The story of Grit & Entrepreneurship of Indian Women

 

This is the incredible story of Lijjat Papad .

We must all know the brand Lijjat Papad. Lijjat, in Gujarati, means tasty. The ''Lijjat Papad'' brand is known for having that ''touch of home'' we long for.  Their delicious, crispy papad is enough to satisfy any Indian craving. But what is behind this ''touch of home'' they manage to create in every single piece of papad they sell? The answer is hundreds of expert cooks behind the scene. That's right! Lijjat Papad is run by a group of women who have been cooking for their families for many decades. The secret to their tasty papad is their years of experience and experimentation in cooking.

Behind their success is also an inspirational story. Lijjat Papad was started by a group of seven Gujarati women with a desire to make enough money to run their household. They decided to start a company using the skill that they were all experts on: cooking. So they borrowed 80 rupees from a man named Chhaganlal Parekh to buy the necessary ingredients, and started by making four packets of papad. They sold it to a known vendor in Bhuleshwar.

Slowly their business grew, and Mr. Parekh became their mentor. More women joined them. By the end of the third year, there were more than 300 women that were part of the Lijjat Papad team. They opened different branches, and soon started selling soap, agarbattis(incense sticks), etc. They have won many awards, such as the ''Businesswoman of the Year'' award at the Economic Times Awards, as well as many others. In 2002, Lijjat Papad had a turnover of Rs 300 crore and exports worth Rs 10 crore.

We congratulate these women for making all of us proud and for breaking social and economic barriers in achieving their goals despite all the criticism they must've faced. These women have brought pride to our country, and taught people all over the nation that, with hard work and dedication, anyone can achieve whatever they want.

 

Author : Kavitha Kannan | Teacher @ BVM International School

 

Credits : https://imaproudindian.wordpress.com