Visit to the Kashmir Valley by Sachin Tendulkar to support local industries

At Dhobiwan in Kunzar hamlet on the Gulmarg-Srinagar route, Shah Rafi, the proprietor of the Art & Craft Bazaar, is still in shock that cricket great Sachin Tendulkar stopped by his location on Wednesday. For a moment, I found it hard to believe Sachin Tendulkar was in front of me! At first, I assumed there had to be a buyer. However, what I saw exceeded all of my expectations,” he remarked.

He was joined by his wife, Anjali, and daughter, Sara. Rafi said, “He not only showed interest in the work of our shawl and carpet weavers and encouraged, interacted with, and appreciated them when he saw them making their products, but he also inquired about every detail that goes into making these handicrafts.” He went on to say that as soon as Sachin departed his residence, word got out throughout the nation, and he started getting calls from people in Mumbai, Gujarat, and other cities.

The callers expressed interest in seeing and purchasing our offerings. We are enthusiastic about more than simply business, however. The biggest and most priceless present he could have given us today is the trust and dedication of our artists, he said.

Sachin had already visited the MJ Sports Factory in the south Kashmiri hamlet of Charsoo, Awantipora. Muhammad Shaheen Parray, the factory’s owner, is ecstatic after his visit. “He grinned when he saw our factory’s cricket bats made of Kashmir willow. He added that the first cricket bat he had used was a Kashmir willow cricket bat that his sister had given him! We handed him a cricket bat, which he took in his hands, swung in the air, and used to move his front and back feet. He then said that the product was excellent, according to Shaheen.

“He has pledged to support our plant and the bat industry in Kashmir. His arrival has been a sign from God for the region’s bat business. There have been calls from buyers from all throughout the nation and even beyond. With a confident smile, Shaheen said, “Allah sent him to us so that the local cricket bat industry stands alongside the best bat manufacturers in the world.”