The Incredible Story of Lijjat Papad!

[Echo_419]

Today, Lijjat is more than just a household name for 'papad'.

Officially known as Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad, the organisation's main objective is empowerment of women by providing them employment opportunities. Started in the year 1959, the turnover touched 200 crores in 2002 and 650 crores in 2010 . Today, the turnover stands at over 800 crores annually.

Lijjat Papad was the brainchild of seven Gujarati women who had nothing more than a belan and started off with a borrowed capital of Rs 80. They bought ingredients and started work on their terrace to produce four packets of papads in 1959. These seven spirited ladies had set the ball rolling. As the days went by, more women joined this initial group and the institution grew fast.

Lijjat believes in the philosophy of sarvodaya and collective ownership. It accepts all its working members as the owners and an equal partaker in both profit and loss. The members are co-owners and fondly referred to as "sisters". All the decisions are based on consensus and any member-sister has the right to veto a decision. Men can only be salaried employees and not the members of the organisation, which is understandable for a women's cooperative.

‘Lijjat Papad’ is a phenomenal embodiment of the entrepreneurship acumen and aspirations of rural Indian women. It proves that one does not need Ivy-League education and big investor money to create and sustain successful businesses. All it takes is an undying spirit to succeed.

The Logical Indian salutes this amazing spirit and hopes many more such efforts gain big success.

*Story picked up from the fb post of 'The Logical Indian'.

You don't need aMBAto do that
Hats of to these weapon

 

[Bornubus]

Thanks for sharing.....gujratis know how to turn small scale industry....into a grand success....Amul is another ex..

recently had lot of them during holy

 

[Levina]

Thanks for sharing.....gujratis know how to turn small scale industry....into a grand success....Amul is another ex..

recently had lot of them during holy

Vergehese Kurien , the founder of Amul was a mallu.

 

[Bornubus]

Vergehese Kurien , the founder of Amul was a mallu.

True...but Gujrat was his karma-Bhoomi.

 

[janon]

You're talking their present and I was talking about their past. The article says these women had nothing but belan and some borrowed money when they started off.

Arey, that way everybody can be called a housewife or unemployed, before they get employed. The fact is that for years now, they have been running a succesful business that they created. You don't call Kiran Bedi (or anybody else) a housewife because she was unemployed before she began her career.

‘Lijjat Papad’ is a phenomenal embodiment of the entrepreneurship acumen and aspirations of rural Indian women. It proves that one does not need Ivy-League education and big investor money to create and sustain successful businesses. All it takes is an undying spirit to succeed.

Putting my cynical hat on, I would say that in fact their lack of a pompous business degree is what enabled them to be so succesful. They did not go to B-school, and so they were not taught that these things could not be done.

 

[Levina]

Arey, that way everybody can be called a housewife or unemployed, before they get employed. The fact is that for years now, they have been running a succesful business that they created. You don't call Kiran Bedi (or anybody else) a housewife because she was unemployed before she began her career.
.

ROFL
Okay I give up.

 

[janon]

ROFL
Okay I give up.

Just the gender non discriminationist in me getting rattled.

 

[dray]

Yep.....this was waaaaayyyyy before high school too

Yes, and TVs were a rare thing back then!

What the hell 're you doing Mr.Ray?? Lol
Kidding!!

Working for others business!!

Some risks 're worth taking.
From whatever lil I know about you I think you'll make a good business man (invade you're not one already).

I am halfway into it.

I liked the new name.

Thanku!

Hm?
Lijjat papad is available in the market. Isn't it??

Very much! I think they are market leader.

Arey, that way everybody can be called a housewife or unemployed, before they get employed. The fact is that for years now, they have been running a succesful business that they created. You don't call Kiran Bedi (or anybody else) a housewife because she was unemployed before she began her career.

Let's say they were simple housewives who were most likely to live and die as housewives, but they made an extraordinary effort to create something wonderful and change the lives of themselves and thousands of others like them.

Putting my cynical hat on, I would say that in fact their lack of a pompous business degree is what enabled them to be so succesful. They did not go to B-school, and so they were not taught that these things could not be done.

MBA helps one get a good job with decent salary, and then that person becomes dependent upon that salary and loses the appetite for risk! Daily jobs kill bright ideas!

 

[GodToons]

These examples shows success of small scale entrepreneurship of Indian people. Salute