Greater Kashmir

For 20-year-old double-arm-amputee Amir Hussain Lone, life is Cricket, and Cricket is

life. Resident of Waghama, village near Bijbehara, Amir’s is a story of neglect to a story of recognition. Amir, a courageous and inspira-tional young man, lost both his arms during an accident when he was just 8. However, his grit and determination has helped Amir to overcome the taboo of disability and become the only double-arm-amputee Cricketer in the state and arguably in rest of India as well. From facing neglect by the society and the government, Amir tread a path less chosen, and decided to be part of the mainstream.

Having represented J&K para-cricket team twice, Amir now hopes to be part of International Cricket with disability. “The first bit of recognition for me arrived when I took a wicket on my first ball in a mainstream cricket match at Degree College, Bijbehara. I practiced hard and achieved a skill which helped me bowl with my foot, and bat with the help of my neck and shoulder,” Amir says. Amir recounts

his first national level game, played verus Kerala, in which he had scored an unbeaten 25 runs of just 18 balls. “The opposition carried me on their shoulders and shouted slogans to encourage me. It was a moment that overwhelmed me,” he said.

Now into limelight, Amir intends to stay grounded. “Even today I clean the street with a broom and feel proud about it. The same mosque where I was denied entry is the place where I make Azaan now,” says a proud Amir, in-between taking sips of tea with the help of his feet.

In recognition of his unique sport-ing ability, Amir was recently pro-vided financial assistance of Rs 10,000 from DC Anantnag and Rs 50,000 by city-based automobile firm Rahim Motors. He has also been roped in by Rahim Greens, social arm of Rahim Motors as its social brand ambassador and provided employment by a pri-vate firm RAMKY Infrastructure. The

sportsman spirit and the gentleman attitude associated with Cricket is the biggest inspiration for Amir, whose icon is Sachin Tendulkar.

“I was on a treatment for three years after losing my arms but I did not give up. I shelled out money from my own pocket to play at the national level but today I feel delighted to be the captain of J&K state’s para-cricket team,” says Amir.

Ask Amir about his favorite crick-eting shot, and pat comes the reply; It is the popularly known ‘Dilshan Scoop’ or ‘Dil scoop’ which fascinates me the most, says Amir while being televised for a national news channel on a Srinagar street. “Life was not always a bed of roses. Doing basic day-to-day work such as taking tea, and wearing my trousers, were a daunting task, but I always had the spark to do wonders on the Cricket field,” adds Amir.

Being methodical and innovative

has helped Amir to become a success-ful person. He recollects occasions such as the first time when he swam across the breadth of river Jhelum and his initial days of jotting down notes with help of a pen on a wall. “Watching a duck swim with the help of just two legs helped me gain confi-dence for swimming. When I couldn’t afford a notebook, I used to scribble on a wall,” says Amir.

For Amir, maintaining a healthy lifestyle, which includes impressive dressing, are pillars of his life. At no stage in his life, has Amir let his disability come in between success and him. “There was a time when people used to laugh at me but the same folk today pat me on my back and applaud me for my success in the world of Cricket,” admits Amir. He signs off with a message for parents of the disabled children; “ Please don’t consider your wards as a burden and rather treat them as kids with special abilities. There are hundred’s of Amir’s who can make Kashmir Valley feel proud,”.

Watching a duck swim with the help of just two legs helped me gain confidence for swimming

Amir: Meet this para-cricketer

This man is no less than a miracle who sends you in a sate of disbelief

UNUSUALSAQIB MALIK

• Mission for Integrated Development of Horticulture (MIDH) & Rashtriya Krishi Vikas Yojna (RKVY)

MIDH is a centrally sponsored scheme which has been launched for the holistic development of horticulture in India during XII plan. The scheme, which has taken off from 2014-15, integrates the ongoing schemes of National Horticulture Mis-sion etc.

