With an aim to promote Kashmiri cuisine and culture and generating employment in the valley, a young entrepreneur, Adil Farooq has recently opened a cafe in Srinagar.
Named "Jhelum Cafe & Fine Dine", the outlet serves scrumptious food with Kashmiri essence.
Farooq received a masters degree in business administration from Delhi and joined a multinational venture for two years. However, he left the job to pursue his calling of being an entrepreneur.
Born in a family of businessmen, Farooq had a business mind that helped him tread through initial hiccups and establish his own food outlet, which has provided employment to several youngsters.
Farooq said that he feels happy that people in his city are getting employed and earning a livelihood due to him.
Expressing his ambitions, he said, "I want to have more branches of my cafe so that I can make it a bigger brand and employ more people."
Farooq, who ensures a healthy work environment in his cafe has provided all the facilities to his staff.
He believes that Kashmiri youth is very talented and it should come forward and play a role in boosting the state's economy.
"Youth have the power to take state and country forward and I believe that Kashmir has very talented and oriented youngsters than any other places," said Farooq.
Entrepreneurship has emerged as a new trend in Kashmir. Instead of waiting for government jobs, the Kashmiri youth, which has a penchant for business is taking the legacy of their family business forward.
The success of Farooq will inspire a number of youngsters, especially those belonging to small cities and wanting to contribute to both their society and state.
( With inputs from ANI )