Self-taught calligrapher Zainab Farooq, 21, brings laurels to the valley 

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Self-taught calligrapher Zainab Farooq, 21, brings laurels to the valley Mir Sabeen Gulrez 
 Zainab Farooq, who hails from Khanyar, is currently pursuing Honors in Agriculture at Sher-e-Kashmir University of Agricultural Sciences and Technology (SKUAST) at Wadoora Sopore. Her participation in exhibitions at university level gave her a boost in her calligraphy work. She not only participated at the university level but also participated in many online competitions. The main motivation that pushed her to the limits was the time when she lost her uncle, who wanted her to be more successful in every aspect of life. After his death, her passion for art urged her to fulfil his dearest dream. 
While talking to News Kashmir, Zainab said, “I used to do artwork that was confined within the boundaries. Lockdown due to the spread of the coronavirus was a blessing in disguise for me, as I could devote much time to my artwork. Every time I take up the qalam or brush, I feel relieved and full of joy. As success is never gained overnight, So, after much more practice, I started framing my artwork that was very much praised by people. ” She adds that :”While working, I put some of my work on Instagram, but to my surprise, I got orders. I also made name boards and also wrote the Quranic verses, which gave me immense pleasure, 

On  being asked who is your main support

With a sigh of relief she said, “My parents were always supportive. Without their support, this would not have been possible. “They kept me motivated every single time,” Zainab said, praising her parents.
These days, I also tend to head in a more artistic direction. I explore large formats in particular. Calligraphy has a dimension that is intrinsically connected with the body, which is interesting.
 Otherwise, simply for my own pleasure. These days, I also tend to head in a more artistic direction. I explore large formats in particular.
 Calligraphy has a dimension that is intrinsically connected with the body, which is interesting. Otherwise, simply for my own pleasure, she said. 
“What is the most interesting calligraphy project you have worked on so far?” 
Zainab said, the most interesting calligraphy till now was working on the size of an A1 frame. It was an order that had a huge acrylic pour and writing with the qalam. It only reveals your interests, experience, and skill level. 
 How do you ensure your calligraphy skills remain sharp? 
 “I practise every day. Practicing the calligraphy makes my skill sharper and gives it a firm finish.” To ensure my calligraphy skills remain sharp, I keep my wits about me as well as my interests, experience, and skill level. 
How would you select the calligraphy style and media for a project? 
She answered, “For me, selecting a particular type would not be preferable.” It will be in kufic, dewani, and tuluth calligraphy. It would rather be on wood, besides ink on canvas and paper. It tests my knowledge of calligraphy, as well as my planning and organisation skills. 
What has been the most challenging project you have worked on so far? 
She said, “Till now, it was my wood resin art.” My skill level and experience also highlight potential weaknesses. 
Describe the most recent calligraphy project you completed. What did you learn? She replied: My most recent work is about the name boards, besides Quranic verses.  And my work on wood. It tests my planning, time management, skill level, and willingness to learn.

Calligraphy

Momin Bilal Khan – Animal lover and Rescuer Unplugged

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Momin Bilal Khan – Animal lover and Rescuer Unplugged 

Mir Sabeen Gulrez 

Momin Bilal Khan is a youth  from Srinagar, Kashmir . A 24-year-old businessman, already popular as the owner of Breeder’s Hub pet store, is now ready with its rescue team, named “Breeders Rescue Team,” who try to rescue the stray animals left on roads injured. They not only rescue but also rehabilitate. Momin, who was already in the business of pets, wanted that every animal be treated in the best way. He always wanted to do something good, so he set up a hub, namely, Breeders Hub, a well-known name in Srinagar for selling live stock and everything a pet needed, from shampoo to collar, from selling to buying a good breed of pet, is a benchmark which has been set by this young entrepreneur. 

The rescue and rehabilitation operation, which was run by Momin Bilal Khan alone in its initial days, had to face many difficulties initially. But later on, five more people were added to this group, who, without any greed, voluntarily joined. After being joined by these people, they took this operation to the next level. 

