Tag: Food Processing

Smt. Naina Kumari

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The Inspiring Journey of Smt. Naina Kumari from Farmer to Visionary Khetipreneur

Smt. Naina Kumari, a trailblazing entrepreneur from Bhagalpur, Bihar, has revolutionized the agricultural landscape with her dedication to mechanized processing of cereals, pulses, spices, mushrooms, jaggery, and mangoes. Her adoption of cutting-edge machinery has not only minimized wastage but also significantly increased profits, marking a transformative journey from a traditional farmer to a visionary khetipreneur. Naina’s innovative approach and commitment to modernizing agricultural practices have not only benefited her community but have also set a remarkable example for sustainable and profitable farming in the region.

Naina Kumari’s established the Farmers’ Producer Organization (FPO) named ‘Vikramshila Gram Udyog.’ under the brand name ‘Shree,’ she sells a diverse range of processed items, including semolina, spices, papad, chips, mushroom, mango pickles, and jaggery. The brand has become a household name, resonating not just across India but also attracting attention from international markets.

Embracing the digital age, Naina Kumari has seamlessly integrated the online mode for selling her high-quality processed produce. This strategic move has not only expanded her market reach but has also positioned ‘Shree’ as a prominent player in the e-commerce space for agricultural products. The shift to online sales has been a game-changer, providing convenience to customers and opening up new avenues for growth.

 Beyond her success in processing various agricultural products, Smt. Naina Kumari is also diversifying her income streams through fish rearing and dairying. This multifaceted approach not only adds to her financial stability but also showcases her versatility as an khetipreneur willing to explore and innovate in different domains of agriculture. 

Naina’s inspiring journey from a local farmer to a nationally recognized entrepreneur has been widely covered by newspapers and social media channels. Her story serves as a beacon of hope and motivation, not only for aspiring khetipreneurs but for women in Bihar and beyond. The accolades she has received, such as the ‘Mahila Udyami Samman’ and the ‘Utkrisht Kisan Puruskar,’ stand as a proof of her tireless efforts in food processing and uplifting the livelihoods of fellow farmers.

What makes Naina Kumari’s story even more remarkable is the profound impact she has had on her community. Through her FPO, she trains local women, empowering them with the skills needed for khetipreneurship. By doing so, she not only boosts their incomes but also contributes to the economic upliftment of the entire community. The ripple effect of Naina’s initiatives has enhanced the market presence of these women, turning them into self-reliant contributors to the agricultural sector.

Naina’s commitment to empowering women in agriculture goes beyond the boundaries of her own success. She has become a beacon of inspiration, breaking stereotypes and proving that women can thrive in traditionally male-dominated sectors. Her recognition for the ‘Mahila Udyami Samman’ underscores the importance of acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of women in entrepreneurship.

The journey from local markets to a broader market presence is a an example of Naina’s determination and strategic vision. Once faced with skepticism, she has now become a symbol of success, with those who once doubted her abilities now eager to collaborate with her. This shift in perception highlights not only the resilience of Naina Kumari but also the transformative power of embracing innovation in agriculture. 

Naina’s success story has been notably recognized at different farmer fairs, where her stalls have received accolades for being the best. The prestigious ‘Utkrisht Kisan Award 2021’ further cements her status as a pioneer in the agricultural sector. Her dedication to quality, innovation, and community development sets a shining example for the entire farming community. 

In conclusion, Smt. Naina Kumari’s journey from a traditional farmer to a celebrated khetipreneur is a remarkable example of the transformative power of innovation in agriculture. Her commitment to mechanized processing, online sales, and community empowerment has not only brought her personal success but has also positioned her as a role model for aspiring entrepreneurs, especially women, in Bihar and beyond. Naina Kumari’s story is a attestation to the potential for growth and success when traditional practices meet visionary entrepreneurship in the agricultural sector.

Er. Deepak Singla & Dr. Rosy Singla

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The Dynamic Duo

This is a story about a couple who lived in the heart of Punjab, Patiala, and fueled each other’s dreams. Er. Deepak Singla is a civil engineer by profession and is research-oriented, and the added bonus is that his wife, Dr. Rosy Singla, is a food scientist. Both did a lot of research work on fruit and vegetable waste and have come up with organic liquid fertilizer, which is a boon to our society.
Being an environmentalist and a civil engineer, he always thought of creating a single product that could solve many problems prevailing in our society, and the Swach Bharat Abhiyaan gave it a green signal. The product is prepared from fruit and vegetable waste, which helps in waste reduction and helps in improving soil quality, which is deteriorating day by day in Punjab and India.
In 2016, Deepak and his wife Rosy launched a premium range of herbal, organic, and nutraceutical fertilisers under the brand Ogron: Organic Plant Growth Nutrient Solution
They believe organic production will reduce chemical imports and will help in boosting our economy. Moreover, it will solve the health issues that have cropped up due to the mass usage of chemicals and pesticides. The air , water, and soil pollution will be treated if organic production is there.
Professor Deepak tried to solve problems faced by farmers by offering them a natural product that can increase the fertility levels of their land, can decrease the pesticide residue, and can convert it to organic land in three to four years with its continuous usage. It promotes the growth of all types of plants and crops. It is a natural organic fertiliser and helps in bioremediation also.
The product is in liquid form, so uptake by the plant is easier. They both shared a similar vision and a set of values that became their most powerful tools in fueling the other’s business passion. Their aim was to create a brand that prioritised the use of standardised herbs and organic waste to create a premium range of fertilisers.
Their driving force was to decrease the health problems that are being faced by people, like cancer, lactose intolerance, and wheat allergies, which are increasing day by day due to the excessive and overuse of chemical fertilisers and pesticides. At the same time, they developed organic products that are environment friendly and in harmony with nature, thus preserving land, water, and air for future generations to come.
This helped them to utilise the waste as well as serve society with a healthy alternative for plant growth and the kitchen garden instead of using chemicals.
So far, this duo has successfully reduced 30 tonnes of waste till date. Organic farmers from nearby areas and nurseries are giving them an approximate sale of more than Rs. 15000/-per month and sales are increasing with an increase in awareness among people
In the year 2021, Dr. Rosy Singla thought, why not serve society with the goodness of a diet? A healthy diet is a form of holistic medicine that focuses on promoting balance between your body and mind. Then she came up with the unique concept of Rosy Foods, with valuable experience of 15 years and tons of research and hard work.
Being a food technologist and knowing so much about the chemistry of foods, she was always keen to help people treat their health issues with correct diet patterns. She has done a lot of research on food technology, and her partner, being an environmentalist, has always been a great support. Although it was a bit difficult to manage with a job, her husband supported him and motivated her to start millet-based food products. She did consultancy for two firms and planned diets for pregnant and lactating mothers and for children as well.

List of products

● Chanoats
● Ragi pinni:
● Chia Protein Laddu
● Nutra Berry Delight(Amla Chutney)
● Mango Boost(Aam Panna)
● Pear chatka
● Soya crunch
● Honey choco nut balls
● Ragi chakli
● Bajra laddus
● Natural plant protein powder
● Millet Savoury
Various government schemes like Aatmanirbhar Bharat, Make In India, Startup India and many more have acted as the main pillars to boost Rosy Foods.
The idea is to address the health problems of Punjab people and Indians. Since Dr. Rosy is a firm believer that a diet has the power to cure many diseases. As they say, “Thy Medicine, Thy Food.”
Dr. Rosy wanted to address these issues in greater detail, so she curated foods that would cater to
● Undernutrition in children as well as pregnant women,
● To use foregone grains (millets) as a healthy alternative to serve society.
● preparing food items with therapeutic effects for specific groups of people, like diabetics and heart patients.
● To solve environmental issues with the use of millets, like water level in soil and pesticide requirements,
Dr Rosy has successfully opened a Regd office cum store at Green Complex Market, Bhadson Road, Patiala. For customers’ ease and convenience, they’ll start selling their products online.

Message for farmers from Er. Deepak Singla

Chronic illnesses are becoming more prevalent. One of the main causes is chemical farming, which has increased crop yields numerous times but poisoned all of our food products in the process. However, there is currently no immediate replacement for chemical farming that would allow farmers to attain tremendous crop yields and meet the world’s food needs. India has a 1.27 billion population. But another issue that affects us all is the exponential rise in non-curable diseases. We must take this matter extremely seriously. The best alternative might be organic farming. It is the most affordable technology because producing organic manures requires the fewest resources and labor.

A message for farmers from Dr. Rosy Singla

The value chain for millet and millet-based goods, especially the ready-to-eat category, needs to be promoted and strengthened in light of 2023 being the UN-designated International Year of Millets. Millets are becoming well known as climate-smart crops with significant nutritional and health advantages. To improve the ecological balance and the health of the populace, millet farming needs to make serious efforts to become more widely practised. Our state is currently experiencing a severe water crisis due to a sharp decline in the water table brought on by rice production. Compared to rice, millets use a lot less water to produce tonnes of grain.
Millets are good for us, good for the planet, and good for the farmer too.

Sangeeta Tomar

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A sibling duo tastes success by selling organic jaggery

You must have surely seen brothers and sisters fighting but have you also seen them working together for running an enterprise towards a business?
Sangeeta Tomar and Bhupinder Singh from Muzaffarnagar, Uttar Pradesh are perfect examples of siblings who started a Venture together and have successfully reached new heights with their determination and grit.
Sangeeta and Bhupinder were born and brought up in Muzzafarnagar, Sangeeta who got married in the nearby village is well settled with her new family. The proceeding belt of Uttar Pradesh state is known to have the best quality sugarcane, though this crop is grown in other states as well the quality and tastes differ. The duo thought of growing sugarcane on 9.5 acres of land possessed by them and finally in 2019 they started the processing of products made from sugarcane under the name ‘Kisaan Agro- Products’.

