MANDI PULSE

Kashmir’s trend-setting business women

3 January 2021

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I took the road less traveled

Nighat Ahmad

CEO The Hijab Life

Ziraat Times: Thank you Ms Nighat for speaking to Ziraat Times. You come from a humble beginning from South Kashmir. You have an inspiring story to share. Our readers would like to know what made you embrace entrepreneurship as a livelihood choice.

Nighat Ahmad: Born in the beautiful and the scenic valley of Pulwama district in Kashmir, I would have never imagined the life I am living today.

I was in the 7th grade when the situation in Kashmir worsened and my family had to shift to Aligarh so that I could continue my education. Staying in Aligarh, I graduated and post graduated in Unani medicine, and in 2007, I got married to a successful doctor in the city of Kanpur. I got blessed with three beautiful daughters and they changed my perception of life altogether.

A doctor by profession, I saw a beautiful dream of making fashion accessible to my fellow Muslim women. It all began when my 5-year-old daughter disapproved of my usual black abaya in public. Sensing her un-easiness for the customary garment, I was determined to become a role model for my daughters and my community and build a love for their religion and customs in their hearts. So, I would buy fabrics and get them stitched into layered and flow-y abayas from the local tailors as per my designs and wear them confidently. My daughters loved it and so did the society, after some resistance of course. There was no looking back after that. The Hijab Lee took birth in 2014 at a humble studio in the city of Kanpur with the aim of providing modest yet trendy clothing for the country’s young Muslimah. It has been built as a luxury modest fashion brand based on the idea of bringing fashion and faith together and empowering the young modern Muslim women. Our hand embroideries and bold designs are our USP. The Modest Fashion sector is fairly new to India. I took this road less ‘road less traveled’ because I felt its need among us modern educated Muslim women. It has been a forward journey ever since.

Ziraat Times: That is very interesting. What are the three things that you think contributed to your success?

Nighat Ahmad: I believe that success is not the ultimate end goal. It is continuous and keeps on growing with you if one keeps their eye on the goal and works hard with determination. Whatever ‘The Hijab Lee’ is today, it is because of our belief in our faith, our focused efforts and the motive behind our initiative.

THL not only works on creating designs that empower the modern Muslim females and propagates the idea of ‘covered & confident’, but also works for an initiative called ‘No More Hungry’ to ensure more and ; more fate-struck, female-led families are provided with the basic needs of livelihood.

Ziraat Times: What are the challenges that women or girls face in setting up their ventures in Jammu & Kashmir?

Nighat Ahmad: Not only Jammu and Kashmir, but most of the Indian cities do not offer a favourable environment for women entrepreneurs. Corruption, infrastructural deficiencies and financial problems are the major challenges. Women have to fulfil their societal roles of a wife, a mother, single-handedly and without proper support from their families, their personal as well as professional growth remains stunted.

Ziraat Times: What needs to be done at the societal and governmental levels to overcome these challenges?

The government needs to promote women entrepreneurs in the region by providing them financial aids and favourable policies so that they are backed with strong infrastructures. They must be provided with exposure in their respective fields through workshops, exhibitions and skill development programs so that they can earn a name for themselves as well as for the nation across boundaries.

At the societal level, we need to share their load of responsibilities at home so that they can pursue their passion and give back to the family and the society as a whole. We need to break the stereotypes of gender specific roles and believe in the power & the potential of our female force. If our women get substantial management experience and develop the ability to take calculated risks, they can break any barrier and prove to be the best entrepreneurs the world has ever seen.

In the words of Hillary Clinton,” Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.”

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To be successful in anything, there should be no double minds

Rajini Gupta
Sai Silk Industries, Bari Brahmana

I was in my college and there was some vocational entrepreneurship development programme. I attended that programme and that was the first motivational factor that made me work hard and set up my own venture. My family has always been very conservative about my job and business was a big shock to them. Soon I completed my graduation, I got my land allotted and approached SFC’s for financial assistance and then there was no looking back. In 1999, I was awarded an Outstanding Entrepreneur.

To be successful in anything, we need not lose hope. There should be no double minds. Once we are focused and firm with the plans, whatever comes the way, we deal with that and then, of course, that makes us successful.

The biggest challenge I had when I started was that of family. It took me a good time to make them understand what actually I wanted to do. I never considered myself for engineering or medicine.

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I choose to be an entrepreneur because being a businesswoman you become your own boss

Mehvish Mehraj
Me N U Cafe

Ziraat Times: Thank you Mehvish for taking the time to speak to us. Tell us what made you embrace entrepreneurship as a livelihood choice.

Mehvish : I choose to be an entrepreneur because being a businesswoman you become your own boss and you have a flexible schedule. It encourages you to work hard for your own self and increases self-worth.

Ziraat Times: What are the three things that you think contributed to your success?

Mehvish: Being focused on your work, having a supporting family and the will to change the circumstances have contributed. Being independent has been my priority and it is not possible if one isn’t financially stable.

Ziraat Times: What are the challenges that women or girls face in setting up their ventures in Jammu & Kashmir?

The mindset of the people of Kashmir, the patriarchal family set up is the challenge for the women of Kashmir. They have to face the opposition of family first. It becomes very difficult for them to convince their family.

Ziraat Times: What needs to be done at the societal and governmental levels to overcome these challenges?

Mehvish: The first thing which and be to change is to change the mindset of the people. They should be taught the concepts of equality and liberty. Government should come up with the policies and schemes for the upliftment of the women’s. There are already many schemes but the common masses ain’t aware of them So the government must start the awareness programmes as well.

Ziraat Times: That you very Mehvish. Those are very inspiring thoughts and I am sure many other girls will get inspired by your story.

Mehvish: Thanks a lot.