Through the ‘Lakhpati Didi’ initiative, Sumitra Kalyan Chavan from Mulewadi village in Ahmednagar district emerges as a role model for women across the state
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.