List of products

  • Jaggery
  • Shakar
  • Desi Khand
  • Jamun Vinegar
A total of 12 products are produced from jaggery having different flavors which are made from authentic fruits rather than just the essence of Chocolate, Mango, Saunf, Elaichi, Ginger, Mix, Ajwayin, Dry fruit and Peanut jaggery.
Bhupinder Singh never took any training in this field but his ancestors used to cultivate sugarcane and produce Jaggery mostly in the state of Punjab. He didn’t just start practicing the same but understood the need of today’s consumers who wanted to eat small pieces of sugar after having their meal. He ideated on making flavored Jaggery into small pieces where 1 piece = 22 grams, which was easy to eat at a single time with either food or milk as a barfi and also this was far healthier than that being natural.
The technique of producing quality and tasty jaggery has been passed on from generations in our family- Bhupinder Singh
Sangeeta takes care of the marketing and carries out the regular inspection when he is not physically present at the production plant. A point of consideration is the usage of steel-infused machinery which is covered and no pollution occurs while production. Moreover, the products are machine made therefore there is no change in the taste and the adoption of proper measures the flavor is locked with the perfect taste to give for maximum customer satisfaction. The team distributes their products to 106 government stores and 37 private stores in Delhi.
The amount of sugarcane used per day is 125q and to complete this requirement they need to buy this crop from other farmers in their village. The process of making jaggery generally takes place from September to May but when the yield is affected by climatic factors it takes place from September to April only.

Farmer’s Background

Bhupinder Singh got retired in 2009 as an NSG commando from the Indian Army and then worked in a five-star hotel to attain experience in the food industry. In 2019 he decided to do something big from the traditional practices he learned in his village so that people would respect him. He also generated employment for the labourers working in his production plant and his field and also by buying sugarcane from other farmers.
Sangeeta Tomar who has completed her master’s in English major is now an independent woman. Her children are all settled abroad but she wanted to live in her village and practice farming.

Challenges

A quality product demands a consumer who knows the difference between an organic product and a duplicate product. There are farmers in his village who are making jaggery even in July by using sugar and chemicals. These farmers sell their product at a lesser price which attracts the buyer towards the chemical-made jaggery.

Achievements

  • Awarded by the chief minister of Uttar Pradesh at Lucknow Gud Mohatsav in 2021
  • Awarded at Muzzafarnagar Gud Mohatsav in 2019

Message

He wants people to come back to agriculture. There are fewer jobs with more applicants and eventually it’s high time to start one’s own business rather than being unemployed. Moreover, agriculture is a diverse sector and there are various fields which one can choose as per their interests.

Plans

Bhupinder singh wants to directly sell his products to the consumers without the involvement of middlemen. Which will eventually lead towards more profit for him and similarly the consumer will have to pay less than what he is paying now. He would be able to buy the organic product at a lower price.

Naresh Kumar

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A Progressive Farmer from Haryana, manufactures 32 different types of organic products

The sugar which we consume in our homes is destroying our body from within. Most of the illnesses of our sedentary lifestyle such as hormonal imbalance, high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity is one way or other related to sugar. While the solution to this problem is to consume a healthy substitute and i.e. Jaggery.
Naresh Kumar is a progressive farmer who lives in Kharak Ramji, district Jind, Haryana and owns a business of Organic Jaggery, Shakkar, Khand and 32 different products made by these three sole ingredients.
He started his career by studying Ayurvedic therapy, later through his knowledge of Ayurvedic herbs he made medicine for de-addiction of drugs back in 2006. He named this medicine ‘Wapsi’ which literally means to come back from the addiction. He shared this with the Apni kheti team that there was numerous allopathic medication for de-addiction but an ayurvedic medicine with the proven result was more significant. As Ayurveda is the oldest medicine and can cure mere impossible illnesses from ancient times.
In 2018 he moved his focus from medicines to food processing and introduced 32 varieties of different yet organic products. There are different types of Jaggery – jaggery for tea, for digestion, jaggery which includes Ajwain, Elaichi, Soonf, chocolate as per the consumer’s demand. Other products include Jagerry chutney of Carrot and Beetroot, apple, Pineapple, Amla and Jams.
‘’The artificial sugar which we add in our food is poisonous for human health, the earlier we realize this and switch to Jaggery the better it will be for our body.’’- Naresh Kumar
The processing unit is on 4 acres of land. All these products are made by traditional methods making them 100% organic. When the Jaggery is made, the processed fruit and vegetables are added to it and are then stored in an earthen pot. There is no usage of water or sugar while making these products.
 Another product which he makes for cattle is Dudhwardhak Shira which increases their capacity of producing milk. This shira is a unique product for repeater cattle. He had the formulation of this product earlier itself therefore he thought of implementing what he had in his mind before but he also had second thoughts about getting it made by a third party but was afraid as there were chances that the chemical formulation could differ. As it is not easy to trust anyone what if the other person would make the product organically or adulterate it. The uniqueness of this shira is that it is made from the Rav of desi khaand.
KVK Pandu Pindara located in Jind and Harayana agricultural university helped him in his initial days of business. These two provided him with the technical knowledge that he lacked. He was guided by Dr Vikram who is the manager of marketing at the Agri-Business Incubation Centre (ABIC) at Haryana Agricultural University. This centre recently underwent a training and after which they could manage to grab 20 lakhs for expanding his product “Dudhwardhak Shira” under the RAFTAR scheme.
From 2015 Wapsi medicine has been there in the market and along with this he was also practiced agriculture. He has been selling this medicine directly to customers since 2015. He also has 20 distributors from majorly Haryana and some parts of Punjab. He faced difficulties in the beginning because every other product in the market was fake while his product being organic had higher prices and he had to face challenges when he started but then later customers got aware of the differences between organic and fake products and now his products are appreciated by the customers. He said it was not easy to explain to people that all other products had adulteration and weren’t good for the body. During the season he gets a profit of 3 Lakh rupees monthly.
In the season when there is more work, he hires 15 labourers which are generally 5 in number in the off-season. Although he cultivates sugarcane due to huge demand the quality falls short so he has to buy sugarcane from the farmers who practice organic farming and are a member of Pillukhera jeevak Utpadak Samho (FPO) where he serves as a Director.

Achievements

•Awarded with the title of progressive farmer by Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University in 2019.

Future Plans

Naresh kumar wants to take his business to new heights and increase the production of Jaggery and its products at larger scale.

Message to farmers

He wants to encourage other farmers to start processing of the crop they produce as there is more margin in making a whole product rather than selling a raw material. A farmer who sows wheat should start a processing unit of wheat flour, the one who sows sunflower should take oil out of the seeds and such processing is possible for all other crops.

Smt. Madhulika Ramteke

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A social worker turned entrepreneur who encouraged women to be financially independent- Smt. Madhulika Ramteke

It is believed that only men can financially lead the house but some women break the stereotype and prove themselves that they are no less but equally capable. This is a story of one such social worker from Rajnandgaon, Chattisgarh.

Smt. Madhulika Ramteke comes from a community where caste discrimination is still deeply rooted. She experienced this difference between lower caste and higher caste while she was young and was not allowed to play with other kids. Then her father gave her the example of Dr B.R Ambedkar as how he changed his life through education and earned the respect he deserved. Madhulika then followed his steps and his teachings. She was a bright student throughout her schooling and encouraged other parents to send their daughters to school. She firstly taught her parents how to read and write and then helped other illiterate girls nearby her house.

Smt. Madhulika then took another step where she with other females of her village made a Self Help Group and started serving the village which was highly opposed by the men living in the village but later they realized that the ladies were working for the betterment of the village by organizing camps on serious issues like education, vasectomy, sanitation, drug use, conservation of water etc.

In 2001, she and her groupmates started a bank in which they deposit all the savings and named it ‘Maa Bamleshwari Bank’. This bank was fully run by women which made them feel empowered and used this money whenever they were in need. The total amount today in this bank accounts to ₹40 crores.

 Unity is very powerful, it is difficult to survive alone but in a group there is power. Whatever I am today is because of my group – Madhulika

In the year 2016, Madhulika and her Self Help Group made 3 societies. First included milk production of up to 1000 litre which they started to sell locally and to hotels and restaurants. Another society was for the cultivation of Hara Bahera which is an ayurvedic herb that helps in curing cough, cold and builds immunity, along with this they also cultivated rice but in smaller quantities. And the last society commenced with the cultivation of Sitafal and processing ice cream through it. The main objective of her behind all this was to make other women independent and increase their standard of living. She always thought of not only empowering herself but also women around her.

 Under the NABARD’s scheme Livelihood and Enterprise Development Programme (LEDP), 10 women including Madhulika founded a company with a contribution of 10,000 ₹ each and named it Bamleshwari Mahila Producer Company Ltd. The company now holds a share range of ₹100-₹10,000. This company manufactures vermicompost and vermiwash, these tw2o are the biological manures that increases soil fertility, increased yield and have no side effect on the environment. Madhulika once experimented on 2 patches of fields where she had put chemical fertiliser in one patch and vermicompost in another and she noticed that the product quality and taste was better in the field which had vermicompost. Other products are also manufactured here but hold a small production quantity such as agarbatti, herbal gulal made from Palash flower which is 100% herbal.

 As quoted by Smt. Madhulika Ramteke “We are earning for ourselves but by eating chemical sprayed food all the nutrients are lost, and our hard-earned money gets wasted on the medicines which are caused by the overuse of fertilisers”

                                                      Achievements

  • Awarded Nari Shakti Puraskar, 2021by President of India, Mr Ramnath Kovind
  • Akhil Bhartiya Mahila Kranti Parishad – 2017
  • Rajya Mahila Sammaan – 2014

                                               Future plans

She wants to open a new brand named ‘Gaonwali’ in which she and the self-help group will firstly manufacture haldi, Mirchi, dhaniya and then move on to manufacture other spices on a larger scale.

