SRINAGAR: The Srinagar locality of Narwara is a hotbed of unrest in the Valley. Stone-pelting by civilians and face-offs between radical Kashmiris and security forces are common. But quietly, amid all this turbulence, a woman with grit is scripting a saga of her own. Rifat Masoodi is the only woman owner of a cricket bat manufacturing unit in Jammu and Kashmir, and dreams of Indian cricket stars using her products. The story of the 40-year-old mother of two began in 1999, when the then PM Atal Bihari Vajpayee went on a bus journey to Pakistan.“His efforts at fostering peace brought a sense of calm and normalcy to Kashmir as well. There was renewed interest in Kashmiri products among buyers across the country,” recalled Rifat. Her father-in-law had started a batmaking unit in the 1970s, utilising the good willow found in Kashmir. But with the coming of insurgency in the 1990s, the business had crumbled, and bat makers in Jalandhar had replaced them as a hub for the industry in India. In 1999, the then 21-year-old decided to revive the unit.It was an arduous process. Rifat began making calls to each of the Indian buyers who had shown interest in Kashmiri bats, and offered wholesale customers free stay at the Masoodi residence. Her husband, Shauqat, a forest department employee, encouraged her idea throughout. In 2010, he became a full-time football coach and now trains youngsters in the sport.Rifat had to contend with local views about women entrepreneurs as well. Encounters and cordon and search operations are common in Narwara and downtown Srinagar , but Rifat remained undeterred. “In the beginning, people, including women, used to dislike my business venture. But when they realised Kashmir needed business beyond tourism, apples and apricots, they agreed that there was no problem with cricket bats and women making them,” said Rifat.Youngsters have taken to the sport as well. While 19-year-old Afsan Ashiq turned from stone pelter in 2017 to footballer, cricketers Pervez Rasool, Manzoor Dar and Umar Nazir have given impetus to other Kashmiris.The change is obvious today. “Now girls too come to buy bats from me,” said Rifat, smiling. “I would love to see Team India players use our bats,” Rifat said. “Today we receive bulk orders from Chennai, Delhi, Mumbai and Bangalore. But I appeal to PM Modi to waive off the 12% GST.”“It is a myth that Kashmiris support only Pakistan when there is a cricket match with India. I love Indian players. It is a sport; people may have their preferences among players from both countries. In fact, when we started in 2000, it was Dravid, Ganguly and Tendulkar who inspired me. But that does not mean one can’t like a good Pakistani fast bowler.”

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