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ferent forms of physical activities like dedication and will to face that and pass
Yoga, boxing etc. It was tough to pursue a it on gracefully. You must relentlessly
career in a field that had really no scope chase perfection and need a ridiculous
in valley. She did not lose hope and stood amount of passion. Once you are ready
firm to her choice and decision “When to give it your 100 per cent, trust me, no
I started going to train school children one can stop you.”
people used and mock me. They would Nargis Khatoon remembers that the
say what can a girl do and what training passions for music started when as a
she will impart to boys but it never dis- child she understanding the nuisanc-
heartened me. I took it as an opportunity es of likes and dislikes. She first per-
rather than a challenge,” she said. formed on stage when she was just four
With time she got herself trained and years old. Throughout her school days,
certified in Yoga, Boxing, and a course in she performed at every function but
self defense as well. Currently, she is the things started to change when she got
only Kashmiri female trainer in the Gold’s a chance to perform in Radio Kashmir
Gym Srinagar. She aspires to open a Yoga auditorium but support from family
institute of her own in future. was missing. She fought back and nev-
Anam Siraj, 27, have studied com - er missed any opportunity to perform Empowerment of • Singing passion Nargis Khatoon is following
merce. She comes from a service class be that school annual function or any her passion for music
family where her parents have worked charity show. women is one of the
in the government sector. However, her Narrating about the interest in mu- most talked about specific field; it would definitely be an
extended family was into business, her sic, she said, “Girls are always discour- amalgamation of several things. So
grandfather and her paternal uncles have aged to choose singing as but with ideas in India. But that’s how I came up with blends”, said
been into business of Kashmiri handi- time I realized that many of my fam- the road towards Anam who hails from Peerbagh, Srina-
crafts. Anam’s venture ‘The Closet Cloud’ ily members especially my uncle had gar. Blends is a unique initiative in the
basically has its roots in her deep interest an inclination towards singing & was the goal is pebbled, form of a creative studio, based in Kash-
for colors, clothes and designing. “Good, blessed with a good voice, that’s where I mir. It’s an amalgamation of Art, Fash-
pretty clothes have always fascinated me. thought the gene came from.” more so in Jammu ion, Interior decor and Make-up.
So this idea came in, when I was work- As soon as she completed her 10th and Kashmir Anam did her schooling from Tiny
ing with an MNC in Delhi. I wanted to do in 2014, she got a chance to give voice Hearts and graduated from Women’s
something of my own. So I asked myself to many songs that were featured on College, Srinagar. Later, she pursued
this question of what I was good at, and DD Kashmir and some jingles as well. for my art. I have no formal training her masters in Linguistics from Uni-
the answer was designing clothes,” she Speaking about the formal training, and now I am planning to get trained in versity of Kashmir but her heart had
said. I haven’t got any as such but I have a classical music,” she said. always been inclined towards art, so
She decided to go for it, resigned from strong urge to get classically trained. Since last three years, one thing that she started exhibiting her paintings
her job in Delhi and came back home to With no support from family and she noticed and bothers her, wher - since she was 16 years old. After com-
get it started. Coming from educationist’s no good scope in the valley in the field ever she have performed, She is been pleting her Masters in Linguistics she
family, her parents thought of her deci- of music demotivated her as an art- the only female artist to perform. “We convinced her parents to let her do
sion as a stupid one. They wanted her to ist particularly being a female but her can’t say girls aren’t inclined towards some diploma courses in Interior De-
be an educationist too. “Since my parents mother became motivation factor. “I art particularly music but I fail to reach signing and Fashion Designing from
were not really happy with this idea of lost my Mom in 2014, she was battling the conclusion why don’t they come in Delhi. More options in her aspired field
starting a business venture, it took me a cancer. She was real supporter & would open, break the barriers & start chasing opened after that. She soon started
lot of convincing to get their approval on support me in each & every step I took your dreams.” The message she has to working with different companies in
this. So the basic challenge was to con- in my life but since she left, I’ve been all the girls who aspire to be musicians. Delhi as an interior designer and as a
vince my parents that what I wanted to multitasking. Managing home; pursu- A year back when 26-year-old social media manager.
do was a good feasible startup plan,” she ing studies and chasing my dream too,” Anam Khan decided to come back to While starting Blends she Kept in
said. Khatoon said. her hometown Kashmir she thought consideration the artistic genome of
Since it was her decision to start a Only thing that never lets Nargis for- of starting something of her own. Kashmiri youth, this is intended to
clothing brand, she did not want to ask get her dream is the struggle that she Although, her parents have been very serve as a platform for multiple crea-
her parents for any kind of financial help. has been doing since so many years. supportive throughout the journey but tive needs. “As time passes, it will grow
So raising finances was a challenge which She doesn’t have a specific goal even she had to put in some real hard work with greater aspirations and expand its
was looked into by a financial institution • She means business Anam Siraj had but want to achieve small milestones to make it work. coverage of various other art forms as
later. On top of that the unrest of 2016, quit her job in Delhi to start her and build her music career brick by “My parents always knew my love well,” she said.
which was right after she began work, venture The Closet Cloud in Kashmir brick. “I want to leave my mark, learn to create new things. I also knew that
was quite a blow. “It took a great deal of & progress each day & get recognized my start up wouldn’t be related to any LETTERS@TEHELKA.COM

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