In Kashmir, small businesses usually took the form of a shop or a stall in a local market. For many women, however, it was difficult to go into such a business. Often, women with talent were kept out of entrepreneurship due to social restrictions, a lack of capital, family duties, and limited access to markets.
Slowly the picture is changing, now a women can reach customers who live far away from villages and towns simply by having a smartphone and an internet connection. Through Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and online marketplaces, Kashmiri women have found new avenues to showcase their products, communicate with customers, and take orders. What used to be a minor activity carried out in someone’s home has developed into a business that serves customers all over the country and other countries too.
Soliha Bashir, a young entrepreneur from Ferozpora, Rafiabad, Baramulla, is a good example of this. Her story is especially interesting because she did not start out with a big shop or a lot of investment. It all started with embroidery and creativity. During the COVID-19 lockdown, she spent more time exploring art and embroidery. She messed around with hoop embroidery, slowly creating her own designs. She later created an Instagram page called Sonzal, meaning rainbow, to share her work.
Social media was at first just a place for her to post pictures of what she made. But eventually people started to wonder if they could buy the products. That’s when the hobby started to turn into a business.
Soliha started getting orders for embroidered car hangings, key chains, jewelry, wall hangings, and customized hoops. Her work eventually garnered thousands of orders. More importantly, the customers were not only in Kashmir. Her products were supplied to various parts of India and abroad, including Singapore, Australia, Canada, and the United Arab Emirates.
The story of a girl from a village like Ferozpora Rafiabad reaching out to customers in different countries teaches us something important about the digital economy. Geography is not the same barrier it once was. A shop in Srinagar, Delhi or Mumbai does not have to be opened to find customers. An Instagram page can be a catalog, showroom, and communication channel simultaneously
There is also a link between Soliha’s story and the traditional crafts of Kashmir. Hand embroidery has been part of the lives of Kashmiris for centuries; however, machines have created problems for those who rely on traditional skills. Soliha has talked about the importance of preserving hand embroidery and, as a result, her business represents, at the same time, a new type of entrepreneurship in one hand and the attempt to keep the art alive on the other hand.
Iqra Ahmad is the owner of Tulpalav, an online fashion brand that she established in the year 2015 after spending just Rs 10,000. The idea behind the business was to meld contemporary fashion with the existing designs of Kashmir. The collection available includes pherans, kurtis, and wedding dresses incorporated with local embroidery. Sources state that the brand has been busy with more than 100 orders globally in one month only.
The experience of Iqra shows how the internet has been able to transform the market for Kashmiri attire. Pherans that were earlier bought only by people who have a taste for Kashmiris can now reach out to thousands of new clients worldwide.
An additional instance is represented by Saira Tramboo, the founder of Changing Seasons by Saira. She started off with juttis before moving her attention to jewellery and pherans. Thanks to social media, she promoted her products to customers beyond Kashmir. As stated in different news reports, her products reached various places in India and even different countries, including Canada, the United States, and Dubai.
The case of Asra Qureshi, the owner of Kehzabr, is also worth mentioning. Initially armed with a background in technology, she became acquainted with the digital perspective of life before turning into a representative of fashion. Her small boutique developed into a widely known women’s fashion label, and Instagram became an efficient platform for communicating with its consumers.
These businesses may look different, but they have one thing in common: the internet has reduced the distance between the producer and the customer. To the small entrepreneur from Kashmir, social media is more than a platform for marketing. It can work as a full-blown business machine. A customer sees a product on social media, writes to the manufacturer asking for its price and placing the order. The business that traditionally relied on a customer to walk into the shop is now able to operate from anywhere in their house, from a bedroom, small factory, or home-based production unit.
This shift to an online mode of operation also leads to job creation. People like tailors, embroiderers, artisans, and delivery persons often work for online businesses.
As companies continue to expand, it has turned into a win-win situation for everyone involved. Women with craft knowledge, who did not have access to the formal job market earlier, now have the chance to earn money.
However, logistics remain one of the challenges here. Shipping of delicate handicrafts, garments and custom-made goods from Kashmir requires reliable delivery service and care in packaging the items. Moreover, small businesses still have to deal with rising delivery costs, competition, returns, and customers canceling their orders.
However, in spite of the challenges, the emergence of an online economy for women in Kashmir symbolizes a milestone in women’s economic empowerment, as they now have the option of being economically active without the need for a physical business setup.
The experiences of women such as Iqra Ahmad, Saira Tramboo, and Asra Qureshi, including Soliha Bashir from the very own region, go to prove that the nature of entrepreneurship is going through a transformative change in the valley. Soliha’s story from Ferozpora Rafiabad to delivery locations in every corner of the globe is perhaps the best example of this evolution. What began with the use of needle and thread has successfully transitioned into a profitable business through a smartphone.
In order to turn this digital opportunity into a reality for many women, a number of measures need to be in place. These include improved internet connectivity, online marketing education, access to affordable microfinancing, and professional courier services.
Kashmir has always been known for creativity and craftsmanship. What has changed is the way the products made in Kashmir are marketed. A woman who is sitting at home in a village can now show her products and work to a person residing miles away. The customer may not visit the village in person but will be able to see the woman’s work through a photograph posted on the Internet, and the delivery of goods will take place using a package.
For women in Kashmir, going online is not just about selling products using Instagram. It is about how they will find a place in the economy that is changing while earning an income and helping preserve traditional skills.
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