                                       Message to farmers

Looking at today’s farming practices which include nothing but the use of chemicals should be avoided but rather the use of organic manure should be opted by other farmers. She also talks about children putting their old parents in old age homes which is morally wrong. These are the same parents who took care of us when we were young and now when they need help in their old age, they shouldn’t be left alone but caressed the same way as we were by them.

Balwinder Kaur

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Story of a women, who is doing great with her talent

“After marriage, every women is to take care of her household”, this is the thinking of our society. But a women is the one, who can do anything to solve the critical conditions of her family.

This is a story of a woman, Balwinder Kaur, who belongs to a middle class family and her qualification is in M.A (Punjabi). After completion of her studies, she got married to Mr. Gurwinder Singh, who was working in a private company. Due to some reasons, he gave resign to his job and this led to poor financial conditions of the family. For improving the financial conditions of her family, Mrs. Balwinder Kaur decided to offer a helping hand to her husband, and he also supported Balwinder in this decision. As it is rightly said, If your better-half walks along with you every obstacle becomes easier to handle and with her husbands’ support, she started a PG(Paying Guest) in the house. The work flourished in the starting, but later on she decided to shut it down because earning was very less. Then she thought of opening a boutique but again dropped the idea of same. In 2008-09, she did a course of beautician but she was not interested in this so she never thought of taking over it in her career.

From the very beginning, my interest was in cooking. All my relatives and friends knew that I am a very good cook, that’s why they always appreciate my cooking skills. Finally, I thought of opting this hobby as my career. – Balwinder Kaur

Pickle prepared by Balwinder Kaur is all time in demand from her relatives because of its deliciousness.

For polishing her talent, Balwinder Kaur got a training of making pickles and chutneys from Indian Institute of Food Processing Technology Liaison office, Bathinda. There she met Dr. Gurpreet Kaur Dhillon, who guided her and encouraged her to expand her work.

Now-a-days, people are having health issues due to consuming adulterated food from outside. So I thought of serving people by making pure home made food products. – Balwinder Kaur

As she knew the importance of marketing and labelling in any business, so with the help of Dr. Satwinder Kaur and Harinder Kaur, she got the training in packing and labelling of the products.

After getting the training in Squash manufacturing from KVK, Bathinda, she started her work at home. She made a Self Help Group (SHG) in which there were 12 women. These women helped her in cutting the material and in packing of the prepared products.

This SHG helps me in my work and also it provides employment to other women which gives me a huge satisfaction. – Balwinder Kaur
The training was the key to sharpen the inborn skills of Balwinder.

Products prepared by Balwinder Kaur:
  • Pickle- Mix, Sweet, Salty, Amla
  • Chutney- Amla, Tomato, Apple, Lemon, Bottle-gourd, Mango
  • Squash- Mango, Guava
  • Sharbat- Apple, Litchi, Rose, Mix
We sell our products in the village only and outside the village we deliver them free of cost. – Balwinder Kaur
Balwinder Kaur manufacture and sell her products under her Brand name “Zebra Smart Food” She has also made a whatsapp group (7589827287), where she directly take orders from the customers and deliver to them.

Future Plans:
She want to sell her products worldwide so that people should come to know the taste and quality of her self-made products.

Message:
“We should use organically prepared products only that will help us and our children to remain fit and healthy.
Those women who want to do something, must come forward with their ideas. They should not waste their time in thinking at home. Not only cooking, whatever their passion is. They should make efforts to fulfill their dreams. Have faith in God and keep working hard.”

Navdeep Balli and Gursharan Singh

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Malwa Region Based Duo of Young Farmers Are Churning Profit by Pairing Agriculture with Food Processing

Food is the basic necessity of life, but what if your food is adulterated or contaminated at the very basic level during production!

Today, food adulteration is a major issue in India, producers/manufacturers have gone blind when it comes to quality and they only focus on quantity, which not only affects the flavour and nutrition of the food but also affects the consumer’s health. But one such a duo of young farmers from the Malwa region of Punjab has aimed to provide only pure food to the community.

This is the story of Navdeep Balli and Gursharan Singh who entered the market with their unique product – raw turmeric pickle and became popular within a short span of time.

Coming from a well-educated background, these two young men decided to provide what is good for the society. All this started when they discovered multiple benefits and home remedies of raw turmeric that helps in controlling bad cholesterol, curing skin diseases, allergies, and wounds, also helps in preventing cancer like deathly disease and many other disease preventing properties.

From the beginning both the friends had decided to do something different, so they started turmeric cultivation and reaped good yield of 80-90 quintal per acre. After that, they decided to process their harvest themselves and sell it in the market in the form of raw turmeric pickle. The place from where their product get noted among the people was Bathinda’s Sunday Market and now they have started selling it in many places in the town.

Before entering the food processing business, Navdeep and Gursharan consulted the district senior agricultural expert – Dr. Parmeshwar Singh and took his advice over farming. Today, even the doctor himself feels very much proud that by following his advice both these young fellas are doing good in the food processing market and are coming up with more basic pure processed food products to be used in the kitchen directly or indirectly.

After the raw turmeric pickle success, Navdeep and Gursharan got their processing plant established in Rampura and currently their product list has more than 10 items, which includes Raw Turmeric, Raw Turmeric Pickle, Turmeric Powder, Chilli Powder, Sabzi Masala, Coriander Powder, Butter Milk (lassi), Curd, Chat Masala, Garlic Pickle, Cumin Seeds, Gram Flour (besan), Tea Masala etc.

This duo is not only making food processing a profitable venture but are also encouraging other farmers to adopt food processing with farming to gain better revenue.

Future Plans: Planning to adopt crop diversification in the future to make their harvest nutrient rich and farming more economical. Also planning to sell their processed products to farther areas, and make people aware of food adulteration and importance of health.

Message
Farmer should start food processing with farming if they are seeking better returns from agriculture.

Inder Singh

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Potato and Mentha Cultivation Is What Helping This Farmer Thrive In Agriculture Field with Success

Inder Singh, 67, hailing from Jalandhar city of Punjab, is a farmer who has kick-started his agriculture business by adopting Potato and Mentha cultivation.

In a tender age of 19, Inder Singh stepped in the soil and since then he has been following agriculture passionately. After dropping his study after 8th, he decided to grow potatoes, wheat, and paddy. But after putting continuous efforts for years in wheat and paddy, it doesn’t provide much profit and financial conditions were still hand to mouth. So, with the time to increase the profit inflow, he moved towards lucrative crops rather than sticking to the conventional crops. On the recommendation of an American Company – Indomit, he started growing Mentha for oil extraction alongside potato cultivation.

“In 1980, few of the workers of Indomit Company (American) visited our village and advised me to grow Mentha for oil extraction purpose.”

In 1986, when the head of Indomit Company visited India, he was very happy by seeing the mentha production by Inder Singh. Inder Singh grabbed the second position in mentha oil extraction of about 71 Lt from the harvest of one acre and was honoured certificate and a cash prize. Appreciation boosted Mr. Inder Singh’s effort and he expanded mentha cultivation into 13 acres.

Along with mentha, he was still cultivating potatoes. On the recommendation of two wise persons – Dr. Paramjeet Singh and Dr. Minhas, he started preparing potato seeds with different ways. Seeds prepared by him were so good in quality that now it is sold across Gujarat, Bengal, Indore and many other cities of India.

“Dr. Paramjeet Singh suggested me to prepare the potato seed when it is completely ripe and mature, and this technique helped me a lot.”

In 2016, Inder Singh got the license from Punjab Government for potato seed preparation.

Currently, Inder Singh is cultivating Mentha (Peppermint & Kosi Variety), Potatoes (Govt. Variety: Jyoti, Pukhraj; Private Variety:  1533), Maize, Watermelon, and Paddy. The profit he earned in his successive years was invested in machinery and best agriculture practices. Today, Inder Singh has all the modern agriculture equipment at his farm and for this, he gives all the credit to adopting mentha and potato cultivation.

Inder Singh is getting nice price for all his harvest as there is no problem in marketing because watermelon is sold from the farm, mentha is used for oil extraction which gives him an average return of 500/Lt, his prepared potatoes seeds are sold across many different cities in India.

For his tremendous efforts in the field of agriculture, he has been honoured by Punjab Agriculture University on 1st February 2018.

Future
In future, Inder Singh is planning to open his own potato chips processing plant.

Message
“Agriculture is becoming expensive day by day because of the increased rates of fertilizer, pesticides, and other agri-inputs, so farmer should focus on sustainable agricultural practices and methods to take out the best harvest.”

Amarjeet Singh Dhami

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Entrepreneur Bringing Revolution in the Diabetes World with His Low Glycemic Index Products

Today, India has over 65.1 million Diabetics and with this fact, it is very clear that Diabetes is spreading like a plague which is an alarming situation for us. The main thing responsible for the increase in the number of diabetic patients is not only unhealthy lifestyle and unhealthy food, but the main reason is that the consumer is unaware about the basic product he is consuming at his home. Understanding this perplexing situation and with the motive to bring a healthy change in the society, Amarjeet Singh Dhami came up with the initiative to beat this widespread disease with his low GI Herbal Products.

Glycemic Index or GI
GI measures that how carbohydrate-containing food increases your blood glucose level. Food with high GI increases blood glucose more than the food with the medium or low GI.

After Graduating in B. Tech Agriculture in 2007 and then pursuing career as an Irrigation Designer for 3 years in a US-based company, Amarjeet Singh Dhami decided to start up his own business through which he can address the major health issues of the society. According to his research, he found Diabetes the prime prevailing health issue and that’s when he decided to launch his own line of herbal products for Diabetic Patients.

Agrineer Food was the brand name with which he came up in 2011 and later on changed it into Overra Herbals. Getting trained under food processing training from Department of Food Processing, Punjab Agriculture University, he launched his first product with the name Diaflour which is Diabetic Friendly Flour for Diabetic Patients and other people can also use it for a healthy lifestyle.