The nodal agency for MIDH is horticulture department. Several florists and landscape designers in the Valley have been helped by this scheme. Similarly, RKVY is also a benefi-cial scheme for entrepreneurs hoping to make a mark in horticulture, agriculture or floricul-ture. For more, contact Horticulture, agricul-ture and floriculture departments. Under MIDH and RKVY, the above mentioned departments provide subsidised seeds to the . Rights from planning to sourcing, research and develop-ment , planting material , growing technology, pre and post harvest system and value addi-tion in agriculture are all a part of MIDH. RKYV is an additional support for development of agricultural sector. For availing benefits under RKVY and MIDH, any entreprenuer needs to get registered with the concerned departments. With help of MIDH and RKVY, a farmers gets the benefits such as 50 per cent assistant for khurpi (a small agricultural equipment) to big control atmosphere store for value additions. MIDH and RKVY are schemes for which funds are doled out by state and center jointly.

• Software Technology Parks of India (STPI) Scheme:

The STP Scheme is a 100 per cent export oriented scheme for the development and export of a com-puter software, including export of professional services using communication links or physical media. The scheme is unique in its nature as it focuses on one product/sector i.e., computer software. The scheme integrates the government concept of 100 per cent Export Oriented Units (EOUs) and Export Processing Zones (EPZs) and the concept of Science Parks/Technology Parks, as operating elsewhere in the world. STP Scheme in the Valley can be availed through STPI,Srinagar office located at the Rangreth Industrial Estate. Address: Shed no. 6, SIDCO Electronics Complex Rangreth, Srinagar Jammu & Kashmir

• Tourism Incentive SchemeThe J&K Tourism Department provides incen-tives to prospective entrepreneurs who intend to invest in tourism. Following are the business categories for which tourism department pro-vides incentives:

1) Tourist Coaches: The department offers 50 per cent financial support or Rs 7 lakhs (whichever is less) for aspiring entrepreneurs to procure fully prepared coaches. The coaches shall be used for ferrying tourists within the state.

2) Trekking Equipment Procurement: The department provides 50 per cent incentives to aspiring entrepreneurs who intend to start a busi-ness in letting out of trekking, mountaineering and other adventure sports equipment. However, the department does a status check on whether there is a demand for the equipment procured by the entrepreneur.

3) All Terrain Vehicles (ATV’s): Keeping in view the pollution and unhygienic conditions caused by Ponywallas, this scheme is meant for those Ponywallas who intend to switch over to buy ATV’s. All Terrain Vehicle is a suitable mode of transport for ferrying tourists at health resorts.

4) Hotel Construction: Any prospective entre-preneur hoping to construct a hotel at any health resort can also avail certain benefits and incen-tives from the tourism department.

For more contact Deputy Director (Planning) Directorate of Tourism, Kashmir, TRC, Srinagar

Downtown Dreamer

I did not want to run after government jobs

SUCCESS STORY Mukeet Akmali hamidmukeet596@gmail.com

From the alleys of the Srinagar’s old city, Suhail Zargar braved all odds to become an entrepreneur. Usually known as hub

of stone-pelting, this lad is working hard to give this old-city a different fame by creating a niche in the Information Technology, and be an inspi-ration for youngsters.

Born and brought up in the vicinity of Sri-nagar’s Shaher-e-Khas, Zargar with his dedica-tion became an IT Wizard. This tech-savvy youth is successfully managing an IT company that too headquartered at Nowhatta Chowk.

In 2008 when Kashmir was in the midst of uprising after Amarnath Land row, Zargar chan-nelled his energy to start Netshell Software Solu-tions. He says that his vision and thought process from his younger days of not running after govern-ment jobs was his biggest plus point.

“I am a fun loving guy who always believed in entrepreneurship, but I was always focused about my objective of being a job provider not job seeker,” he recalls, and states that slen-der lanes of downtown helped him learn a lot about life.

“Entrepreneurship is in my blood; I belong to a family where almost everyone is an entrepreneur barring a few. Entrepreneurship was in my mind from the beginning and it helped a lot to remain focused,” he states. He adds that initially he had to do some jobs in IT field that sharpened his skills and provided an idea about the process of manag-ing and running an IT company

“But job was not my cup of tea and I had a belief in myself; I adore freedom, taking risks, trying innova-tive things and entrepreneurship is all about that. I never liked government jobs and that’s why I have never applied for it too,” he adds.

Zargar believes that the old-city where he was born and lives is more of an advantage than disad-vantage for his business. “I cannot forget that it was the slender lanes of downtown where I learnt the lesson of life and got audacity to stand high even in offish situation,” Zargar says.

“Downtown is an amazing place. It’s very chal-lenging to operate from downtown. But despite all odds, I along with my team have proved that downtown is still a better place to work from.”