While talking to News Kashmir, Momin said, “I started my own business from just RS 1500/= which my father used to give me pocket money. From that saving, I bought some pet food and sold it in the market and gained a profit of just RS 100, but that one hundred rupee note changed my life. My love for pets changed the minds of my parents, who just wanted me to be in the public sector as a government employee, “Khan said. 
 He observes :”
My perspective on life changed when I lost my bestie (name withheld) while saving a stray dog from a speeding car. I was very much there. We were both feeding them with milk that time. I still feel the pain and agony of how I took my friend to the hospital that time and lost him in my arms. My life was shattered and I couldn’t even breathe at times while recapitulating that scenario, Momin said with tearful eyes. 

KPDCL Staff Doing Commendable Job:Aijaz Ahmad Dar, Chief Engineer KPDCL

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KPDCL Staff Doing Commendable Job: Aijaz Ahmad Dar, Chief Engineer KPDCL C

Chief Engineer Kashmir Power Distribution Corporation Limited (KPDCL), Aijaz Ahmad Dar is an Engineer and Administrator par excellence. In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir Magazine, Aijaz Ahmad Dar talks to Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz.

What has been the reason behind better electricity availability this year in Kashmir?Apart from the dedicated and commendable job by my staff, who have been tirelessly working in filed on all fronts, better power supply this year in the valley can be attributed to the substantial system upgradation at transmission, sub transmission and Distribution Network, especially during the last 10 months. We have added 305 MVA at Sub transmission level and 82 MVA at Distribution level this year alone. Because of this capacity additions, we have been able to supply 10 percent more energy this year than last year. In the month of January, we supplied 18% more energy than Jan-2021. If we compare ongoing winter with previous, we are supplying about 150 MW more power and 50 Lac units more per day. Our outages have been minimal, all due to expeditious power restoration by my staff. The people also have appreciated the same, which in turn has boosted the morale of my organization

Is less Snowfall this winter responsible for better power supply?

No, we had good snowfall in the starting week of January this year in entire Kashmir. The load reduced but we restored it back immediately.  Our demand plummeted from normal 1600-1650 megawatt (MW) to 618 MW but, we restored it back to normal within few hours. Majority of the Receiving stations and sub stations were restored immediately barring few minor exceptions like upper reaches of Waltangoo, South Kashmir.Out of 35830 Stations, only 112 stations took more than 24 hours to restore, primarily due to inaccessibility due to heavy snowfall in upper reaches.

Common people Want to know what are smart meters?

The smart meters in nutshell keeps the customer aware about his usage and bill of electricity. The issues of under or over billing of customers would come to an end.  There would be compact and smart billing system in place.Are we moving towards an Era wherein we pay for electricity like mobile recharge?Yes, once the required advancement happens, it is highly likely that like we recharge our mobile according to our needs, same way we would be doing for electricity.  In coming years this could be a reality.

Would the rates of smart meters remain same?

The electricity rates would be same in smart meters as in previous electronic meters. The customers won’t depend on our human resource to take their reading, as with every hour, our system would update them.

What about interests of poor people in Kashmir in future billing?

This is not a question directly related to them as I have to look for Power distribution but still for awareness the poor people, I would like to add here that we have been taken due care of them by executing less load agreements and when you use less it would be less billing. For economically weaker section of our society, we have highly subsidized metered unit rates for initial consumption.

So we won’t be paying high like Mumbai or Delhi?

Our rates of electricity are lowest in country.  We are presently working on a new proposal of power tariff, which will be put first before Regulatory Commission for approval. Be assured, even after revision of tariff, Jammu and Kashmir will still be getting the cheapest electricity in country.

Your focus was on lessen the distribution loss?It is a reversible process. Last year, despite giving 10% percent more energy we were able to lessen the power losses by 6 %. This year too, we have been able to achieve target by 5 percent loss reduction despite giving more energy. On-going System renovation and modernization works especially by installation of AB cabling with smart metering, the distribution losses would be reduced greatly.

What about tragic loss of human resource during carrying necessary repairing of electricity poles especially daily wagers? 

The death of personnel during repairing is unfortunate.  99 percent loss of life occurs due to violation of SOPs. We are conducting workshops to make our staff aware about SOPs and equipped them with protection gears & safety equipments and if they adhere to this, no loss of life will occur.