Amarjeet Singh Dhami was well aware of the fact that establishment of a new brand product demands a lot of input and efforts. He systematically approached the market by the establishment of processing plant in Ludhiana, then the establishment of market retail chain and its expansion. He builds up a proficient team by including Ayurveda Doctors, Marketing Specialist and PhD. experts in his venture. Moreover, to ensure the purity of the material, he formed a group of farmers practicing organic farming and started selling their organic pulses under his brand.

Well, the main thing with which a diabetic patient has to fight is the sweetness and keeping this thing in mind, Amarjeet Singh Dhami started his research work almost 4-5 years back before launching his main product for the diabetic patients. After the research work, Mr. Dhami came up with Diabeat Sugar.

Normally sugar has 70 Glycemic Index but Diabeat Sugar has 43 Glycemic Index. This is the first time in the world that sugar is produced on the basis of Glycemic Index.

The main active ingredients of Diabeat Sugar which make it special than the common sugar available in the market are: Jamun, Fenugreek, Ginger, Garlic, Black Pepper, Bitter Gourd and Neem; and this is a patent technology of Overra Foods.

“Haldiram, Lovely Sweets, Gopal Sweets are some of the brands with which presently Overra Food is dealing and supplying their Diabeat Sugar and Diaflour for the making Diabetic Friendly sweets.”

The only problem that Amarjeet Singh Dhami faced, in the beginning, was marketing and shelf life of products, but soon it was recovered too by producing according to the marketing demands. Presently main production units of Overra Food is located in Mysore and Ludhiana and its product range covers a large area with juices, chocolates, squashes, cookies made from Diabeat Sugar with low GI and these products are easily available across India.

Along with addressing the health issue, Mr. Dhami has also played a positive role towards corporate social responsibility by collaborating with Dr. Ramandeep; he has started an activity through which he helps the entrepreneurs with potential by chiselling their career under his training and guidance.

Future Plan:
Amarjeet Singh Dhami is planning to export his products to USA, Canada, Philippines and other Gulf Countries.

Message:
“This is the time when educated youth has a lot of opportunities to start up their own business rather than looking for a job which not even satisfies their basic demands, but patience is necessary to succeed.”

If you eat food like medicine then you will live a healthy life…
Amarjeet Singh Dhami

Avtar Singh

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AFTER SWITCHING MULTIPLE PROFESSIONS, THIS FARMER FOUND PIG FARMING THE RIGHT OCCUPATION FOR HIMSELF!

Changing occupation is never easy, as it can negatively impact the lives of people who are dependent on it, especially the family members, and when this matter is concerned with a farmer’s life then the insecurity factor is just double. A new opportunity comes with both risks and benefits, the person just has to understand that what satisfies him and his needs better, because finding a meaningful work is very important. One such a farmer from Barnala District of Punjab, Mr. Avtar Singh Randhawa also changed multiple occupations and found pig farming as the right profession for himself.

Like other farmers, Avtar Singh also started wheat and paddy farming, just after completing his studies (10th) along with his father Basant Singh Randhawa. But soon he realized that his life is not meant to follow this tradition of conventional farming. So, he thought of investing in the grocery store business. He opened a shop in his village- Channa Gulab Singh, but after some time, he found out that he is not even satisfied with this profession. Someone suggested him about mushroom farming and he started that too, but he understood that it needs much investment and this venture also ended empty handed. At last, he heard from a person that pig farming is a profitable occupation and he thought that why not give it a try.

After discussing with the concerned person, Avtar joined the training conducted by PAU (Punjab Agriculture University) for Pig Farming and Pig Products Processing. In the beginning, he started with 3 pigs, and after three years of hard work, today, the count of pigs has increased to 50. When he started pig farming 3 years back, many villagers use to talk about him and his occupation. As Avtar Singh was the first one who started pig farming in his villages, so many villagers were confused and many were just analyzing that what will be the outcome of this. But after seeing the happy face and increasing profit of the Randhawa family, many villagers came up with their interest in pig farming.

“When I told my wife about the pig farming business, she was against me and she doesn’t want me to invest in it. Even my relatives also used to scold me about my work, because in their perception I was doing a low-grade work. But I was determined and this time I didn’t want to turn back and leave something in the middle.”

Today, Avtar is very happy and satisfied with his work and he also encourages other farmers of his village towards this profession. He manages the breeding work himself in his farm. Within 7-8 months he sells 80 pigs on an average and is earning good profit from it.

Currently, he is living with his son and wife, and even with this small family and little needs he used to grow paddy and wheat on his own, for home purpose. Now his wife also supports him in pig farming.

Like Avtar, there are many other farmers in Punjab who are into pig farming business and are making it a big project in the coming time. With the growing demand of pork and pig products, pig farming is going to be a booming venture in the future. Some futuristic farmers have already understood it and Avtar Singh Randhawa is one of them.

Future Plan:

Avtar is planning to make use of his training and start processing pig products. He wants to expand the Randhawa Piggery Farm to a larger extent in the future.

Message:
“With modernization, many new farming techniques and trends are coming and the farmers should be aware of it. The farmers should follow a path in which they believe, not the path that others are following.”

Satya Rani

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SATYA RANI: A SELF-MADE WOMAN RISING LIKE A SUN IN THE FOOD PROCESSING INDUSTRY

When it comes to development, then there is no doubt that women are playing a major role in shaping and guiding the young minds of India. Even in agriculture field also women are not left behind, they are leading the way to sustainable and organic farming. Today, many Indian women from both rural and urban areas are aware of the issues related to chemicals used in farming and they are also working towards this cause. Satya Rani is also one of those women who is doing organic farming and is also actively involved in the food processing business.

With rising health issues and climatic change, food security has become a major challenge to deal with, and Satya Rani is one of the emerging agripreneur who is working towards this issue.

It was Satya’s childhood dream to contribute to the agriculture field and give back to nature. From the beginning, her parents always guided her and inspired her and finally the little girl’s dream was transformed into a woman’s vision.

There also came a bad time in Satya’s life, in which if there was any another girl, then she would have lost her confidence and hope easily, but Satya didn’t. Satya’s parents told her to stop her studies after 12th because of financial problems, but she was so determined towards her future that she told her parents that she will manage her higher studies on her own. She started part time job of making food roducts like pickles and chutneys and started selling it.

During this time she learned a lot of new things and her interest was increased towards food processing business. After completing her BA from Hindu Girls College, Jagadhri, she got the job of home science trainer in the same college. Soon after that she was married to Rajinder Kumar Kamboj in 2004, but after marriage also she didn’t give up her work. She continued her food processing work and developed many new products like mango laddoo, coconut laddoo, pickles, fruit jams, murraba and many other different types of laddoo. Her efficiency increased with the time resulting in good quality products and larger customer base.

Well, food processing is not the only field in which she excelled. From her school time, she was very active in sports and she was the captain of the Kabbadi Team. She was also very zealous towards her profession, and for her work, she even achieved Best Training Award by Hindu Girls College. Currently, she is doing organic farming on 1 acre of land and is also actively involved in dairy farming. She grows every type of seasonal vegetables with the help of her husband. Satya Organics is the brand name under which she is selling all her processed products (different types of laddoo, pickles, Jam, and Murabba)

In the coming time, she is planning to expand her work and make more revenue from it. She also wants to inspire other girls and women in the society towards food processing and organic farming, so that they can become self-dependent.

MESSAGE TO FARMERS-
“If God has given you everything – physically fit body and mentally fit mind, then you should work in a constructive direction and make use of strength in a positive way. Every person should recognize the hidden talent in themselves so that they can work towards it in benefiting the society.”

Kulwant Kaur

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“Behind every successful woman is herself”
– How Kulwant Kaur proved this quote absolutely true

In India there are many women who have extraordinary personalities, not citing the looks but their skills and confidence are what makes them amazing from the others. Nothing can stop them from accomplishing what they aim at, and the reason behind their unique persona is that they are the inspiration of themselves.

One such a woman who realized the calling and chose agribusiness as her future plan is Kulwant Kaur. As being from a farming background, Kulwant Kaur and her husband Jaswinder Singh were doing paddy and wheat farming and were also actively involved in dairy farming. From the beginning, family’s main focus was on dairy business, because they owned 2.5 acres of land and used to take land on the lease when necessary. With 30 buffaloes in the dairy farm, their milk business was flourishing very well and was more profitable as compared to farming.

Kulwant Kaur was very interested in agriculture and the trades related to it, and one day when she read about KVK Fatehgarh Sahib then she decided of joining it. She took fruit and vegetable management training of 5 days from there in 2011. On the last day of the training, she participated in a competition and won first prize in making apple jam and turmeric pickle. The first prize that she won there was her first achievement in her life, and this achievement made her so determined and inspired that she decided to start this work on her own. Her products were so good that soon she gained a good customer base.

Gradually her work speed, efficiency, and product quality got better with the time and turmeric pickle became the most in demand product of her. Later on, to enhance her skills she joined KVK Samrala for Phenyl, Soap, Amla Juice, Chutney and Pickle training. To make her training in use, she especially visited Delhi to purchase Amla juice machine. Very soon she grasped the technique of making aloe-vera juice, shampoo, gel, and hand wash from the same machine and after seeing the processed products she was enthused and gained confidence.

It was her confidence and achievements which always motivated Kulwant Kaur in doing more. Finally, Kulwant Kaur started manufacturing products at home and also marketed them herself. Her interest towards agribusiness drifted her more towards this field. In 2012 she became the member of PAU Kisan Club. And after that, she took every training given by them. Her interest towards farming was increased and slowly they reduced their dairy farm work.

Besides Paddy and wheat, now, Kulwant Kaur and her husband started growing mung beans, sugarcane, fodder crop, turmeric, aloe-vera, tulsi and stevia also. From turmeric, she is producing turmeric powder, turmeric pickle, and Panjeeri (sweet dry powder mixture made up of Bengal Gram Chickpea powder, Flour, and Clarified butter). Panjeeri and turmeric pickle are her most in demand products.