He says that my goal is now to make the old-city based company an international company. “I am working to make this downtown-based company an international company. I can sense it is only a matter of time that my company would be an international brand,” he states, and adds that recently he visited Saudi Arabia and Dubai, in 2015, to expand his business reach. “But despite all the success and exposure I have no plans to shift from downtown,” he said.

Giving details about the company, he said “We are serving customers in India and abroad and have recently launched jobsinkashmir.in portal to help unemployed youth to find jobs and we are providing information free of cost to our brothers and sisters in Kashmir who are looking for jobs.”

“In future, we will introduce few amazing projects to promote Kashmir art and artisans in global market using the power of Information Technology, directly from Jammu and Kash-mir,” he states.

Zargar has a word for youth: “Our youngsters are quite bright, and they are the future of Kash-mir, live your dreams, always seek to accom-plish the goals that you have set for yourself to give meaning to your life.”

Straight from Nowhatta

‘This tech-savvy youth is successfully managing an IT company that too headquartered at Nowhatta Chowk

There is mounting evidence to prove that lack of investment and an indif-ference to the needs of youth incur

a high cost in terms of lost development opportunities, ill health, and social, physi-cal, mental disruption. And it means fail-ure to fully support our present “asset” as well as next generation of parents. There is no doubt that the youth have been at the centre of socio-economic and socio-political changes taking place in Kashmir and should such a young population be regarded as a burden or an asset? I believe that our demo-graphic situation provides our young with an extraordinary opportunity to compete in whatever sphere they choose. We have an opportunity to turn our very large and very young people into a productive asset. That could contribute significantly to the eco-nomic growth and poverty alleviation. Both the government and society must join hands for this nation-building task and concentrate on protecting the emotional and physical health of the youth, their skill-based educa-

tion, and provision of recreational facilities, employment, and above all incorporation of self-confidence, motivation and courage to move forward.

The youth of Kashmir, despite a multitude of problems like unemployment, and poverty have always been in the forefront of move-ments and political changes. They have never let the state down at any point. It is unfortu-nate that the youth, despite their contributions to national developments, find themselves trapped in a culture marked by violence and frustration. This is the best time for state to invest in youth and reactivate and relocate their disfranchised energies if there is any need for economic growth and social develop-ment in state.

The most impounding problem our youth is facing at present is frustration. This monster is eating up our youth slowly and gradually. The youth in state don’t have jobs, means of healthy entertainment, health resources and awareness. The frustration as a result of mul-titude of problems is increasing day by day.

This is the right time to look into the problems of youth and give them viable solutions other-wise it will be too late in the day.

As for education of our youth, there is a feeling that it should be more productive and progressive in terms of its application and usage. There is no formal guidance for students in logical selection of a specific course of study. There is no unified, single education system in the state. We have three to four education systems running at parallel levels. Education means exploring alternate routes, both formal and informal, to knowledge and skill building. In Kash-mir particularly it means putting the right persons to the right tracks. Most of our employed youth are misfits in their present positions. They have been yoked to these unwanted engagements either by society, parents or their circumstances. Somebody who wanted to become a lawyer and was sent to a medical college against his wish cannot give the best output as a doctor at all. We need proper education counseling

system if we require a maximum output from our youth. Unemployment is another problem faced by our youths. We don’t have latest official figures but almost six lakh jobless youth is unemployed. One govern-ment launches a couple of youth promotion and youth investment schemes, the next one slates all the previous programmes and starts anew. The ultimate sufferers in this exercise are the youth.

One of the important steps to be taken by the Government of Kashmir is revision and revival of a national youth policy which must create situations whereby youth stand edu-cated, employed and free from drug abuse, frustration, parochialism, sectarianism and other numerous evils which have weakened the foundations of our society. We have to pre-pare our youth to face the challenges of the times with unshakable courage and youthful confidence.

Author is PhD scholar, School of Business and Management, Jaipur National University, Jaipur

Challenges KASHMIRI youth faceWe have an opportunity to turn our very large and very young people into a productive asset

YOUTHANGLEBilal Ahmad Dardarbilalsultan@gmail.com

You want to be an ENTREpRENEuR

OpENINgS

09Srinagar | March 22, 2016, Tuesday

saqibmalik11@gmail.com

CMYK