In a narrow bylane in Khanyar on Babademb roadside a three-story building, originally built for a guesthouse, houses a unique manufacturing unit. Such a sight one normally witnesses in an industrial area or in some city, which is an industrial hub.
About 15 people, mostly girls, are busy on the assembly line on the second floor in an open hall churning out hundreds of trendy and quality garments.
This 28-year-old MCA from Kashmir University had never thought of doing a business like this, rather he was more interested in a job, as the tradition goes in Kashmir.
Umer Farooq, the owner of the unit, is not only guiding all these workers but also creating designs with a hi-tech computer-aided machine for different garments himself.
“My parents thought that I would get a government job here but I wanted to work in an MNC and therefore moved to Bangalore, after completing my post-graduation,” says Umer. “However, my parents were not happy about it, as I am the only child and then I was also not satisfied with the job there. So I returned back just after nine months and started again looking for a job here. As I could not get a good job, some friends suggested about doing my own business.”
Umer reluctantly discussed the idea with his father thinking he won’t agree. But he was surprised when his father approved of Umer’s idea.
“My father has converted this house into a guesthouse but as the tourism didn’t pick up in Kashmir particularly after 2014 floods, he was happily ready to provide me space here for my business,” says Umer.
After a lot of research and moving from pillar to post to find a potential business, Umer zeroed in on garment manufacturing though the initial idea was to focus on making school uniforms.
Next step for Umer was to find the required finances for his project, so he approached Entrepreneurship Development Institute (EDI), Pampore and pitched his idea there. After going through the training and fulfilling other requirements, like a DPR, Umer was approved Rs 30 lakh project cost, of which he received Rs 7.5 lakh as seed capital and Rs 19.5 lakh as soft loan from J&K Bank. The remaining amount he managed from his own pocket.
“As I had done a lot of research prior to deciding on the project, I was able to bring the best of the machinery available in the market. The next important thing needed to run the unit was workers but I could not find any skilled people here and had to visit again Delhi to look for the trained workers,” he says.
With the master tailors and trainers he brought from Delhi, Umer put some local boys and girls so that they will learn the art.
“As these boys and girls got trained, they took over all the skilled jobs. Now all the 20 people working in the unit are locals, mostly girls,” says Umer.
In April 2016, when Umer commenced working at his Kashmir Fashions, he initially concentrated on making school uniforms but soon shifted to making tracksuits, T-shirts, lounge pants, thermals, leggings etc, as he found a better market in Kashmir for these products and can manufacture them at the economy of scale.
To manufacture quality garments, Umer bought high-end equipment. His stitching, embroidery and cutting machines cost more than Rs 1 lakh each. He has even bought a multi-stitch sewing machine, which saves him lot of time and labour and produces best quality item.
Umer recently received felicitation from Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti. Umer was chosen for the felicitation by the EDI among its 16 entrepreneurs on the basis of yearly turnover and employment generation.
Kashmir needs more youth like Umer who are changing the trend of seeking govt jobs to being recruiters. We wish him all the best for all future endeavors.
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