Nusrat, a graduate from Dadoora, District Pulwama is a successful entrepreneur of the valley. She started cut flower business in 2000 with literally no financial support and today, she is regarded as a founder of cut flower industry in the state. She always dreamt to start her own venture, hence took a bold decision to quit pensionable government job to become the first woman entrepreneur in floriculture from the state, and this is how ‘Petals and Ferns’ came into existence.
In an exclusive interview with The Kashmir Scenario, Nusrat jahan Ara talks with Shahzad Hussain Hamdani.
Is it difficult to be a woman in business, especially in Kashmir?
Yes. It is. In a place like Kashmir you have to look upon a number of things. It is looked as a common thing when men go out to do business. Unlike having a parlour or a boutique, if a woman goes out and starts a business and especially business in which you will find more men involved just like floriculture or agriculture business, it is a difficult thing. I am talking keeping in view the general view of the society.
Throughout all the years of your business, how many times you have personally come across to difficulties?
If a girl goes out of her home for studies, it is somewhat a daily routine, but if a girl goes out for her home to run a business, the first step is to make the people understand what business she is doing; have to make them understand what an entrepreneur is.
But i would say since last 10 years many things had drastically changed. Now people are more educated towards the things. I remember i was doing a government job and i left it to start my own business. At that times many of my relatives used to tell me that it is not good for a girl to do business. Had it been a common woman based business like parlour or boutique, then it would not had any problem, but in my case i had stepped into a business in which my interaction was more with the male hood.
But i certainly believe one need to be strong and bold enough to achieve success. So all together i have faced many hurdles.
As you said that women do opt businesses like a parlour or a boutique, so was there any specific reason you took different track and entered into the floriculture business?
First of all i had a passion or you can say attraction towards agriculture business, even though i have done my studies in computers and i was nowhere academically related to it but i preferred agriculture business just because i wanted to see myself successful by starting a total different business which mostly women don’t take up.
Another thing is before starting the floriculture business i also made a survey and at that time i could hardly see bouquet of fresh and natural flowers. All i could see was artificial flowers from shops to government departments. So this also strengthened by decision to start floriculture business in the valley.
AS you know that the government has always promoted and talked about women empowerment, in that case how much support you have got through government?
See the time when i started there was no commercial floriculture business in the valley. At that time the government had parks and gardens which they used to maintain. So the time when i started, i did asked them for help to boast the commercial floriculture business but they denied of having any such scheme related to commercial floriculture business. Such schemes were available in the centre but not in the state at that time and it took long way for such schemes to enter the state and till then i would say that i got more help from the Jammu and Kashmir bank for my business rather than the government.
AS you said you left a government job to start a business of your own and you may have been criticized by your near and dear ones. Now when they see you successful in business how do they feel?
They are very much satisfied. From my family to my relatives, everyone appreciate my decision and is proud of me. Now the time has come that even my sister don’t want to pot a government job but she wants to start a business. Same is the case with my friends also. So in someone i have tried to become an example that doing a government job is not the ultimate end.
We live in a part which is known as East part of the world. In west you have a different culture as compared to east part of the world. It is said that the mentality of the east is much narrow minded. Do you think that in Kashmir there is such mentality among men that they disown the success of a woman?
No i don’t think such mentality prevails in all men, but yes some percentage of men does have such thinking. So if you have many people to encourage you, you will also come across to such people who will discourage you, and this thing you will find everywhere even outside Kashmir.
There was a time when every parent wanted his/her daughter to be a doctor or an engineer and this is culture you will still find in Kashmir. Now when you see yourself as a successful woman in business field what will be your message especially to the women of Kashmir?
Firstly I would say that studies are very important. If you get a job in which you are satisfied then move on with it and if you don’t get a job, you should not feel low, this is not the end i would say. Kashmir is a place which is full of resources and women have the talent to utilize it to achieve greater heights in the field of business or whatever field they will opt.