DNA Edit: A kashmiri start-up

Those who think that power flows from the barrel of the gun and that a violent ideology is the only recourse of the disgruntled people in the Kashmir Valley, should do well to learn from the success of three Kashmiri youngsters.

Abrar Yaseen, Muazzam Khursheed and Haider Pareez are sterling examples of how talent can triumph over adversities, and lead the way for innovation. The absence of formal training in Information Technology wasn’t a handicap for the trio, which is credited with rewriting the rules of the start-up game. 

Their venture PaperSquare, with a seed capital from pocket money, has grown big enough to cater to schools and hospitals by tapping into their software needs. Curiously, their natural aptitude, humble beginnings and entrepreneurial spirit reminds one of another Valley, the Silicon Valley, though the settings are vastly different. Regardless of the everyday violence on the ground, a section of Kashmiri youth is expressing eagerness to join the mainstream. This participation is spontaneous, one that is born out of a realisation of the futility of bloodshed. Their success in IAS exams in the last couple of years bolsters an alternative narrative of peace. These success stories need to be highlighted by both the government and the media to inspire misguided youths to take up gainful employment.