Meet Rutba Showkat, 18-year-old Kashmir girl who earned her way into Guinness World Records for...

Rutba Showkat, an 18-year-old young woman from Kashmir, has etched her name in the Guinness World Records for a unique talent, origami.

Conflict-riddled Kashmir valley has been rapidly climbing the development index over the last ten years, with Kashmiri youth, especially young women, excelling in varied professions and fields, ranging from sport, business, art, and entrepreneurship. Now, Rutba Showkat, an 18-year-old young woman from the valley, has etched her name in the Guinness World Records for a unique talent, origami.

Who is Rutba Showkat?

An accomplished martial artist, Rutba Showkat has won over 50 medals in state and national-level championships, and now stands immortalized in the Guinness World Records, the premier keeper of global records, for her record-breaking feat of crafting 250 paper boats in one hour.

In an interview with Zee News, Rutba revealed that she developed a passion for art during the COVID-19 pandemic, which set her on the path to carve her name in the record books by achieving something unique.

"I am an athlete, and during COVID, all the academies were closed, so I started exploring art. I began making landscape art, and during that time, I got my name registered in the India Book of Records. That was the moment I decided to aim for something bigger. I read about the Guinness Book of Records, researched the process, and applied," Rutba was quoted as saying by Zee News.

Rutba's path to glory

The young trailblazer revealed that her journey to mark her name in the record books was not an easy one as she failed twice in her attempt to break the record, but ultimately triumphed on her third bid, carving her name in the annals of history. "While researching, I came across origami paper art and learned about a boy who had made 150 paper boats in an hour. That's when I decided to break his record and I did, by making 250 boats in one hour," she said.

Earlier, Rutba Showkat had earned a place in the India Book of Records, but her crowning glory came when she ultimately etched her name in the Guinness Book of World Records, catapulting her to the status of an icon for young Kashmiri girls to emulate by breaking traditional barriers and carving their unique paths in life.

Faced criticism for 'wasting my time'

Rutba also recalled how she faced criticism for going after the record with many telling her she was wasting her time with these things. However, Rutba's family always supported her choices, ultimately leading her to glory.

"A lot of people criticized me and said I was wasting my time, but I didn't give up. My family's support kept me going. Many girls are either too shy or held back by their families, but I believe they should be independent. Even if they have to start small, they should. While checking the available records, I found one related to origami, something I had been doing for a long time. That's when I decided to work on it and break the record. I have been an athlete for the last ten years, competing at the national level and participating in All India competitions. Sports are incredibly important, both physically and mentally, and art helps refresh my mind." she adds.