Is compensation being given?

We have to first get medical report and get FIR Report.  We have recently cleared 15 cases and more compensation cases are being cleared.

Your message to consumers and employees?The employees have to continue their work hard and prompt fault clearance. They have to play their role to ensure no power theft happens and lead the Power Corporation with great example of honesty and hard work culture.People should not use heavy loading which puts entire system in peril and unethical practices like power theft should stop. People should in these pandemic times, use online modes of payment for clearing their electricity bills, which will help us to serve them better.

Interview – Sheikh Asif, CEO of Thames Infotech

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Mir Sabeen Gulrez 
Sheikh Asif, CEO of Thames Infotech, a renowned Manchester, UK-based information technology (IT) firm, recently received the Firebox Bengaluru Entrepreneur of the Year award. In an exclusive interview with News Kashmir  he talks to Mir Sabeen Gulrez.

Sheikh Asif, 26, from Batamaloo, whose primary education came from the reputed “Talent Educational Institute”, later on, because of the distress in his family, didn’t allow him to complete his education.  
Remembering his past experience when he met “Salim”, And his life’s turning point started with his work in 2016, which gave Sheikh Asif a new name and a new destination, which Asif couldn’t even dream of because of the early situations. 
In June 2016, it started with a small set-up dealing in websites. They (Salim and Asif) shifted their headquarters to Manchester in 2018. 
In the early days, they named this start-up after a famous river in London.  
After some time, Asif came up with this concept to create awareness in his region.  

Asif began his bright journey in 2016 and has never looked back. 
Asif told News Kashmir, “I managed to get a godown type shop from where we started working and, in the meantime, I also bought Thames Infotech from its previous owner.” Now our company has twenty-five (25) employees in the UK and seven (7) here in Srinagar. Asif also intended to write more books while waiting for his book to be published under the title “Digitization in Business.” 
Being CEO, Asif has started a new set-up after the name “Soan menu.”  
Their co-founders are Sheikh Asif and Shama Kausar. Its foundation date is January 16, 2022. 
Soan menu is making a revolution by converting traditional menus into digital menus in the form of QR Codes for free.  
The milestones that we achieved are ten thousand (10,000) customers ordering from them.  
Sheikh Asif told News Kashmir that he has trained one thousand (1000) students in website designing and digital marketing. Many of them have even started their own online business.  
I will start online classes again. From March onwards, Asif stated.
Imtiyaz Ahmed,  brother of Asif, told (News Kashmir) that Asif has always been a laborious and talented boy. 
“He struggled a lot in life but I know him as a determined guy from the beginning,” he said.

Meet Hamid Bashir, who introduced sanitary fittings in Kashmir

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Mir Sabeen Gulrez
Srinagar : Jan 27: Hamid Bashir, 24, is an entrepreneur, who came up with a different concept which is a boon to sanitary fittings and pipes.Leaving his  highly paid gulf job just to live with a new concept which can change the scenario. 
 Hamid  introduced, South African concept of threaded PPR/HDPE Pex pipes. He started his plant under the name “Bluebird Piping Extrusions and Manufacturers” and its trademark is Ultra Flow Pipes. He also gave it a tagline of Every Drop Counts from the year 2019 and a new concept was introduced here which created history. 
While talking to News Kashmir, Hamid said, “This unique concept provides any specific length of pipe required for our valuable customers, ranging from 1 metre to 1000 mtr pipe in one roll, so fewer couplers and joints are required, which is the best concept in the valley.” 
Our pipe is susceptible to rust, leakage, or any external force. Ultraflow brings to you a piping system made with revolutionary Basel and Hyosung materials. According to the plastic pipe catalogue, our pipes are approved for production. Apart from these, the exclusive mechanical properties of pipes have been developed with appropriate anti-oxidants to withhold any combined effort of pressure and temperature, making us one of the best pipe manufacturers in the Valley. 
Reporter: Is this concept here in Kashmir? 
Hamid: Yes, this concept is now getting attention as initially there was a mixed response from those who were using it. Even after using this concept, they are very thankful. Where do we use this? 
Hamid :Hot and cold potable water piping is used in residential, industrial, and public installations. Industrial piping for transferring water, dug wells, sanitary liquids, liquid food products, compressed air, aggressive chemicals, fibre cable, etc. highly acidic or alkaline solutions. Also,  building central radiator heating water is usually done in a circular loop piping arrangement. 
How many workers are there in your plant working right now?  There are twenty-two (22) workers working currently in my plant. 

