How a young Kashmiri woman hand-crafted a pan-India success story

Inshada Bashir Mir, a 29-year-old MBA graduate hailing from Hanjiwera Bala Pattan located close to LOC near Kanehama in Baramulla district of Jammu and Kashmir.

Despite challenging circumstances, Inshada with grit and determination has found a company “Tubruk”, which sells a plethora of hand crafted articles.

She works with 40 artisans and has expanded her business to Mumbai, Bengaluru, Delhi and Jaipur. Inshada’s ambition is to take her brand “Tubruk” to the international level to introduce the handmade crafts of Jammu and Kashmir and give a new lease of life to the art and artisans who are vanishing day-by-day. 

Inshada was invited as a panelist to share her success story in the recently held “Kula - 23 Conclave” organised by “200 Million Artisans”, a social enterprise enabling ecosystem for craft led enterprises for the community at the Bangalore International Center in Bengaluru.

Narrating her successful journey to IANS, Inshada explained that “Tubruk” is a Kashmiri word meaning a souvenir and blessing. “When I approached artisans with business proposals, they just saw me as a little child and laughed,” she says.

The young lady had dreamt of establishing a business at her native while she studied crafts management in Srinagar Craft Development Institute. She had learned the basics, value supply chains, but the challenge was to deal with the existing ground realities in Kashmir.

When asked about whether she was allowed to carry out business by the family, Inshada explained that she hailed from a family which was into the business of carpets.

“Outsiders think Muslim women are not allowed to carry out business. Prophet Muhammad’s (PBUH) wife is the first businesswoman of this world. My father’s advice on my adventure was negative. Don’t start a business as it is risky, was his opinion. But, as I was firm with my intention, he did not stop me from pursuing my dream. He is there for me all the time. My mother supported my dream as well.

“I started my business by making advance payments to artisans. I got the new designs of shawls, stoles, jewels, ear rings, laptop covers and other articles with signature modern embroidery works. You have to take that one first step and you will realize there are many to help you. You have to do it with a creative mindset,” Inshada revealed.

She participated in the Bengaluru Exhibition organised by the NGO Commitment to Kashmir in 2018. After that she attended a few more events which helped her to get contacts, networks and market.

“I started with four to five artisans. Now, I feel proud that I am working with 40 to 50 of them. The more joy comes as I am able to make their payments in advance. Now, my aim is to take Tubruk to international level,” she says.

200 million artisans under the leadership of its founder Priya Krishnamoorthy are doing great work to bring together the handicraft artisans and enterprises community and promote this sector.

“I am grateful to them to invite me for this Kula Conclave event in Bangalore and share my thoughts and journey along with other eminent personalities from the handcraft segment and discuss on how we can save this sector,” Inshada says.

Kashmir is marching forward, it is going ahead, Inshada explains with glitter in her eyes.