With the launch of ‘Freevance’ and a portfolio of 31 apps, Srinagar’s Uzair Malik is doing exactly that. Using Flutter and NodeJS, he’s solving real-world problems for clients in the US and Canada—all while preparing for his Class 9 exams.
By Sameer Ahmad
At just 13 years old, Uzair Malik is redefining the tech landscape in Srinagar’s Eidgah. While his peers are navigating the rigors of ninth grade, the self-taught prodigy has quietly built a professional-grade portfolio featuring 31 mobile applications, seven AI chatbots, and a global freelancing platform. Uzair’s foray into software engineering began at the age of eight, fueled by YouTube tutorials and early mentorship from a family friend. Today, he is proficient in advanced frameworks like Flutter and NodeJS, tools typically reserved for industry professionals. His work has already crossed international borders, with clients from the United States and Canada utilizing his digital products.
The young developer’s projects are rooted in solving practical, real-world problems. He has developed School Information System (SIS) platforms for two local institutions, digitizing attendance, fee payments, and homework submissions to eliminate the inefficiencies of manual record-keeping. Beyond education, Uzair has tackled the logistics of local travel by building cab-booking and hotel-reservation apps. “The platforms are designed for people who either do not own a car or lack time to drive, enabling them to secure transport and accommodation with ease,” he said.
Perhaps his most disruptive venture is Freevance, an invite-only freelancing website. Unlike established global platforms that often claim a 10–20 percent commission on earnings, Uzair’s model focuses on affordability and accessibility. For a nominal fee of just 10–20 rupees, aspiring logo designers and web developers can access job listings. “Unlike global freelancing sites that charge 10–20 per cent commission, my platform focuses on affordable access for logo designers, graphic artists, web developers and other IT professionals and already has overseas clients posting work,” Uzair noted.
Despite his remarkable output, Uzair’s success remained a quiet affair at home for years. His father, Nasrullah Malik, supported his son’s interest long before realizing the scale of his talent. “My father only came to know of my achievements in 2023 when an acquaintance praised my skills,” the teenager recalled. Looking ahead, Uzair remains grounded but ambitious, setting his sights on cracking the IIT entrance exams to formalize his education. His ultimate goal is to bridge the gap between mobile and desktop computing by developing a high-performance editing application capable of handling complex tasks usually reserved for heavy hardware. For Uzair, these 31 apps are not a final destination, but the foundation of a career aimed at global innovation. (With inputs from KNO)
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