Razia Sultan: Queen of crewel embroidery from Kupwara

Kupwara, Aug 28: Razia Sultan, a young crewel embroidery entrepreneur from Trehgam Kupwara never pinned her hopes on a government job; instead she took her interest in the handicraft activities and scripted her own success story by dint of her hard work and passion.
Today, she has established a successful Crewel Embroidery and chain stitch unit at Trehgam Kupwara where she is generating livelihood for her and other women working in her unit and simultaneously imparting training to other girls of the area.
“In 2012 my father passed away and there was no one to support my family financially. It was 2013, when the Handicrafts Department, Kupwara established a Crewel Elementary Training Centre at my native village Trehgam and I along with other village girls got myself registered for the Crewel training Course against a monthly stipend of Rupees 500/= per month”, said Razia Sultan, daughter of Mohammad Sultan Sheikh.
“The initial training course had duration of one year and because of good response from the trainees, the batch was put to the advanced training for two more years in Advanced Training Course in Crewel craft against a monthly stipend of Rs 700/= Per month to each trainee”, Razia added.
The love for craft was the passion of the girl, she never thought to leave it half way, Razia Sultan got engaged as a Crafts-Instructor at a Crewel centre at the age of 19 years against a monthly salary of Rs.2000. Salary of Rs.2000 in 2017 meant a lot for her and her family and her joy was doubled as she was engaged as a Craft Instructor, the profession she loved most.
In the meantime Razia Sultan was honored with a State Level Award by Handicrafts department in Crewel Craft in 2018, which fueled her passion for crewel embroidery.
This award completely changed her life. She took up crewel embroidery as her full time profession.
During the same time, the Government of J&K UT announced the ‘Karkhandar’ scheme wherein the meritorious Pass-outs are given advanced training regarding the design and marketing and the Karkhana of Razia Sultan was covered under the said scheme for a period of six months thus enabling Razia Sultan to carry forward her dream business in the Handicrafts sector viz a viz handholding of the trainees of the Karkhana to strive for their success as well.
Razia Sultan has been getting all logistic support from the Government through Handicrafts Department Kupwara, taking the benefit of Karkhandar scheme she made 285 meter crewel cloth and produced 236 Crewel Embroidered cushion covers. She said that during the last 5 months she got revenue of Rs 160,000 for her Crewel work. Simultaneously Razia Sultan is now training other girls in her crewel embroidery and Chain Stitch unit at Trehgam where she has trained more than 200 girls so far besides she has established her successful Entrepreneurial venture and is earning around Rs. 60000 to Rs.70000 per month.
Razia Sultan believes that every woman should become financially Independent which will make them more self-reliant and improve their self esteem and boost their confidence.
She suggests that women/girls should come forward and start their ventures to generate employment and earn profit simultaneously and become job providers not job seekers.