Every society runs because of many hands. Some hands build our homes, some harvest our crops, some repair our machines, some serve food, some clean streets, some carry loads, and some work quietly behind the scenes. In Kashmir, a large part of this hard work is done by non-local workers from Bihar, Uttar Pradesh, Jharkhand, West Bengal, Chhattisgarh and other parts of India.
We must speak about this topic with respect. No honest worker is small.
Every person who earns through hard work deserves dignity, safety and fair treatment. The purpose is not to create division between local and non-local people. The purpose is to understand what Kashmir can learn.
The truth we must accept
In Kashmir, many jobs are available around us, but many local youth are not entering them seriously. Construction sites need workers. Farms need labour. Orchards need trained hands. Hotels need professional staff. Markets need delivery workers. Homes need plumbers, electricians, carpenters, painters, mechanics and repair experts.
When local people do not take these jobs, someone else will. This is not wrong. It is natural. Work goes to the person who is ready, skilled, disciplined and available.
Non-local workers come here, work hard, live simply, save money and support their families. Many of them do difficult work in heat, cold, rain and snow. They wake up early, work long hours and do not feel ashamed of labour. This is something we should respect and also learn from.
Work being done by non-local workers in Kashmir
Across Kashmir, non-local workers are seen in many fields: Construction labour, Mason work, Tile fitting, Plumbing, Electrical work, Painting, Carpentry, Welding, POP and ceiling work, Road and drainage work, Paddy harvesting, Apple picking and packing, Orchard labour, Loading and unloading, Brick kiln work, Hotel and restaurant service, Cooking and cleaning, Barber work, Tailoring, Street vending, Vegetable and fruit selling, Delivery work, Repair services, Factory and industrial work.
These are not small jobs. These are income-generating skills.
A person who becomes excellent in these fields can earn with dignity and independence.
Why many Kashmiri youth avoid these jobs
One major reason is mindset. Many young people still think only government jobs are respectable. If they do not get a government job, they sit idle or feel hopeless. This thinking must change.
Another reason is social pressure. We have created a society where some people feel ashamed to do manual work, service work or small business.
But there is no shame in honest work. Shame is not in labour. Shame is in laziness, dependency and wasting one’s youth.
The third reason is lack of practical skills. Many youth are educated, but not skilled. Degrees alone do not create income. The market pays for skill, discipline, problem-solving and reliability.
The fourth reason is wrong financial behaviour. Some people take loans before learning a skill or testing a business. Then EMI pressure starts.
Instead of becoming entrepreneurs, they become stressed borrowers.
What Kashmir should learn
Kashmir must learn dignity of labour.
A plumber, electrician, carpenter, mechanic, driver, chef, mason, farmer, tailor or digital service provider is not inferior to anyone. These people solve real problems. Society cannot function without them.
Kashmir must learn skill before status. A young person should not ask, “What will people say?” He should ask, “What can I learn? What can I earn? What problem can I solve?”
Kashmir must learn discipline. Non-local workers often succeed because they are consistent. They come on time, finish work, take payment and move to the next job. Local youth must also develop this professional attitude.
Kashmir must learn to start small.
Every successful person does not begin with a big office, big loan or big shop. Many begin with one tool, one skill, one customer and one honest day of work.
Kashmir must learn financial control. Do not take loans for show-off. Do not borrow for lifestyle. Borrow only when the loan creates income or builds an asset. First learn, then earn, then expand.
Opportunities for Kashmiri youth
There are many opportunities if our youth become serious: Professional plumbing services, Electrician and solar installation work, Modern carpentry and furniture design, Tile and marble fitting teams, Painting and interior finishing, Apple grading and packaging services, Food processing and local product branding, Tourism guide and hospitality services, Home repair and maintenance services, Digital marketing for local businesses, E-commerce for Kashmiri products, Delivery and logistics services, Mobile repair and appliance repair, Skill-based women-led home enterprises, Farm machinery and orchard support services.
These fields can create income, dignity and employment. We do not always need to search outside. Many opportunities are already inside Kashmir.
Respect for everyone in society
We must respect every worker, whether local or non-local.
The person who builds our house deserves respect. The person who harvests our field deserves respect. The person who cleans our workplace deserves respect. The person who repairs our pipe, wire, road, roof or vehicle deserves respect.
At the same time, Kashmiri youth must not remain only spectators. We should not complain that others are earning here while we are not ready to work. Respect others, but also learn from them. Compete through skill, not through hatred. Grow through discipline, not through excuses.
The role of parents and society
Parents should encourage children to learn practical skills along with education. A child who learns a skill is never helpless. Schools and colleges should connect education with real work. Society should stop judging people by the type of work they do. Judge people by honesty, discipline and character.
If a young person opens a repair shop, joins hospitality, starts a delivery service, learns carpentry, works in farming, or begins a small food business, society should support him, not discourage him.
Conclusion
Kashmir does not lack talent. Kashmir lacks a stronger culture of skill, discipline and dignity of labour. We must respect non-local workers because they are contributing to our economy. But we must also ask ourselves: if work is available in our own land, why should our youth remain unemployed?
The future of Kashmir will not be built only by degrees, slogans or waiting for government jobs. It will be built by skilled hands, honest work, financial discipline and respect for every profession.
No work is small. No honest worker is inferior. The real success is to become useful, skilled, independent and responsible.
Kashmir must learn this: respect everyone, learn from everyone, and create your own livelihood with dignity.
About the author:
Irshad Mushtaq is the founder of M I Securities, Munawar abad, Srinagar, and an AMFI‑registered mutual fund distributor (ARN‑47504) since 2004. He works as a personal finance columnist and financial educator, focusing on bringing simple, disciplined investing and market awareness to investors in Kashmir and beyond. He can be reached at [email protected], Contact No : 9906518342
