India is a country full of entrepreneurs and many people are setting up start-ups and a large number of these successful startups are run by IIT & IIM Graduates.
IIT & IIM graduates are regarded as the most elite class of human beings and this is not hypocrisy as these IIT/IIM students never fail to prove their worth to the nation. Most of the start-ups started by these unique minds have the most innovative ideas.
Kaushalendra, a guy born in the Nalanda District of Bihar and a resident of Patna, is one such mind. The IIM Gold Medalist who changed the fate of Farmer and Vegetable Vendors.
Imagine a Gold Medalist from IIM- Ahmedabad, who would otherwise attract the best of the multinational companies and grab a hefty package, decides to be a job creator and starts selling vegetables. Don’t believe it?! Patna’s Kaushaledra makes you believe!
Kaushalendra of Patna has done exactly that. Born in Mohammadpur village of Nalanda district, Bihar, Kaushalendra is the youngest of his siblings. Both his parents were teachers in the village. After completing his school, he wanted to pursue B.Tech from an IIT, but things did not work out and he had to do his B.Tech from Indian Council of Agriculture Research,Junagadh, Gujarat.
After passing B.Tech in 2003, he got a job with monthly salary of Rs.6,000 in a firm that made irrigation instruments. But after some time, he left the job to prepare for the CAT examination aiming for IIM, Ahmedabad. He secured the top position and was awarded the gold medal in the final year of his MBA degree.
After completing management studies, Kaushalendra decided not to take up any job and returned to Patna in 2007. He founded Kaushalya Foundation along with his brother, to help increase coordination between farmers and vendors to build an organized vegetable business. The early days were not easy because of the lack of funds.
People made a mockery of him for being unemployed even after securing top degrees from top institutions. But he did not give up and launched Samriddhi Scheme that became a hit. Presently, over 35,000 farmers have joined his mission under Kaushalya Foundation and has around 700 employees.
When starting a small shop in front of a school in Patna, the first day’s earning was just Rs.22. Today, the annual profit of Kaushalya Foundation has reached Rs.5 crore. Many social organizations, agricultural institutions, and banks have extended their hands to join this innovative venture.
Kaushalendra is trying to add frozen vegetable products in the retail supply chain model among vegetable farmers and sellers scattered across Bihar. The staffs, associated with this project, collect vegetables from the farmers and bring them to the vendors. All possible help and advice related to farming are given to the farmers. Kaushalendra wants to make a firm where the vegetable farmers will change the nature of market like FDI in retail so that they become capable of bargaining.
After collecting vegetables from fields, it is necessary to maintain its freshness. So, Kaushalya Foundation has prepared ice-cold push carts for narrow streets of Patna and Nalanda. These carts are made of fibers and have a capacity of lifting 200 kg weight. There are electronic scales, too. The vegetables in it are fresh for 5-6 days. In order to counter big retailers, push carts deliver cheap and fresh vegetables to customers at their door steps.
From the beginning of Samriddhi Scheme, the income of the farmers has increased by 25-50 percent whereas the income of vegetable vendors has increased by 50-100 percent. Every vendor bags an earning of Rs.8000 per month with only 8 hours of working as compared to 14 hours earlier.
This initiative of Kaushalendra is undoubtedly a great effort to revive the conditions of the vegetable growers and vendors in Bihar. And, this is also an inspiration for those who think there are no opportunities in the agriculture sector. Farmers have knowledge of only farming. They are mostly uneducated to understand science, technology, government schemes, advanced varieties, new equipment, marketing strategies etc.
Thus, there are many opportunities that the educated youths can provide to these uneducated farmers and also become self-employed. They can also protect the interests of these farmers who are being exploited. All one need is a strong will and determination like Kaushalendra. It is also a proof that making money and doing social welfare can be done simultaneously.