How The Communication Blackout Is Forcing Young Entrepreneurs Out Of Kashmir Valley

The office of FastBeetle was buzzing with activity on August 4. It was business as usual for the company, located in the historic premises of the Indo-Kashmir Carpet Factory in Srinagar, often referred to as Asia’s largest carpet factory. Phones rang constantly and the staff was busy replying to the steady stream of email inquiries. Sheikh Sami Ullah, 28, who has a Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, exuded confidence and pride when he spoke about the success of the venture in the otherwise unpredictable market of Kashmir. Sami Ullah did not know then that the Kashmir he knew would change irrevocably the next day.

It was only a year ago that FastBeetle, an online courier service for local businesses, was founded, but it tasted success quickly. “We had a modest beginning like any other start-up. However, from just a dozen merchandises on the web, the online platform grew to market 200-plus locally made goods in less than a year. The dashboard of customers reflected a dedicated 15,000 customer base. The turnover touched 2 crores in a year,” Sami Ullah says.

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