through Craft tours, GI Labelling of Kashmir carpets and adaption of block chain mechanism to check piracy and misbranding of Kashmir handicrafts. The Counsel General was assured that digital content like pictures, videos, brochures will be provided to CG for disseminations in the German Market.
The Carpet Export Promotion Council (CEPC) is playing a catalyst role in connecting international buyers with Kashmir carpet exporters by creating various sourcing opportunities in India and other countries. CEPC has a great hand in skill development, market promotion, establishing key carpet production centres and latest innovation in the carpet industry.
In the previous years, ‘Made in Kashmir’ fairs, culture, crafts and handicrafts shows and exhibitions organized by Safeways Exhibitions in collaboration with the Impact International, a Germany-based company have also proven beneficial. Exporters are being motivated through government initiatives to showcase their talent. Other exhibitions include the Shanghai Handicrafts Fair and other fairs in China, a country which highly values tradition and culture passed through generations.
Through such exhibitions, conferences, and ASEAN Buyer-Seller Meets in the past, handicrafts worth more than USD 1,000,000 are easily booked. Such platforms have served as a breeding ground for attracting handicraft exports and people with a keen interest in handmade items. In Kashmir on an average handicraft worth Rs 2,100 crore are sold annually with 2.5 lakh artisans directly employed.
The German awe for Kashmiri artisans goes back to the pre-electronic era – after the Second World War when German-made machines made of iron and steel, especially medical equipment, were common in the Valley. Kashmir was ruled by Maharaja Hari Singh in the 1940s. Impressed by the craftsmen who got a German tourist’s equipment working again like no one else could have imagined, the Maharaja lovingly named them ‘German Khars’ (workers) owing to their expertise. Kashmiri artisans have exceptional magic in their hands. Although this craft has been preserved for decades, today only one blacksmith, Ghulam Mohiuddin, continues the work.
With promising propositions from various parties Kashmir art exporters are expecting booming sales in 2022 after witnessing a sluggish market for the last few years. This season both production and conceptualisation of new designs is being undertaken which will aid the sales and earn international recognition. Participation of Kashmir art contributors will also be ensured at Asia’s largest gifts and handicrafts fair held biannually and organised by Export Promotion Council for Handicrafts (EPCH). Dubai’s famed exhibition-cum-trade fair is another major focus area.
Kashmir handicrafts and handlooms are a focal point in Jammu and Kashmir’s Trade and Export Policy (2018-2028), which envisages it to grow almost five times in next five years. The policy provides an e-commerce platform for artisans to foster growth of the handicrafts sector. Just last year in November Union Minister of State, Rajeev Chandrasekhar, launched a pilot project to revive and promote the dying Namda craft in J&K, with impetus on raising the export from Rs. 600 crore to 6,000 crore. Two ambitious projects — ‘Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojna (PMKVY) 3.0’ and ‘Upskilling of artisans and weavers of Kashmir under Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL), a component of PMKVY’, were launched by the Union Minister of State for Skill Development, Entrepreneurship, Electronics, and IT. These programs will focus continuously on skilling, upskilling, and reskilling local youth to solidify the foundation of PM Modi’s vision of Atmanirbhar Bharat.
Mahaldar added that today, Kashmiri Pandits remember that as the citizens and original aborigines of Kashmir and the community can and must do better….reports Asian Lite News
The Kashmiri Pandit community worldwide will observe ‘Holocaust Remembrance Day’ on Wednesday in memory of the victims of the over three-decade long violence in Kashmir and to reaffirm the community’s resolve to fight violence, racism and other forms of intolerance.
Satish Mahaldar, Chairman of Reconciliation, Return and Rehabilitation of Migrants (RRRM), an organisation of migrant Kashmiri Pandits, said in a statement on Tuesday, “Holocaust Remembrance Day is observed each year on January 19 by Kashmiri Pandits to pay tribute to the victims and to reaffirm commitment to counter violence, racism, and other forms of intolerance.
“The Holocaust Day matters to the Kashmiri Pandits because it is one of the most extensively documented instances of atrocity, hatred, dehumanisation and apathy in the present-day world history. It matters because when ethnic cleansing of minorities was happening, the world just watched silently.”
Mahaldar added that today, Kashmiri Pandits remember that as the citizens and original aborigines of Kashmir and the community can and must do better.
“The Holocaust Day should make all in and outside India ponder and investigate what went wrong so horrifically in a place of high culture, high modernity and supposedly ‘civilised’ Kashmiri way of life. The day is particularly important as we realise that, unfortunately, it was not an isolated event.
“The 20th century saw acts of horrific violence ranging from the murder of over a lakh of innocent Kashmiris to ethnic cleansing of the Kashmiri Pandits. Ethnic cleansing of the minorities in Kashmir demonstrated the dangers of prejudice, discrimination and dehumanisation and other forms of racism and intolerance,” Mahaldar said in the statement.
He added that the Holocaust Day teaches all about the possibilities in extreme actions of perpetrators. This developed an awareness not only of how hate and violence take hold, but also of the power of resistance, resilience and solidarity in local, national and in global contexts, he said.
“Ethnic cleansing of minorities in Kashmir highlights the efforts of the national community to respond to modern genocide. Unfortunately, till date the government of India has not established the convention on the prevention and punishment of the crime of genocide.
“The former J&K governments forced the original aborigines in an involuntary process of cultural assimilation due to which the ethnic minority is left with no choice but to adopt the language, identity, norms, customs, traditions, perceptions, way of life and often religion and ideology of the established and generally larger community belonging to the dominant culture.
“Besides the ethnic and cultural genocide, the mainstream political parties, both national and regional, are equally responsible for the ‘Policide’ of the Kashmiri Pandits. Since 1965, political empowerment has been intentionally denied to the original aborigines and the ethnic minority of the state,” the statement said.
Mahaldar further said in the statement that since 1990, more than four lakh people are unable to cast their votes, which is the basic foundation of democracy.
“In the light of all this, it is important for the J&K government and the Union of India to rise up to the responsibility towards the Constitution of India. The safeguarding of the aborigines is enshrined in the Constitution of our country. Hence, the government must protect the Kashmiri Pandit community by allocating a certain budget towards them.
“The government must recognise that reconciliation, return and rehabilitation of five lakh Kashmiri Pandits should be part and parcel of the annual J&K Budget.
“Return and rehabilitation of Kashmiri Pandits should be treated as a matter of priority. While exercising the delimitation process, the Kashmir Pandits’ names must be incorporated to restore their denied democratic rights,” Mahaldar said in the statement.