Reporter: How are these pipes manufactured? 
Hamid :
Pipes are first and foremost produced through the extrusion process. The raw material is fed into the extruder via a hopper and a gravimetric or volumetric control system. Inside the extruder barrel, the material is heated up to the melting point, around 200 °C, by electricity and the friction in the screw system. The melted material is pushed through a cavity called a “die-head” and thereby formed into a pipe. The pipe is then calibrated to the correct size in a vacuum box and thereafter cooled by water in spray boxes. Extrusion is a continuous process, and pipes can, in principle, be produced to infinity lengths. At the end of the production line, pipes are cut into lengths and socketed or coiled according to the intended use. 
Reporter: What about the quality of these pipes?Hamid :
Quality is only a symbol of what can be provided from a particular company, but this quality is not only a beautiful slogan; in UltraFlow Pipes, it is one of the fundamentals of this company. 
The pipe production line of Ultraflow Pipes Company is one of the most modern and precise polyethylene pipe production systems in Jammu and Kashmir, which has rated the output product as the best-quality polyethylene product in the market. The machines are all manufactured in European countries, and the extruders and production lines of single polyethylene pipes of UltraFlow Pipes are manufactured by the huge German companies of Battenfeld, Battenfeld Cincinnati, and HPMCI, which have the most developed automated control systems in production, minimising the possibility of any mistakes during the production of polyethylene and propylene pipes. 
In order to provide the necessary premises for continuing and improving this confidence, after successfully passing several stages of quality testing and continuously visiting the production lines and machinery by competent authorities, we have succeeded in obtaining standards and are finally able to make production and sell it in the market. 

Reporter: Are these environmentally friendly? 

Hamid: I These are pollution-free. It comes under the green category. It has granules which can be remoulded. 
I recommend people be aware of this concept to make their lives easier and to save their money. It’s a good concept, but people aren’t aware of it.

