It is a fundamental requirement that with time things should change. When we talk about things, in twenty-four-year-old Abid Rashid’s terminology, the flow and the content of knowledge should evolve, else we shall keep on struggling with the ancient knowledge, which will not prepare the Kashmiris living in the Valley to compete in the world of today. A person, who is too much into technology, shares his thoughts about his ventures and his passions…
Excerpts from an interaction with Safina Nabi
Your bio-data runs like a fast car. Share some milestones with us.
I like everything about technology and anything around it. I am a ‘gamer’ and a ‘programmer’ and one very interesting thing about me is that I love working on simple and out of box ideas. I am frankly admitting that I am over passionate about tech ideas and technology is the only thing that excites me. I started as a tech entrepreneur and as I moved forward, I initiated a few ventures like ‘FuelMyPhone’ in 2012; this was followed by ‘eResolute’ and then by ‘Pipe’. ‘Pipe’ is the latest venture and very revolutionary. In a way, you can say that I started my tech entrepreneurship quite some time back.
Where is your focus as far as your ventures are concerned?
I love my culture and the people of the State. Therefore, I am very focused on what I do or what I am doing. To put to straight, I strive for building a great ecosystem to support the local economy of the State.
You have said that your latest venture is revolutionary. Let us talk about your this venture.
We are living in a world, which is over-obsessed with digital socializing and social networks. In this venture, we are three partners (me, Zubair Lone, and Younis Shah) and we wanted to create a very serious network. A network that is less funny and which focuses on specific information on a real-time basis, anytime anywhere across the globe. It’s a platform that delivers information instantaneously to millions of people according to their interests. A platform that is spam-free and less irritating.
You are operating in a world that is moving fast as far as technology is concerned and every second day we get to hear a launch of a new application or a platform. In such times, what has been the biggest challenge for you?
Fortunately, to date, we have not come across a situation, which we can call a ‘challenge’. While working we may have come across a situation, for others it could have been a challenging situation. But for us, it was routine work and we worked like a clock. Probably, the reason behind such a situation for us is the fact that we love technology and we love playing with it. We enjoy the things we do and we are mad about it. With madness comes love! The only thing, which we always require is ‘time’. ‘Time’ to deliver a beautiful technology and world-class product.
Kashmir is a little technologically impaired when it comes to a real skill set. What according to you is the problem, who is to be blamed? How can this scenario be changed?
It is not a little problem, but it is an issue that needs to be fixed. The real problems are the institution and the pedagogic people who teach there. Most of the institutions employ ancient people who are abreast with archeological information in their respective fields and incidentally they pass on this information to their students, starting a chain reaction, which in turn they pass it on to their progeny. As a consequence, the students have no ideas about the latest developments happening in the world.
What do you like most about Kashmir?
I love everything about Kashmir but my first vote goes to WAZWAN!
Many people of your age group prefer to set their careers outside the state. Did you ever think on those lines? What made you stay in Kashmir?
I have turned down many offers outside the country. I never wanted to create a career outside. In fact, I believe that I have an edge here to start something wonderful. My love for my land and people and passion to create something in this part of the world, made me stay here