By Tabassum Aziz

Srinagar, Oct 6 (IANS): Women of Jammu and Kashmir have made their mark in sports, politics, education, health, art, literature and technology. Now they are also emerging as successful entrepreneurs. Among the successful female entrepreneurs are Syed Mehtab Munir, who has succeeded in turning her passion for home baking into a business.

Syed Mehtab, 27, who hails from Umar Heer Bijhpora, a suburb of summer capital Srinagar, has studied engineering. But since childhood, the passion of making cakes with different recipes, especially different designs and flavours made this talented person take up the profession of baking.

After completing her engineering studies, it was not easy for Syed Mehtab to take up the profession of baking, but with self-confidence and interest, she got the support of her parents. In order to further refine her baking skills and gain complete mastery, this genius finally took a regular baking training course in Delhi. Unfortunately, she faced many difficulties in starting her business during the Covid restrictions. However, she did not give up and with courage overcame all obstacles.

Nowadays, orders for making cakes of different flavours and designs come to Syed Mehtab on a daily basis not only from Srinagar city but also from faraway areas.

The cakes made in Syed Mehtab's factory are unique in terms of taste, design and texture because she does not compromise with the quality of products. Due to which those who order once are so happy they always go for the second. This talented woman started her business two years ago from a small room in her house, but today she has her own factory in the Hawal area of the city. She is also providing employment to other females from the area.

Syed Mehtab receives a lot of orders for cakes on birthdays, weddings and other occasions, while on normal days people also love to eat the tasty cakes and sweets of 'Sunny Smile Bakes'. She wishes to expand her business in the future.

Girls are progressing in every field of life in Jammu and Kashmir, especially in the Kashmir Valley. There was a time when girls were given less attention than boys in education and improving their skills, but this is no longer the case. The examples of girls performing prominently in every field of life has changed this thinking. Now parents are also considering girls as equal to boys and offering their full support to them to advance in every field. In such a situation, Syed Mehtab Munir has not only become a successful entrepreneur but she is becoming an inspiration for other girls.

Meanwhile, the government is also providing support to such women entrepreneurs and other women who wish to set up their own business units under Mission Youth. Mission Youth has set a target of covering 2,000 women entrepreneurs in Jammu and Kashmir during the current financial year.

An amount of Rs 12 crore has been allocated by Mission Youth for the government subsidy for this scheme for the current financial year. The scheme has the distinction of being the first of its kind scheme under which the disbursement of financial assistance will be interest-free. This is done specifically to ensure that the businesses established by these young women turn into viable and thriving enterprises.