Keep Working on Your Dreams: Faizan Zaroo

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Keep Working on Your Dreams:  Faizan Zaroo,
Mir Sabeen GulrezAfter finishing his education, a young man started a business selling clothing under the name “Smart Jeans,” but quickly realized that he should start his own management company under the name “Markus Kraft.”Faizan Zaroo, 31, is an entrepreneur who changed the lifestyle of living by giving comfort with new colors.While sharing his journey to News Kashmir, he said the name “Arika” comes from an Arabic word that means, “Sofa or Couch”, and in Sanskrit, it means “beautiful” (living). The name itself is self-explanatory, as our mission is to serve as lifestyle specialists. That’s why I named it “Arika Living.”From clothing to glamour, I was always involved in art and lifestyle, which landed me a job in Banglore as a store manager and marketing expert for a renowned brand. My job wasn’t satisfying my hunger to achieve what I used to dream, so I left my highly paid job and started to work on my dream, which I always dreamt of, the dream which soon became a reality in the form of Arika.The market is flooded with imported products via online or offline channels, but the issue of not being satisfied with the products has always been a question of being asked. Is what the customer is getting worth it or not? Besides business, our aim is only to uplift the craftsman as the products that have been selling online from different parts of the world are a loss to our manufacturers and the people related to art and craft.We at Arika have tie-ups with all small and big manufacturers all over India, which makes our products and quality much better than anyone else in the current market.We have masters who have personalized the art of lifestyle furniture and interiors. We provide end-to-end furniture customization according to the needs and lifestyle of customers, which gives our clients a hassle-free experience.The biggest hurdles I faced in launching Arika in Banglore were.Well, it wasn’t easy to set up in Bangalore. I faced many disagreements and rejections from the manufacturers and clients, but I didn’t give up on my dream. I spent all my savings on building a chain of suppliers and manufacturers from Banglore, now presently in Kashmir and still expanding widely throughout. It wasn’t easy without a team. A few of my friends joined Arika and helped me out with social media marketing and other important things. Not only social media, but digital as well as print helped me a lot to expand my business.I am very thankful to all who supported me throughout, but out of all the odds, the biggest support was my brother, Zubair Anjum Zaroo, who supported me in my tough times and stood beside me like a wall. It wasn’t easy for me to survive in Bangalore because the state is very expensive in every aspect. I was all alone and had to shop from the lower end to the higher end. This all wasn’t easy without the support of my family and friends, and to my surprise, those who rejected me initially were the ones who stood by my side when I was struggling. That was the moment when I realised that I should fulfill the dream not only for me but for those who are with me during my rainy days. I didn’t let them down, but, Alhamdulillah, I came up with something even stronger and shined.The main difficulties Arika faced in Kashmir were that we started in Kashmir just 7 months ago and we have 50-60 successful clients till now in Kashmir and lots of clients and queries coming in every day. The manufacturers in Kashmir weren’t supportive. The craftsmen were very expensive; hence I opened a small manufacturing unit at my home with all the possible machines with my profits just to give quality and affordable prices to my clients in Kashmir. In Kashmir, we have a dynamic sales and design team. Rouf Zargar, who is our manager in Kashmir, and other designers and craftsmen like Romi, and others.Let me explain something about Arika, its Mission,Vision and values.If we talk about Arika’s Mission , its only mission is to provide premium quality,service and variety of furniture designing and interior solutions.Arikas’s Vision: Is to be best premium furniture company in India.And last but not least if we talk about Arika’s Values, its  values is to create effortless experience for consumers and uplifting craftsman.It was my team who worked hard for the brand Arika and I am very thankful to all of them. I would like to mention some of my team members, for whom my life is indebted. I would like to introduce my first employees, like Gurpreet, who is working as a social media and marketing expert. It was Gurpreet who worked without a salary for four months. It would be an injustice to Fayiq Rashid, who is working as a sales and marketing expert if I didn’t mention him.For those who want to get in touch with Arika, you can contact us via social media like Instagram and Facebook with the name Arikaliving.

Maher Daoudi,Oxikit Founder Interview

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Maher Daoudi , Oxikit Founder interview
Oxikit founder Maher Daoudi by his revolutionary concept of oxygen concentrators has played a key role in solving the suffering of masses due to ragging pandemic of Coronavirus. He is a social entrepreneur of par excellence. 
In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, he talks to Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz.

Was the suffering of masses throughout world  due to covid  reason  behind  oxikit happening ?I got started based on data analysis very early in the first wave itself. When the pandemic hit Wuhan and steadily impacted badly USA too. I am sort of Polymath looking into several fields. I saw we initially had much focus on ventilators which is mechnical incubation and often chances of death of patient are more than 80 percent. What I realised that oxygen is main component and seventy to eighty percent patients going to hospital require oxygen and putting them straightway on ventilator or incubator means killing them . I saw oxygen as huge area was missed , which is main life saver in case of Coronavirus especially high flow of oxygen .
I coordinated with friends including entrepreneurs and Doctors including from the Kaiser   Permanente especially chief of Residency Dr.Ted O’Connell and we  reached a definite conclusion that oxygen is the focus we should have . Oxygen was thought a good cure and proved to be boon for the critically ill patients due to covid . Much of the deaths occured due to lack of access to concentrated oxygen in Covid waves .How did oxikit develop ?We need to remeber that oxygen demand in all hospitals in all parts of USA and other parts of the world demand was huge ,and patients were hurdled like anything. Problem with hospitals we have oxygen coming through holes and they got messed up when the demand was huge and it happened in USA, India and many other areas. We also discovered thus need of developing  high flow oxygen in terms of LPMs as they had low and unimpressive LPM. With my uncle who works in NASA and some friends we coordinated to make a system from PVC pipes and other stuff of hardware to develop high flow coordinated oxygen cylinders to save lives .We put videos on online platforms especially YouTube to help all . Our oxygen concentrator mechanism overcame the drawback of low flow maximum 10 lpm oxygen to 20 ,30 ,40 etc according to patient needs . Once we put videos we got tremendous response especially during second wave in India ,me and Tata Consultancy CEO Amit Sharma did a session and they called me for 90 minute session . All the orders came to our high flow oxygen concentrators and I am in India since past six months , now in Kashmir for vacation . It have seen sleepless times . Me and other engineers have always been helping people how to build these machines as oxygen has become biggest thing in this time of pandemic .How have you felt in Kashmir?Kashmir is a gorgeous places and hand made stuff made here is excellent . The weaving here especially codes of it are remarkable and from woodcraft to other crafts if excellent here .How far has been support from the Governments of world ?The most of help has come from the private professionals and sector like the Tata Consulting engineering . You know that Government channels take time and  our movement Pillar Tribe is about local building capacity of oxygen .Your project has been life saving, your take ?Definitely in many places it has and is saving human lives that is biggest contribution of oxikit . We as humans need to build locally things and oxikit has greatly contributed to it .Before we started it was 5 LPM machines which was useless , the patients need at least 15 LPM . We had to develop a modular system of the oxygen concentrator to provide the highest flow according to the patient’s needs . And we have saved innumerable patients with our high flow modular oxygen concentrator system via blocks and a coordinated system .By filtering the nitrogen out of the air, the concentrator provides oxygen at 90% or higher purity, at a flow of up to 25 liters per minute.Is oxygen now the biggest thing for health sector ?Yes oxygen has always been the biggest thing be it a common disease like Pneumonia or the pandemic. World needs to invest in oxygen to make efficient health care systems .

