Bee Queen of Kashmir Valley, Sania Zehra breaks all gender stereotypes

Twenty-year-old Sania Zehra has attained the title of Bee Queen of Kashmir Valley. Sania is the only female Beekeeper in Kashmir and that's not it, she at this young age, has helped her father grow the beekeeping business by over 400 per cent. She has become a huge inspiration for women across the country.

Sania is breaking all the gender stereotypes by choosing a profession not many women would take up. She has learned the art of beekeeping from her father, but it has not come easy. 

She has been stung by these bees dozens of times, but that did not make her give up but eventually made her stronger to take up this profession. Sania has also become a victim of online trolling after she was called the Bee Queen of Kashmir. But she says she has learned to look at the love received only and ignore the hate.

Also read: Kashmir region hit by cold wave, temperatures recorded in minus degrees

''I am thankful to everyone who has given me the name of Bee Queen of Kashmir. My father has been in the beekeeping business for a long time, and I travelled with him to different states of India and some jungles too, where I was stung by bees many times. My father would sell our honey to retailers who would adulterate the product and sell it. Which was very unethical on their part. My father had 150 colonies of bees, and after I joined the business, we have more than 650 bee colonies,'' said Saniya.

Sania is from Balhama area of Srinagar and after growing the business, she not only sells her products in India but abroad too. Sania has now also added multiple cosmetic products made from the honey and its extracts, which are gaining popularity as well. She makes face creams, oils, soaps and many other organic products.

Watch | Kashmir Valley Witnesses Sub-Zero Temperature Amid Cold Wave

''I have introduced hair oils, creams, and soaps. And in the future, I want to expand my business. I only see the positives in life and not the negatives. The love I receive is important for me, and I don’t care about the hate. I am the first Kashmiri girl who is doing beekeeping; there are so many girls who are even afraid of cockroaches, but I like to do what I do, and I hope the girls get inspired too," said Saniya. 

In recent times, Kashmiri women have proved their mettle in every facet of life, from sports to business to the entertainment industry. The younger generation is taking challenges head-on and overcoming all the hurdles.