SRINAGAR: Prominent handicrafts businessman, Nazir Ahmad Wani passed away on Saturday. He was 67. He died of a sudden cardiac arrest, his family said.
Wani belonged to a business family who were in development contracts and handcrafts. The family had actually constructed the SMHS hospital, Civil Secretariat, Bakshi Stadium and many other key infrastructures.
Besides they were in the Kashmiri handicrafts and owned the reputed chain of showrooms in Srinagar including Suffering Moses, Asia Craft and Persian Craft. His father actually was running the Persian Craft showroom in Srinagar. The business till the family separation was held by his father Haji Ghulam Mohammad Wani and his uncles Haji Mohiuddin Wani and Haji Mohammed Abdullah.
Starting a business from a very young age, Nazir Wani set up his firm Naqsh was also accosted with PMO. Whenever the PMO had to make a gift present, it was Wani would was supplying it. His store Naqsh in Santushti was visited by all dignitaries of the world including Hillary Clinton and President Obama and his wife Micheal Obama.
Apart from this his firm The Cottage Arts Promotion and House 2 Home Inc are major exporters of Kashmiri Handicrafts from India.
Wani has left behind a legacy of multiple handicrafts firms producing an exquisite and rich collection of crafts, which will be carried on by his children.
For most of his Nazir Ahmad Wani remained busy in taking his business to the net level and was a strong votary of trade activism. He was part of the 1980s movement in which the Kashmir Chamber of Commerce was made youth-centric and active. After being an executive member of the Chamber, he eventually became its Senior Vice President.
Wani is survived by his son, Suhail, who is also in the craft business.