Music Brings Equality &Peace: Daanish Reshi

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Music Brings Equality & Peace : Daanish Reshi

Daanish Reshi is an prominent entrepreneur of Kashmir & made his mark in the World Of Music.In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, he talks to Rameez Makhdoomi.

A bit about your early days?
I did schooling and basics and higher secondary from Sheh re Khas Srinagar. I had Studied electrical science From Faridabaad College Of Engineering, Hon’s  in Urdu From Aligarh Muslim University & Masters in Political Science from Delhi University correspondence Respectively, I Had Worked With MNC – PSU after Completing my Studies holding Top Positions In Administration, Policy,Recruitments etc for Almost 6 Years.

Where you interested in Music from beginning?Yes I was interested in Music Since childhood.
What sort of music you loved ?I loved the music of classical singers like legends in music world Rafi Sahab, Kishore Sahab etc, They inspired me a lot . I also used to participate sometimes in school ,very less due to shyness and then I was not outspoken, participated in college programmes and perform often in Annual functions.
What sort of songs you performed ?I used to love performing on classical  hindi songs of old legends . In 2009 I performed in mega musical concert held By erstwhile State Govt.
How did Mayi chani your song in Bollywood Movie “LINES” took place ?I would like to credit my beloved friend from Jammu Rohil Bhattia,Happens to be a Music Director  for giving me that break in movie which really went viral on all noted platforms like Zee Music Co, Voot Select, Amazon Prime Music, ITunes, Apple Music l, Jiosaavn Etc.Hussain Khan from Kashmir a noted Filmmaker too supported me firmly who happens to be Director of Movie.

What are your goals ?
I have many musical projects in pipeline and would like to expand my youtube base in future with more performances.
What about your buisness ventures ?
I am also much busy with my business running my Medical-agency and also we have book publishing business under the banner of GPH.We operate our business from both Kashmir and Delhi. We publish Kashmiri, Urdu and English Books .Your life goals ?I have not opted Singing as Profession its my Passion am Focused to my Business  empire.What is your message to youth of Kashmir and policymakers?I believe that nothing in world has equality music is only thing which brings equality across world irrespective of religion , caste , creed, race , tribe , nation, etc. Across the Globe music has seven scales What Call “SUR” no one in world will claim 8th . Music also has inspirational and Influential aspect in terms of Sufism.Through your medium I  would like to Urge LG J&K UNION GOVT Of India  that Film Policy which has been  announced in 2021 for Jammu and Kashmir , should seriously give much promotion & platform to Kashmiri artists and Producers, Directors and Local Filmmakers. Kashmir is always attraction of World Tourism and Film World and Local Talent of J&K in Impeccable We have Versatile Artists in valley, Govt Should fully Support and Promote Local Filmmakers with all easement to Every possible effort. Lastly Govt Should Promote Artist of Kashmir in kashmir Not Outsider in valley, That way Our Art will touch Sky.

