Drive A Jeep And Chill
A family that believes and practices women’s empowerment. A father who believes in you. A brother who stands by you. And Rahiba Gulzar. The woman who doesn’t dream about success. She works for it.
Rahiba, a woman entrepreneur of Kashmir, co-owns a Jeep showroom with her father and brother. A resident of Srinagar’s plush Sanatnagar, Rahiba is a familiar name among those women entrepreneurs of Kashmir who aim to be their own boss.
Rahiba was in her 20s when she began the journey of being an entrepreneur.
At 26, she got into the business of selling Jeeps. Aiming at her childhood dream when people wish to be the doctors, engineers or something else, but Rahiba had dream to be something exceptional. “When I was a student I never wished to work under someone but wanted to be the boss of my own,” Rahiba told K2.
Rahiba did Bachelors in Electronics and Communication from SSM College at Pattan in Kashmir, and Masters from the University of Glasgow, Scotland.
She is the Director of ARG Automobiles Private Limited. A for her brother Arif, R for Rahiba, and G for her father Gulzar. Rahiba was keen to work in the corporate sector. Owning a high-end automobile showroom fulfils her dream. “Business is competitive. One has to stay ahead of the curve. Hence our decision to open a Jeep showroom,” says Rahiba.
Rahiba owns another showroom in north Kashmir’s Baramulla, and dreams to expand the business to every nook and corner of the valley. She says it is essential for girls to come out of the stereotype of male dominance. “I wanted to do something out of the box. I like designing and am good at management. The automobile sector was a good choice,” Rahiba told K2.
Rahiba says her father is a self-made man who believes in the values of hard work and commitment. “He is the one who inspired me to be what I am today. With the Grace of Allah, my family before marriage and also my husband and parents-in-law have been very supportive,” she smiles.
Rahiba says people are fond of adventure. The Jeeps they sell are the right choice for off-roading, adventure, driving through snow and long, happy drives, she says. Her advise to budding entrepreneurs:
“Do what makes you happy. Begin with little things to achieve high.”
Rahiba is happy that this business has enabled her to fulfill her ambitions. Did she face any challenges in this sector? “We face hardships in every stage of life. One has to deal with the obstacles to achieve what one aims to,” she says.