Well her journey was not that easy, she faced many problems also. She planted 1000 stevia plants out of which only half survived. As she knew that stevia cost is very expensive (Rs 1500/Kg) due to which it out of reach for common people. So, she found out a different way of selling it, she bought green tea from the market and mixed stevia in it and started selling it at Rs. 150 per 100 grams. Because of the stevia’s health benefits for diabetic patients, the tea was purchased by many local homes and other customers also.

Currently, she is manufacturing around 40 products and is selling it in the nearby market and in PAU fairs. She also has a product called Satras (made up of Tulsi, apple vinegar, honey, ginger, garlic, aloe-vera, garlic, and amla) especially for heart patients and it is very effective also.
Along with the skills, Kulwant Kaur also likes to be updated with all the latest farming machinery and equipment. She has all the farming machinery and, she uses laser leveller to level the fields. Her whole family is helping her and is working with her especially her husband. Her daughter is doing government job and her son is helping her in the business. Currently, the main focus of the family is towards marketing and less on agriculture. Her efforts in the agribusiness field have made her won first prize in Kisan Mela (Patiala) for turmeric products. Besides this, she also received Sardarni Jagbir Kaur Grewal Memorial Award at Kisan Mela (organized by Punjab Agriculture University Ludhiana in 2013)

Today whatever Kulwant Kaur has achieved that is only because of her own belief. In future, she wants to market all her products herself. She also wants to impart training to other women in the society so that they can stand on their own and be independent.

Message to farmers:
“Ladies should be productive in their free time because this helps in managing the home finances effectively. They should take advantage of the food processing training and step forward in the field of agribusiness. Agribusiness is a very profitable venture in which people can make money without any big investments.”

Kaushal Singh

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HOW THIS YOUNG STUDENT FARMER OF GURDASPUR IS SETTING GOALS FOR OTHER YOUNGSTERS IN THE FIELD OF FARMING

This young student of Gurdaspur is unlike other student, he is not the one who chose farming because his father use to do that and he had no other option left, but he chose farming as an alternate learning option along with his studies.

Meet Kaushal Singh an aspiring student who in the bright young age of 22 has setup his own agri-business. Yes, just 22, in this blooming age where most of the youngsters are still confused with their career option, Kaushal Singh has made up his own product of brand name “CANE FARMS” and he is also marketing the products in the market.

Kaushal, comes from a family of Zamindars (landlords), and they use to give their land on rent to other farmers. Earlier their ancestors use to do farming but as the time passed the next generation prefer to go away from farming, but who knew that the youngest generation of the family will start his journey with farming again.

Well the journey of Kaushal Singh up to “CANE FARMS” was not that clear and easy. Like other youngsters of Punjab, Kaushal Singh also had plans to go abroad to his elder brother after completing his school (12th). Even his Visa for Australia was also ready, but at the end moment the whole family was hit by a very sad news. Kaushal Singh’s mother was detected with cancer, due to which Kaushal cancelled his plan of going abroad.

Although Kaushal’s mother didn’t survived cancer but then he decided to do something productive by staying in India in his home town only. In all the hard times Kaushal never lost his hope and connectivity with studies. He enrolled himself in B.Sc. Agriculture and thought that

“I thought that we have enough money and 12 acres of land here in Punjab, so why not utilize it properly.”

So he took back his land from the renters and started farming sugarcane organically. In 2015 he produced Jaggery and Jaggery Powder out of Sugarcane. As he had no knowledge in the beginning about marketing so he started selling it openly without any packing and branding. But Kaushal faced a huge loss in this venture.

But as it said that nothing can stop the flying heart. So Kaushal decided of partnering with his friends- Harinder Singh Rear. Along with him Kaushal cultivated sugarcane in 10 acres of land and Harinder in 20 acres. This time Kaushal was very cautious and he took expert advice from Dr. Ramandeep Singh- Agribusiness Expert in Punjab Agriculture University.

Dr. Ramandeep Singh inspired Kaushal and he told Kaushal to start packing and branding his product before selling it in the market. Kaushal did the same, he started selling his product from his nearby village markets. He faced failure and success both, some shopkeepers happily accepted his product but some didn’t. But slowly Kaushal set his feet strongly in the market and he started getting good response.

Kaushal decided his brand name SWEET GOLD before getting it registered but later on he changed the name to CANE FARMS because of the unavailability of the name.

Today Kaushal and his friend is managing everything on their own- from farming to marketing and they are selling their product in the whole Punjab. They also have designed a logo for their brand. Earlier they were buying box and stickers from the market, but now Kaushal has started doing everything at his own level.

Future Plan

In future we are planning to take every organic farmer along with us in our venture to sell the products. So that other farmers who are unaware of our brand, can know about the modern agribusiness trends and take advantage of it.

For Kaushal this is just the beginning and in the future also he is going to come up with more bright ideas to take out more profit from agriculture.

MESSAGE FOR FARMERS:
“Those young farmers in the age group of 18-20, who thinks that farming is a losing deal, this message is for them- They need to understand what farming is, because if they also start thinking indicatively like us, they can also work unitedly with us.”

Pooja Sharma

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Story of A Strong Willed Woman Who Stepped Forward to Support Her Husband in Managing Family’s Livelihood through Farming

In our Indian Society, a notion has been deep rooted in our minds that woman should be at home and men should earn. But still, there are many women who bear the tag of bread earner very confidently in a positive way and help their husbands in running and supporting the house needs. One such a woman who is helping his husband in fulfilling her house needs is Pooja Sharma.

Mrs. Pooja Sharma is a rising agripreneur from the land of Jats – Haryana, and currently, she is the president of Kshitiz Self-Help Group and leading women of her village (Chandu) under her. By using the innovative farming technique she is producing 11 varieties of ready to cook and ready to eat items made up of soybean, wheat, maize, pearl millet, and corn.

The decision of making a move in the field of farming was taken in 2012 when Pooja Sharma (mother of three children) realized that her house needs aren’t going to be fulfilled with just his husband (Government Contract Employee) earnings, and now it’s her responsibility to support her husband.

She joined KVK Shikoupur and told them to teach her things that will help her earn a livelihood. She took training from there and learned innovative farming techniques. There she learned how to process the soybeans and other cereals so that it can be directly used for eating. And after taking this training she encouraged other women of her neighbourhood and village to take the same training.

In 2013, she established her own small manufacturing unit of roasted soybeans at home and also involved other women of her village in her venture and slowly expanded her business. She also made a self-help group by the name Kshitiz SHG and involved and encouraged more women of her village to join it. By collecting all the savings of the group’s women, she purchased three more roasting machines. And after some time she collected more money and purchased two more machines.

Currently, their group has 7 units of manufacturing machines. The machines were expensive according to their budget but still, they managed and it cost them around Rs. 16,000 and Rs. 20,000 per piece. She has 1.25 acres of land and she is actively involved in farming also. She grows mostly those crops of pulses and cereals, so that, she can process it and use it later for selling purpose. She is teaching the same thing to other women of her village also to use their land effectively because it can benefit them in the future.

Along with the team of 11 women today she is processing and selling more than 11 varieties of products (millet khichadi, millet laddoo, roasted wheat grains, roasted sorghum, roasted soy beans, roasted Bengal grams) which are ready to eat and cook (wholesome packets of nutrients) across the states and country. With the willpower, Pooja Sharma has helped other women of her village to gain self-reliance and confidence.

For her, it has been a long journey to reach where she is today and she has faced many challenges also. Now they have setup the machines at their home, so that women can operate it at home when they are free; and in their village, as power cuts are very frequent, so they have divided their work according to that; some women dry up the beans, some clean them and the rest of the women roast and grind them.

Currently, the big problem that Pooja Sharma and group face sometimes is language barriers (English). Because when it comes to communicating with big companies then they realize that in which skill they are lacking the most and that is education. But they are not discouraged by it and are trying to work on it. Apart of manufacturing food items, she is also helping women acquire training in stitching, farming and other activities they are interested in.

Her future plans are to expand his business and inspire more women and make them independent so that they don’t have to be dependent on others for money. For her passionate work and effort, she has been awarded a cash prize of 50,000 and a citation certificate for innovative farming techniques with Pandit Deendayal Upadhyaya Krishi Puraskar from Zone II comprising states of Rajasthan, Haryana, and Delhi. She is also a member of ATMA SCHEME and she has also received appreciation by the Governor- Kaptan Singh Solanki, for making protein-rich food items.

MESSAGE TO FARMERS-
“Wherever farmers cultivate cereal, pulse or any crop, there they should create a group of those women who are just doing household work and train them to use the produced crops for making good things by processing them, so that they can sell those things in the market and get a good price for it.”

 

Shahnaz Qureshi

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Woman Revealing the Mysteries of Healthy Food through Food Processing and Agribusiness

There are very few compassionate people who like to think for the welfare of the society and direct their future on the path of agriculture because making profit from the path related to agriculture it is not that easy. But there are many opportunities in our surrounding, that we just have to learn to seize it. One such woman who came with her innovative dreams and thinking to devote her life to the field of agriculture and agribusiness is Mrs. Shahnaz Qureshi.

Despite getting married at a very young age, Shahnaz Qureshi never stopped dreaming. After marriage, she continued her studies and completed her graduation and also did M. Sc. in fashion designing. She got many job offers from abroad but she chose to stay in her country and do something good for her society.

During all this time, one of the instance that changed her perception towards the food quality and her future plans was her parent’s health. Both, her mother and father were suffering from common health issues like arthritis, diabetes and kidney problem. She thought that if food is the reason behind problems, then food will be the only cure. She changed the food habits of her family and started eating only good and fresh things. This habit made a huge difference in the health of her father and mother. Just after seeing huge improvement she decided of entering the food processing business. Moreover, sitting idly was not what she was made for, so she chose to step in the field of agribusiness and help unprivileged farmers.