“I want to use my experience in fashion and e-commerce to benefit society” – Sumedha Ramanan

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 “I want to use my experience in fashion and e-commerce to benefit society” – Sumedha Ramanan
Photographer: Giridhar Murugan Chettiar

Sumedha Ramanan is an emerging  name to reckon with when it comes to Fashion and Style. From the South Indian State of Karnataka,  She is  Executive Director At Streetap, Bangalore. She’s is an alumni of The National Institute Of Fashion Technology Chennai and she has a worked in Marketing for e-commerce companies in Bangalore and Silicon Valley. In an exclusive interview with the News Kashmir, Sumedha Ramanan talks to Rameez Makhdoomi.


How far has pandemic impacted the world of style and clothing?

Initially the pandemic was indeed a serious shock to the fashion industry all over the world. While retail stores who are mainly dependent on footfalls suffered due to the lockdowns, the online sector also faced a set-back as people feared receiving packages. Nevertheless, as the world learnt to cope with the situation by the second year, we saw a spike in demand for ‘work-from-home’ outfits and at-home services in the online market segment. However, it is important to note that only 3% of fashion businesses in India are online and globally only 8% of fashion related sales take place through e-commerce platforms. Therefore I believe that it is the need of the hour to find more online representation for retail businesses and the onus lies on us, the new E-commerce generation of India.


Being a woman you are also into men’s wear ,a bit about that ?

One of my core beliefs when it comes to doing business, is to execute company operations at scale and employ talent to execute daily company operations instead of being involved in everything individually. Therefore, my gender isn’t a factor in business planning. It is a more intellectual process and doesn’t have anything to do with gender. It is more about automating functions like design, customer experience, job creation, etc. Personally, I found my enthusiasm for menswear design because it is very minimalistic and creatively challenging in nature. Unlike womenswear, which is very varied, designing menswear is all about changes we can make in the tiniest details. For example, I cannot change the way a shirt looks, but I can certainly give you a contrasting placket or accent button. Menswear also dabbles in advanced fabrics and ancient handmade techniques. Currently, I’m teaching Italian Couture to the unorganised sector and bringing the John Wick Bespoke Suiting experience to users at the comfort of their homes. Furthermore, I love designing for men because they usually come to us at the last minute with aggressive deadlines and as a strategy person I enjoy being on my toes and enabling quicker deliveries. At Streetap, we’re currently delivering customised tailored suits in four days.


What are your favourites in designing and styling ?

Recently I’m deeply fascinated with the ancient garment designs of India. There is so much more to Indian outfits than the saree. Whether it is the silhouettes of old-time garments like the Atamsukh and Angrakha or the non-repeating block printing techniques of Rajasthan, It is my professional opinion that these historic pieces are exceptional and quite unique in comparison to what we wear today. I believe it is time to stop and stare at the wonderful carvings on Qutub Minar or the marvellous tessellations on the walls of  the Sheesh Mahal and bring our heritage art to what we wear. As far as styling is concerned, here’s a little tip – wear monochromes if you’re new to styling and when hanging out with your friends, steal their jacket to up your style quotient! 


A bit about your fashion content writing ?

Being a fashion writer for e-commerce companies was perhaps one of the most glamorous and fun jobs I’ve ever had. My day would start with a quick take-away from Starbucks that took me through the first half that I spent writing about fashion whilst running into A-list celebrities like Hrithik Roshan and Nargis Fakhri at work ! Interestingly, fashion content writing jobs also dabble with brand marketing and therefore I found a varied set of opportunities. One even included playing a treasure hunt game online and hosting a fashion quiz! I was certainly living the ‘Devil Wears Prada’ life that all fashion savvy youngsters dream of. I’d like to tell your readers that if you are considering a job in content writing, it is better to be a specialist in the subject you wish to write about rather than only majoring in English. That was beneficial for my writing career.Your favourite fashion and style icons ? Bella Hadid, I think, is surely on her way to becoming the next Marylin Monroe and her lung necklace is certainly iconic in reflecting today’s times. In styling, I love Tom Hiddleston’s choices as they’re classy and understated. Tom Ford on the other hand is certainly a great designer as well as a fashion icon in himself. In India, I believe Karishma Kapoor’s outfits are severely underrated for what they actually are! I think she has a spectacular eye for fashion

Your goals ?

