Srinagar, Sept. 19 -- In Kashmir, small businesses usually took the form of a shop or a stall in a local market. For many women, however, it was difficult to go into such a business. Often, women with talent were kept out of entrepreneurship due to social restrictions, a lack of capital, family duties, and limited access to markets.

Slowly the picture is changing, now a women can reach customers who live far away from villages and towns simply by having a smartphone and an internet connection. Through Instagram, Facebook, WhatsApp, and online marketplaces, Kashmiri women have found new avenues to showcase their products, communicate with customers, and take orders. What used to be a minor activity carried out in someone's home has develo...