Her decision of stepping in the field of agribusiness was just the first step of success and rest the whole Bathinda knows about her. She and her family took training from KVK Bathinda in beekeeping and started beekeeping business with 200 honey bee boxes. She did the marketing and her husband did the processing part. To take more advantage of this business she also started making face wash, soap, and body scrub of honey. Customers start liking it and approached her for more. After some time she also took training in vegetable/fruit farming and food processing and started implementing it by making chutney, murraba, and pickles.

There was also a time when even her husband criticized her for the work she was doing, because he was unsure about the business profit, moreover he also thought that these products are already available in the market, then why people are going to buy these things from them. But she never got demotivated, because her children’s support was always with her. Some great personalities who always inspired her are APJ Abdul Kalam, Bill Gates, Akbar and Swami Vivekananda. In free time she loves to read books about them.

With the time she increased her collection of products and started gaining good profit from it. And soon she also started making fruit squashes, gram flour badiyaan and pakode and many other things. Sprouted fenugreek pickle is one of her popular products which is always in demand because of its amazing health benefits in most of the fairs and events organized by PAU in Faridkot, Ludhiana, and other places. She made a different place for her products in the market and gained a huge loyal customer base.

In 2014 she made a farmer self-help group in Mehma Sarja village near Bathinda and through this group she promoted other farmer’s products. Sometimes she even overlooked her profits just to help and support farmers who lacked confidence and resources. In 2015 she made a firm by the name FRESH HUB and there she started selling her products. Today, she has total 40-45 products in the collection, which she buys, process, pack and market herself. She is making all these efforts just to ensure the purity and healthiness of the products so that there will be no side-effects on the customer’s health. Even when she prepare pickles, she never uses cheap vinegar and always uses apple vinegar to ensure the best quality.

In 2016 she also took vinegar training and very soon she will be implementing that too. Currently, she is making 10 lakh profit annually. One thing that she understood very early and implemented was to deliver always the quality, not the quantity or just the taste. For marketing, she is using the latest technology like Whats App to connect with the farmers and other necessary details. Before purchasing, she always makes sure that she purchases chemical free vegetables and also encourages farmers to start organic farming. Her work not only includes processing and marketing the products, but she also provides free information about her technique to other women, because she wants other people to progress and do something good for the community.

From the beginning, Shahnaz Qureshi’s mindset was very clear towards her work. She wants everyone in the society to be independent and confident. She has given her children an upbringing that they don’t have to spread their hands in front of anyone, they should be self-sufficient to fulfil their basic needs themselves. Today her main focus is towards the youth especially the girls. To make her thinking and skills reach more people, she has also given training and information through TV, newspaper, and radio. She personally visits the farmer training events and meetings to especially impart her skills to them. In 2016 she also started tiffin service for college students. Today, her work has made her so popular that she has her own radio show that is aired every Friday from 1 PM to 2 PM, where she gives tips to people about water management, health food recipes and much more.

As being a Kashmiri by birth, Shahnaz always tries to bring an essence of her native place in her work and products. She has opened a restaurant in Bathinda by the name “Shah’s Kashmiri and Mughlai Chicken” and is also planning to give a rustic Kashmiri interior and use Kashmiri crockery set in her restaurant, even she also has a popular product known as Kashmiri Kahwa (Tea) which reflects the core of Kashmiri tradition and cuisine. She wants to share every healthy, beneficial and traditional recipe that she knows through her products, restaurants, and training. She also has orchards in Kashmir, which is under the care of her cousin in her absence. In orchards she follows organic ways to nurture it, to maintain the soil fertility and get a good yield from it.

These are just a few achievements of Shahnaz Qureshi, in the coming future, she will accomplish more to work in the interest of the society. Her efforts are admired by many organizations and she was awarded by the food processing department of Muktsar Sahib. Other than that in 2015 she was also awarded Jagbir Kaur Memorial award by PAU.

MESSAGE TO FARMERS
“
Don’t blame the government all the time. Because the problems which we are facing today, for that only we are responsible. Nowadays farmers are not aware how to take advantage of the opportunities. Because if farmers want to move ahead then they have to change their thinking. Moreover, it is not necessary to follow, you can be the inspiration for others. Farmers have to understand that food processing has more money than raw material.
”

Prabhjot, Shaminder and Sourav

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Story of Three Microbiologists Who Are Emerging as a Group of Entrepreneurs to Deliver the Best Food Experience to the Society

We all know that every successful business starts with a struggle to reach the pinnacle and nothing can be achieved easily. Behind every start-up business, there are sparkling ideas, late night discussions, arguments with close ones, thought processing, and much more. If we say that he is intelligent or he is financially sound, that’s why he is able to start a good business, then it is not true. We all have the same opportunities and we all are surrounded by great business ideas, we just have to open ourselves and let the possibilities come near us. Today, we are going to talk about three young men who discovered opportunities from their surrounding and are coming as a group of emerging entrepreneurs.

Three young students of PAU who came up with a belief of delivering the best food experience not as businessmen but as microbiologists are – Prabhjot Singh Khanna, Shaminderjeet Singh Brar, and Sourav Singla. And to give their idea a face and direction, they founded their company by the name MICRO FOODS in 2015 in Ludhiana, Punjab.

Well, yes it was a group effort by three of them, but the main inspiration behind their start-up were their professors – Dr. Sanjeev Kapoor and Dr. Ramandeep Singh. After completing their studies and research work in the field of fermented vinegar, all the three founders (Prabhjot, Shaminderjeet and Sourav) finally begin with their venture. They all three decided the company name and designed the logo.

While doing their research work, they already had a lot of work experience and knowledge of many leading fermentation and vinegar industries. So they started with the process of making organic vinegar by using natural fermentation techniques from natural fruits; that too without using synthetic acid or artificial ingredients. They set up their business manufacturing unit in 500 yards of area in Prabhjot’s home premises. And one thing that they are especially taking care of is the hygiene level of their manufacturing unit and aseptic conditions.

They started producing 4 types of vinegar made up of Apple, Java Plum (Jamun), Sugarcane, and White Grapes, under the brand name FRUIGAR. The idea behind choosing FRUIGAR as their vinegar name is that FRUI comes from Fruit and GAR come from Vinegar. They ordered raw material (fruits) from South India. The reason behind choosing these fruits for making vinegar is that all these have major health benefits and have very high demand in the market. Moreover, they are organic, so they are not going to hurt human body internally.

After making their product, they came up with the marketing plan. They started marketing their product on the basis of data that they used in their research. They also tried to cover all the doctors and introduce them with their organic fruit vinegar health benefits. Their main motive behind making fruit vinegar was to provide healthy produce to the community without any artificial ingredients.

These young entrepreneurs didn’t stop there, they also came up with two new products, known as Gluten Free Flour and Flour for the Diabetic Patient, which is very in demand nowadays. Coming from a farming background, Shaminderjeet Singh (one of the founders) cultivates wheat and paddy and also provides the raw material for their new product.

They are doing this work from past two years and slowly they are trying to establish their product in the market. Currently, they are making no profit, nor are they having loss, but in this short span of time, they have made a good number of loyal customers, which are aware of their product’s health benefits and want to invest in their product.

For them, this is just the beginning. They want to come up with more healthy and organic products for the community. Their future plan is to cover market and factories to a larger extent. Till now they are partially dependent on others for their packaging, processing, and marketing, but after 2017 they are planning to process, pack and market their product themselves. And they are also looking forward to tying up with MARKFED to sell their products.

Message by Prabhjot, Shaminderjeet, & Sourav
“Today youngsters who are in the field of Microbiology should think towards making their education a boon for the society. There are many different fields in Microbiology, in which student can do wonders. And before starting, they should discuss with the people, learned men, professionals, and their professors, as much as they can.”

Anita Goyal

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Journey of a Passionate Woman from a Common Housewife to Renowned Personality- Zaika Ma’am

Earlier in India, after marriages, most of the women never have the confidence to pursue their hobbies and interest as their career and they just use to sit at home and do their house chores. The reasons which come in support of not pursuing their interests was societal pressure, family pressure, conservative society, financial crisis, family responsibilities and much more. But there were still some women who could not be stopped by anyone. And for those women this line natch the best – Nothing can dim the light that shines from within.

Such a woman who has always been an inspiration for women’s society is Anita Goel. Anita Goyal is a successful entrepreneur from a town in Ludhiana called Jagraon. She is very popular in her hometown for her cooking classes and is leading her business under the brand name called Zaika Cooking Classes. She also teaches painting and embroidery to her students, and all her students are from young age girls in their teens to elderly ladies. Her passion for cooking has led to spread her name so far that she is known as ZAIKA MA’AM in her city. She also became a member of Kisan Club in PAU in 2009 and till then she is conducting cooking classes in PAU regularly. All her students are very passionate about taking cooking lessons from her and listens to her very calmly whenever she start taking her lesson.

Well, all this success, prosperity and name is not achieved so easily. It all started in 1986 after her marriage. She was married in a family, where till now no woman has put a step outside the house and done any kind of work outside the house. But she was the first one. Her husband was an advocate by profession, so basically, their family was financially sound and there was no need for her to lay hands and work. But it was her passion, which led her to this level of achievement, she has gained today. She is currently living with her happy and complete family (husband, two sons, one daughter, two daughter-in-laws, and grandchildren) in Jagraon and also managing her daily business and teaching schedules along with her younger son. For her, her family is the greatest strength who supported her all this way and never discourage her from what she was doing.

It is said that to be great you need to start from the small and same did Mrs. Anita Goyal. She earned Rs. 750 per month from her first job, to which her husband objected in the beginning and for her also it was very difficult to manage everything (cost of cooking ingredients, convenience, personal use) in that little amount. She faced many hurdles and hitches in starting her own business. Even though she has lost a lot in life, but she never gets demotivated and always kept her zeal and enthusiasm alive. After working very hard, she finally got her break through and she officially opened her cooking classes and today she is successfully running her own business.

