From Hammer to Innovator: Muhammad Rafiq's journey defying odds in Kashmir

Srinagar, Jan 16: Born and raised in the humble Sirgufwara village of south Kashmir, Muhammad Rafiq Ahanger, hailing from a financially challenged background, has defied the odds to become an innovator. Despite facing numerous challenges and life's ups and downs, Rafiq's hard work has garnered him recognition as a serial innovator in the Valley. Initially, after completing his education up to the 10th standard, he took on modest jobs.

At the age of 20, he ventured into entrepreneurship, establishing his own workshop to shoulder the responsibilities of his family. Today, Rafiq is not merely acknowledged as a blacksmith but is acclaimed for his ingenious solutions that transform everyday challenges into opportunities.

Muhammad Rafiq Ahanger (48), has been conferred with the Prestigious SRISTI Samman Award for his remarkable innovation- The Multipurpose Tool.

Rafiq’s project, the Multipurpose Tool is a single toolset which can be transformed into eight different products with minimum effort used in different agricultural, construction and farming works. It can be used as an Axe for cutting purposes, a Saw for trimming and cutting branches, a Hammer for carpentry uses, a Chisel for carving, and cutting hard materials, a Nail Remover during building tasks, a Sharpener for shaping products, a Knief used for slicing and peeling in branches and Screwdriver for the insertion and removal of screws.

“In every household these things are present but people have to buy these products separately one by one for each activity which is not only costly but at times hectic also once we need to carry these individual products to fields for multiple purposes,” Rafiq said.

Looking ahead, Rafiq is hopeful about the potential impact of his innovation- the Multipurpose Tool. He envisions its widespread use not only in his community and district but also in neighbouring regions facing similar challenges. His other innovations include an Ergonomic Spade, Automatic Sieve,  Safety Jacket for walnut harvesting, Modified Ladder apple harvesting, Modified Iron Cutter, and Multipurpose Study Table among others.

The SRISTI Samman Award is celebrated every year by the Honey Bee Network, to honour individuals and institutions for their original and outstanding contributions to solving the problems of society.

The award ceremony took place at Ahmadabad where he was honoured for their dedication to finding practical solutions to local challenges in the presence of Padma Prof. Anil K. Gupta, who is also the Founder of  Honey Bee Network, SRISTI, GIAN & NIF.

"Promoting a proactive problem-solving mindset is crucial for societal progress. The suggestion is for each individual to actively engage in identifying and addressing the issues within their community. By encouraging the widespread adoption of this approach, we can envision a future where our society is liberated from persistent problems. This collective effort towards solutions holds the potential to pave the way for a more harmonious and issue-free community," Rafiq said.

Rafiq’s win is not just a personal achievement but also a celebration of the untapped potential that lies within local communities.

As news of Rafiq's remarkable achievement echoes through the narrow lanes of his native village, a profound sense of pride and joy envelops the community.

Residents are not only celebrating this achievement; but also hopeful that this will motivate the younger generation to tap their creativity for the greater good of society. “There is a sense of pride and joy in our Mohallah.  As Rafiq's success story is not just his own; it's becoming a shared narrative that fuels the aspirations of our village's budding youth,” told Ghulam Rasool, a resident of Sirgufwara village.