Srinagar, Dec. 19 -- Darakshan Hassan Bhat

Women entrepreneurs in Kashmir are re-writing the story of strength, independence, and dignity. Generations of women in the valley were viewed primarily as caretakers of home and were expected to follow whatever decisions came from their fathers, brothers, or husbands. And their ambitions were often treated as secondary, something which should never rise above household responsibilities. But this trend is breaking as Kashmiri women step into entrepreneurship, proving that they are not some sort of "liability" that has to depend on others but an asset who uplifts the entire family.

A business for a woman in Kashmir means much more than earning; it means changing one's environment and the mindset...