For her, cooking is like dispensing happiness, and the thing that makes her cooking skills unique and special from others is healthiness and wellness quotient of the food products made by her. She makes every type of bakery products, pickles, chutneys, 17 types of spices, 3 types of instant mix spices and also 3 types of instant sweet dishes mix (thandai, phirni and kheer) . She use flour (flour is made from hard wheat) instead of refined flour (cake flour or Maida in Hindi) while baking bread, muffins, pizza base, cakes of different flavor, coconut castle, cupcakes, biscuits and other bakery products. And in her pickles, she never adds any kind of added preservatives except salt, sugar, and oil; because according to her, salt, sugar and oil are natural preservatives in themselves. Everything made by her is very healthy and natural. She makes so delicious pickles that, even demands comes from abroad for her pickles. She says that, if you are giving the best then you will definitely stand out from the rest.

She also has a little kitchen garden in her backyard, where she grows turmeric, green chili, and other seasonal vegetables for her home use. She is in her sixties, but from her active participation and involvement in different events, exhibitions, and business, it seems that she is going to prosper more and achieve greatly in future. Mrs. Anita Goyal’s hobby and passion for cooking has helped her in making her own identity in the society and earn well. Currently, she is planning to take her business to the next level and open an official shop where she can sell all her products easily.

Message by Mrs. Anita Goyal-
“According to her- No work is small or big, if you really want to make a change, all you need is immense determination and willpower to push through. You have to be strong-willed, only then you can achieve what you want. A woman can only bring change in her life with her own strength and not excuses. Women should make their own identity in the society and get recognized for their skill and talent, not just their husband’s name because it feels very proud when your family gets recognized because of you.”

Paramjit Kaur

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How a Woman with the Zest of a Female Sikh Warrior Is Covering the Milestones to Become a Rising Entrepreneur

Women have contributed a lot in the past for the community along with men, but oftentimes women contribution is overlooked. In India, there were several women who ruled, taught and served the country, their community and their people in the past. They have managed organizations, guided communities and led revolts against the enemies. And all these accomplishments are admirable in their own right. These Female Warriors were great inspiration for women before and even today. One such woman who is inspired by a great female Sikh warrior- Mai Bhago, and is a rising entrepreneur is Paramjit Kaur.

Paramjit Kaur is a woman of strength and faith, who took the first step of establishing Mai Bhago group in her village Lohara (Ludhiana). She started this group in 2008 and since then she is devoting her most of the time in expanding the business and adding and refining the products. Well, there is no doubt that being a woman in the man’s world and establishing a business of their own is no cake walk. It was Paramjit Kaur’s willpower and her family support which helped her in forming the group.

Behind the startup of every good thing, there is a guiding force, similarly, behind the Paramjit Kaur’s motivation of starting her own group was a social activist Suman Bansal, who helped her in getting one-month free training in homemade food products in the Punjab University of Ludhiana. And after that, she never looked back. Today, she has 16 members under her and she guides everyone personally.

Products made by Mai Bhago group are seven types of squashes, perfumes, jal-jeera, phenyl, body moisturizing balm, sabzi tadka, honey, herbal shampoo and mango chutney. Paramjit Kaur herself visit the market to buy the raw material of all the products. Everything made by Mai Bhago is handmade and they use machines for extracting the fruit juice, packing and sealing the food products.

• All the squashes are made from very natural process using the fruit extracts and give the taste of real fruits;

• Perfumes are made from different types of roses and contain the natural essence of rose fragrance;

• Jal-jeera powder which will give you a refreshing taste;

• Pure honey extracted from a very natural process;

• Herbal shampoo which does not contain any type of chemicals;

Well, these are just a few to mention, in future, they are going to come up with more natural and herbal products.

Paramjit Kaur is just 10th passed but her achievements and determination to do something on her own, has won her award and prize money of Rs 50,000 from Captain Kawaljeet Singh on the 55th celebration of Cooperative Society. She has also won appreciation award from the Punjab Agriculture University of Ludhiana for her admirable work. Apart of this, she is actively involved in events, exhibitions, and committee that are for the welfare of farmers, self-help groups, and entrepreneurs. She and her husband are the secretary of Cooperative Society and make decisions in helping the needful people. She is also an active member of Kisan Club and attends monthly meeting and farmer fairs regularly to be updated about the new things and technology in the farming field.

Despite being involved in so many activities and her business, Paramjit Kaur never neglected her children and family responsibilities. She always took complete care of her kid’s education and wants them to go for higher education and do great in their life ahead. Currently, her son is pursuing diploma in electrical and her daughter has done BA and now she is pursuing MA. Her kids are interested in supporting her business in the future and whenever they get time from their studies and college, they assist her in attending events and exhibitions.

Apart from her busy world, she has some hobbies for which she is very much eager and excited, and that is the kitchen gardening and teaching religious music to kids. No matter how much busy she is, she always makes out time from her busy schedule to contribute to her hobbies. She loves to do gardening and she has a small kitchen garden for it, where she grows seasonal vegetables (lady finger, eggplant, bitter gourd, chili etc.) and herbal plants (Aloe Vera, tulsi, sage, thyme, mint etc.). She is also very passionate about teaching religious music, musical instrument and how to read Guru Granth Sahib to the kids. In the evening, nearby children visit her and learn from her very eagerly how to play harmonium, sitar, and tabla. And she provides all these lessons free of cost.

Paramjit Kaur is a great inspiration for the other ladies of her village. She always wanted to do something on her own, because according to her doing something on her own makes the woman confident and independent. Even she never stopped her daughter from doing anything which will lead her to be an individualistic and self-regulating personality in the future. Nowadays, she is promoting her group through different platforms and is planning to expand it to a huge level.

A very true line said by Shad Helmstetter-

“It is the big choices we make that set our direction. It is the smallest choices we make that get us to the destination.”

So it is totally up to your choice, what path you chose and where you reach. And Mrs. Paramjit Kaur has already chosen her path.


Message by Paramjit Kaur
“Today every woman need to be independent and self-assured in order to survive the world. Learning to support yourself is a major element of any success you hope to achieve. Females should recognize their skill and stand up on their feet to financially, mentally and emotionally support themselves, because in the end, you will have yourself to fall back on.”

Amandeep Kaur

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Story of a Young Girl with Budding Skills Trying to Stand on Her Own Feet & Make Her Identity in the Society with Her Culinary Skills

It is said that those who want to achieve something in their life, for them only a small motivation or inspiration is enough. God has sent everyone with a gift box, only a few of them open their package and identify their hidden talent, and most of the people never dare to do that due to lack of confidence. But a girl from Moga dared to recognized her talent and stand on her own feet to become independent.

Amandeep Kaur a 25 year old girl from Lande ke Moga is a budding entrepreneur, who is trying to make her own identity in the society. As we know that behind every leader, there is a struggling experience which provokes them to reach that spot, same is with Amandeep. She is a young and enthusiastic soul similar to other girls, but her determination is what makes her stand out from others. Currently, she lives with her brother and mother, her father passed away quite a long time ago. And due to the financial crisis, she stopped studying after 10th. But as we all might have heard, those who are meant to do something great and stand out from all the crowd, they cannot be stopped by any kind of difficulties.

Today, Amandeep is leading a group of 7 girls known as Swati Women Cooperative Society, and under this brand name she is taking little steps towards success. Behind the formation of this group, there is hand of female philanthropist Mrs. Sundara, she only gave a small inspiration and that was enough for Amandeep to gather the rest of the girls and start up with their own business of homemade pickles and chutneys.

Amandeep Kaur explained that how Mrs. Sundara herself visited their village (village name) in 2003, gathered them (group members) and make them aware that what capabilities they have and how they can make their skills useful to themselves, instead of sitting idle. She also help Amandeep and other girls by enrolling them in the training of making homemade products like pickles, chutney and many other food products and also motivated them to study further.

Amandeep is not only working to earn and support her family but also to make her own identity in the society. She is very passionate about the work she is doing and she has also planned to pursue her education in the field of home culinary so that she can come up with different food products to sell it in the market. Name of the other girls’ are- Parminder, Baljeet, Ranjit, Gurpreet, Channi, Manjit, Pawandeep; these girls are very young, in their early twenties or below, but due to some circumstantial situation, they all have dropped out of their education in the middle. But they still have the zeal and enthusiasm to continue their study, explore new things, earn their own livelihood and be independent. All the girls are very fervent about their work and are interested in continuing their study along with SWCS business.

Amandeep and all her group members are very hard working and know how to manage their work efficiently. They buy all their raw material from the market (sabzi mandi) themselves for making pickles, chutney and fragrant waters. They make more than 10 variety of pickles, 2 types of chutney, 3 types of fragrant water and candies also.

Everything is handmade by them and is purely natural without any preservative. Pickles, chutneys, and candies made by them are very delicious and original in flavor and will remind you the taste of your grandmother’s hand.

Some of the most selling products are Mango Chutney, Lachha Nimbu Pickle, Ginger Pickle and Garlic Pickle. They visit as many exhibitions and events as they can to sell their handmade natural products; and other than that they personally visit different societies and committees of different districts to sell their product. Till now they have covered Fategarh, Firozpur, Ludhiana, and Moga, and in the coming time, there will be more cities. Usually, they use to make nearly 100 boxes of each pickle containing 1 kg each per day.

Currently, the group total income in only 20000 per month and it is very difficult for them to manage in such a tight cash flow. The reason behind this problem is they don’t have any proper platform to sell their product and also very few people know about Swati Women Cooperative Society. Well, according to them this is just the beginning and these types of hardships are never going to demotivate them or stop them from what they are doing.

Message by Amandeep Kaur (PRESIDENT OF SWATI WOMEN COOPERATIVE SOCIETY)
“Every girl should recognize their skill and use them wisely to be independent on their own. Today, women should not be dependent on others, they should be self-determining and self-regulating. Because it feels good when you have power in your hand to fulfil your own wishes. And education is very much necessary in enlightening and guiding the correct path. Working and being independent makes you feel special and confident of what you are. So, every girl should complete their education and choose the path which interests them and can help them to earn a good living.”

