Lucknow/Mumbai,
30 April (HS): When Sumitra Kalyan
Chavan, fondly known as Sumitra Tai, got married and moved to Mulewadi in
Ahmednagar district, her new life began in a cramped 100-square-foot rented tin
shed. She shared this small space with her husband, father-in-law, and
brother-in-law. As the only woman in the household, she managed daily expenses
with the help of her husband’s modest tailoring enterprise.
In
2006 Transform Rural India (TRI),
solution designers for regenerative development, helped design the
Kulswamini self-help group (SHG) in Mulewadi under the Lakhpati Didi
initiative, a government program aimed at enabling rural women to earn over Rs.
one lakh annually. Sumitra Tai took a loan at two per cent interest and started
a saree business to complement her husband’s tailoring work. As their business
grew, they expanded their reach, first travelling to neighbouring villages on a
two-wheeler and eventually saving enough to buy a shop in a nearby marketplace.
A
key turning point came when Sumitra Tai’s mother transferred land ownership to
her son-in-law after her passing. Taking this responsibility seriously, Sumitra
Tai and her husband gradually shifted their focus from tailoring to
agriculture. They began cultivating millets, pulses and turmeric. Thanks to the
contacts built through their saree business and SHG association, they had a
ready network across neighbouring villages to sell their produce. While
turmeric was grown in their fields, processing and packaging were initially
outsourced, with sales happening through their shop and any surplus sold to
traders from Sangli.
The
COVID-19 pandemic opened a new opportunity. With rising demand for turmeric due
to its medicinal properties, Sumitra Tai decided to establish her own brand and
set up an in-house processing and packaging unit. She secured a loan of Rs
34,000 under the Pradhan Mantri Formalisation of Micro Food Processing
Enterprises (PMFME) scheme for packaging units and materials. Since then, she
has been selling turmeric under her own brand, ‘Samruddhi’. Her sons support
her with marketing and distribution, and she proudly shares that clients from
Europe and America now purchase her products whenever they visit India. Her
annual turnover from turmeric sales alone has reached around Rs. Five lakh.
“The
consistent support and opportunities provided through the ‘Lakhpati Didi’
initiative by TRI has changed lives, broken the cycle of poverty, empowered
women and uplifted their families. Such programmes play a key role in helping
women build sustainable livelihoods and are much needed in rural belts where
wealth generation remains a distant dream for most families. My story is proof
that with the right guidance, miracles are possible and transformative change
can indeed happen, says Sumitra Tai.
Today,
while the day-to-day operations are largely managed by her daughter-in-law,
Yogita, who handles processing, packaging, and labelling, Sumitra Tai continues
to oversee cultivation and quality. Her story offers valuable lessons,
especially for those who believe agriculture cannot be financially viable. It
is also significantly relevant that as of March 2023, India boasts over 8.2
million SHGs with 89 million members. Despite these growing numbers, rural
entrepreneurs still face challenges such as limited access to finance,
infrastructure gaps, and a lack of training and role models.
Sumitra
Tai transitions into a retirement phase, her journey stands as a meaningful
example of how determination, opportunity, and community support can change
lives. For many rural women aspiring to build a better future, she remains an
inspiring figure shaped by the possibilities the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative has
created.
Hindusthan Samachar / Abhishek Awasthi