Since I’ve studied fashion from NIFT and worked as a marketer in the e-commerce industry, it is my personal goal to use my specialisation and experience to benefit society. Currently 97% of the GDP contribution of the Indian Fashion Sector (except watches) comes from the unorganised sector. The unorganised sector finds itself underrepresented in the online world and it is my mission to bring them to the forefront of the e-commerce industry and increase their sales without charging them commissions. While I have just started, I’m happy to note that a vendor of mine who was previously dependent on footfalls has now completely moved to the Streetap model and was also able to take a vacation with his family after a long time, due to better margins and sales. Even though startups can be challenging, these little wins keep me going.


A bit about your leather jackets you manufacture?

When it comes to leather, people have many apprehensions because they feel it is not animal friendly. However, leather is a by-product of the food industry. In order to curb over-use, we only buy material on order. Our leather jackets are hand-crafted, and they employ workers from the unorganised sector. Regardless of the design and colour, our leather jackets come at a standard price. They are cut and sewn to size and delivered in 7 days. We do not make or sell faux leather as it is made of plastic and has a short lifespan, which in turn increases waste and degrades the environment. I certainly urge people to buy leather instead as it lasts for more than a decade and gets better with wear.

Music connects all: Waqar Khan

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Music Connects all : Waqar Khan 


Waqar Khan is young and dynamic singer from Kashmir and  was born in Karnah, located in Kupwara District of Jammu and Kashmir. His euphonious voice and humble stage presence have made him one of the most loved singers and performers of Jammu and Kashmir.

In an exclusive interview with Rameez Makhdoomi and Farzana Mumtaz he talks about his journey .
Tell us a bit about your music  journey ,and you were inclined towards music since beginning?
Yes I had interest towards music since childhood days and it was in class second that I gave my first performance. Then after School finished I took my music journey to a polished stage in college . I have through domestic reality tv shows displayed my talent and in all these shows I was among top 3. I have also used social media as important tool to showcase my talent .
Recently you released Beti Song which got good reception, a bit about that ?
Women in our part of the world are facing lot of hardships .We in society have still lot of people who don’t give women freedom to education . The message of song is that women should be given freedom to education  . We have showcased many notable women who have acheived laurels for their society and country so that others get motivated .Parents should get to know girls are equally competent as boys .
Did you face any hostile reaction from family while entering music industry?
Yes parents were angry with me especially after leaving the Government Job and pursuing career in music , but with passage of time as I took music as full time career and my work became popular parents are now quite cooperative .It is necessary that our people should be in every field be it music , Medical or engineering.What are your future plans ?
My future plans are  that my songs should be listened in every part of the world, and I am also after releasing songs regularly . I also want my songs to have sound message .Your favourite singer ?My all time favourite singer is Ustad Nusrat Fateh Ali Khan.Favourite singer among present ones ?My favourite singer among current ones is Kamal Khan .Your favourite music genres ?I love Sufi and Folk music.How far has reality tv shows helped singers?I think reality shows makes dreams of only very  few come true and many others get broken and lost . The best platform is social media wherein chances of sucess are much more and wider for everyone. Person from any background can shine on Social media.Your message to youth of Kashmir  ?

My message to youth of Kashmir is not to be just after Government jobs ,be serious and explore your own talent as God has given everyone a unique talent .How far can music fight rising  depression ?Music can hundred percent fight depression as music connects all irrespective of their creed, caste , ethnicity and religion. Music connects all across borders and is a great therapy to deal with depression especially in these times of pandemic.
How is talent of Kashmir coming up in music industry ?We have in the past few years for the first time given all exclusive Kashmiri Songs in bollywood and our many singers are shinning at bigger stages. The music talent pool of kashmir is really above par .
Your upcoming song ?My upcoming song is Pyar Mohabat and it would be released after a month .