Gurdial Singh

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How A Farmer’s Hard Work & Passion Led the Yellow Revolution in the Gurdaspur District of Punjab

Punjab is a state where the dominance of wheat and paddy cultivation is greater as compared to the other crops because it generates a great level of profit to the cultivators. And generally, the farmer also prefer to invest in wheat and paddy farming because of the positive profit results. But there is a farmer who is different from the others, and he thought of initiating a change in the farming culture by starting the Yellow Revolution.

Mr. Gurdial Singh a turmeric farmer from Sallopur village in Gurdaspur district, has three roles by profession- a farmer, an entrepreneur and a turmeric cultivation trainer. Today he is cultivating turmeric, processing it, marketing his product himself and selling it in the market; he is not dependent on the third person to sell his produce. He chose a different path from the rest of the farmer to make his own identity in the society. At present, his yearly turmeric production is between 1500 to 2000 quintals and he is the king of Green Gold Spice Group.

Success is not achieved so easily, a person has to do hard work, face difficulties and hardships and sometimes losses also occurs. After facing all these adversities, with the spirit of not giving up and moving forward in the same direction, helps in achieving success. Gurdial Singh’s farming story is similar. After passing his matriculation he tried for government jobs, but getting failed after many attempts he decided to go hand in hand with his father to support him in farming. From the beginning, he was never satisfied with the conventional farming methods, because a farmer isn’t able to get the right worth of his crops grown from his hard work. So, in 2004 he experimented with turmeric cultivation on a small land with the guidance of Horticulture Department. And along with that he also started processing turmeric into turmeric powder but without using any machinery.

Processing turmeric into turmeric powder manually was very backbreaking. So, after the Horticulture Department suggestion, he installed mechanized processing unit for turmeric powder production. Further, he also invested in modern farming machinery, such as tractor, trolley, leveller, tiller etc. And all these steps taken by him has increased the production of raw turmeric from 60 Quintals to 110 Quintals today. By putting all these stepping stones together he started his own turmeric processing plant in 2007 and named it as Green Gold Haldi Processing Plant and Haldi Green Gold Spice is one of the products of this plant. His family including wife, two sons, one daughter, and everyone plays a major role in all the activities related to the processing of turmeric such as washing, boiling, polishing and grinding. He also has 4-5 labours working for him in the processing plant and all the packaging, sealing and stamping work is done by the equal contribution of family members in his home. After setting up all the machinery system there are still some minor problems that he is facing. Out of all the problems, not having enough space for drying up the boiled raw turmeric is the one.

The reasons behind why Gurdial Singh chose turmeric cultivation are:

• It needs less irrigation, in the time period between sowing to harvesting (8-10 months), irrigation is done only 10-12 times.

• Moreover, as turmeric is an antibiotic in nature, so the turmeric crop do not seem to catch any kind of disease from any other plants or crops, due to which less chemicals and sprays are used in turmeric farming.

• He invests around 35000 in one acre of land, and in one acre of land he sows 5 quintals of seeds and potato digger can also be used for turmeric harvesting.

• He sows turmeric in 6-7 acres of his total land, and after sometime, he rotates the crops, due which the land in which turmeric was cultivated becomes more fertile.

So, if a farmer is interested in turmeric farming then he can also start with it easily. The total machinery cost invested by Gurdial Singh in setting up the turmeric processing plant was 4.5 lakhs. He takes all the suggestion for training, types of turmeric seed from Punjab Agriculture University and also gets 25% subsidy on “Green Gold Processing Unit” as per NHM guidelines by the Horticulture Department of Punjab. For his revolutionary work and the different path he has achieved many awards and appreciations, some of them are listed below:

• Udmai Kissan Award 2014 from CM of Punjab

• Datawid Kissan Award 2015

• Awarded by P.A.U. Ludhiana and Horticulture Department Punjab at Chappar Chiri

The way he is rising and advancing his farming methods, these are just a few awards that he has received and in future, he is going to receive many more.

Apart from turmeric farming and processing it into powder, he is also helping other fellow farmers of his village by giving them the right guidelines for turmeric farming. Today, almost 60 farmers are associated with him and he gives free training to all of them. He helps other farmers by purchasing raw turmeric from them at the right price. Apart of sowing turmeric in his own land (6-7 acres), he also helps his other friends by sowing turmeric in their fields. To support all his work through marketing and promotion, NABARD supports them by giving them space in different exhibitions, events and Kisaan Mela under the Farmer Producers Organizations.

Other than turmeric cultivation and processing, Gurdial Singh has also invested in beekeeping business. He started it in 2000 from just 5 boxes and with the time and investment today he has 100 boxes. He has employed labours for beekeeping to manage it properly. In the rest of the land, he grows lentils (green mung beans), eggplant, ladyfinger, wheat and paddy for his own home use. His future plans for Green Gold Haldi Processing Plant is to advance the packaging process by using hi-tech machines.

According to his thinking, if a farmer wants to earn good profit from his farming and do something great from his harvested crops, then he has to eliminate the middle man. Farmer has to start process his crops himself and sell it himself in the market. All these things need great effort, energy, and enthusiasm. Otherwise, if the farmer feels ashamed of selling his produce himself directly in the market then he cannot earn the profit and will remain at the same level. Furthermore, if a farmer is interested in turmeric cultivation then he can refer the experts of PAU or other successful turmeric farmers because experts can tell better about the types of seeds, and types of land required, and other necessary conditions.


MESSAGE BY GURDIAL SINGH

“According to the current needs, conventional farming ways cannot help the farmer. The farmers need to diversify if they want to earn well from their harvested produce. From modern farming ways, even a small farmer can also achieve success. Today, food processing is the need of the hour, so every farmer should start thinking in a different way. Farmer has to understand that there is no need of middleman to sell their product in the market. They can also do it on their own.“

Gurdev Kaur Deol

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Story of a Woman Who Is Leading a Change in the Women Society through Entrepreneurship

Over the years, women in India, have made a substantial impact and achieved success in most of the sectors, but still, there are many women who are way behind and are just confined to the household work. Today, we need to promote women to be a great part of the workforce and develop their skills. Because women have the power to accelerate the growth of country’s economy. And the best way to empower the women is by entrepreneurship not by charity. There are many people working voluntarily to promote women empowerment, but the best person who can empower a woman is a woman herself. One such woman who is working in the interest of womankind and encouraging them to be independent is Mrs. Gurdev Kaur Deol.

Gurdev Kaur Deol is a progressive farmer and president of Global Self-Help Group. Born and brought up on the land of Punjab, she was a strong-willed girl from the beginning. She was very active and enthusiastic, and always wanted to take initiative in helping her female counterpart and make them feel empowered.

Like other women, she was also married after completing her studies (MA- B.Ed. from G.H.G. Khalsa Colleges, Gurusar Sadhar, Ludhiana). But after her marriage, she realized that this is not all, for what she is meant for. In 1995 she started beekeeping with 5 boxes and 1999 she also started marketing self-made products like pickles, chutneys, etc.,

In 2004 she came in connection with PAU, and then she comprehended that, so far she had only theoretical knowledge, so she gained practical knowledge from PAU. She also became a member of Beekeeper Association of PAU. After doing this much on her own, she realized that she has to make other women of her society aware of their capabilities. So, in 2008, she formed a cooperative society by gathering 15 women of her village and named it Global Self-Help Group. She helped all the women of her group get enrolled in the PAU training program so that they can learn proper skills.

In the beginning her group started making pickle, chutney, jams, honey, sauces, squash juices and murraba. Soon her group started earning a good profit and after 6 months, the bank offered them the loan for their work. They expanded their work bit by bit and also started organic farming and added more products to their collection.

In 2012 she partnered with NABARD and got her group registered with them and turned it into an NGO, and after that, her group members started processing their work. After registering up with NABARD she was assigned a target to form 100 self-help groups more, to promote and encourage women to develop their skills and be independent. Till now she has made 25 groups and PAU is also helping her in making more groups. In 2015 she registered Global Self Help Group with Farmer Producer Organization. Till now she has connected more than 400 women and men and formed separate groups of them.

Today NABARD is also supporting her group by providing funds, so that she can provide practical training free of cost to unprivileged and needy women and make their groups. She always approaches a woman by telling her to start making recipes for her own family, children, and relatives. Because she thinks, if a housewife cannot meet the needs of her home, then how will she do the same thing outside.

Currently, Mrs. Gurdev Kaur Deol is living in Village Dasmesh Nagar, Ludhiana with her husband Mr. Gurdev Singh Deol, and is successfully running her group and guiding other women and farmers to do better.  Till now she has total 32 products including organic pulses, lentils, squashes, and spices. Beekeeping is one her favourite hobby and now her group has 450 boxes of honey bee boxes. She also does dairy farming and makes milk products for selling purpose. They also purchase organic pulses from the farmers, pack them and sell them. She sells all the products made by her group under the name of Global Agro-Food Products. She is earning good profits by Global Self Help Group.

In future, she is planning to open a shop in the name of her group, so that she can establish a proper platform to sell her products, and she also wants to connect the farmers from Himachal Pradesh for the trade of organic pulses, vegetables, and maize etc.,

Till now she has achieved many awards and achievements for her work. Some of them are listed below-

• Sardarni Jagbir Kaur Award in 2009
• State Award from Agriculture Department under ATMA Scheme in 2010
• National Award for Dairy Farming in 2011
• State Award To Global Self Help Group from NABARD in 2012


Message by Gurdev Kaur Deol
“Gurdev Kaur has a special message for the farmers who have less land. If a farmer has 3-4 acres of land, then they should start growing vegetables and pulses on it by following natural farming method, instead of wheat and paddy. Because organic farming can help them earn more profit in a safe way. And every woman should start using her skill and be productive.”