In the heartland of Ahmednagar, Maharashtra, a 24-year-old woman, Shraddha Dhawan, has become the beacon of a remarkable success story. Armed with an MSc in Physics and an unyielding determination, she transformed her family’s modest buffalo trading business into a thriving dairy enterprise, turning over a staggering Rs 1 crore.
Shraddha’s journey began at the tender age of 11, where she started assisting her father in milking buffaloes and supplying the milk to nearby dairies. Growing up in a family where her father, despite being differently-abled, nurtured a small buffalo trading business, she imbibed invaluable lessons early on.
“I would ask a lot of questions related to the business. My father would share his tips. I also learned the code language used in buffalo trade negotiations. So from milking buffaloes to supplying milk and bargaining with traders, I learned everything by the time I was 13–14 years old,”
shares Shraddha, reflecting on her early foray into the trade.
The family’s buffalo count, initially at two, saw exponential growth under Shraddha’s astute guidance, soaring to a staggering 80. This exponential increase in cattle was complemented by her vision to optimize the business’s revenue streams.
“We did not have a buffalo shed for many years. By 2016, Shraddha Farm had 45 buffaloes, and the family constructed a two-storied shed to house them”
she recounts, emphasizing the incremental progress.
Her strategic acumen and prudent financial decisions steered her away from the debt cycle. Instead of succumbing to interest payments, Shraddha reinvested profits into expanding the business by acquiring more cattle, setting the stage for substantial growth.
However, her ambitions didn’t halt there. She identified opportunities to enhance the quality of milk production, a decision that would significantly bolster profits. Presently, her dairy yields approximately 350 liters of milk daily. About 100 liters are channeled to her uncle’s factory, while the remainder is supplied to a company’s milk collection center.
Yet, Shraddha’s entrepreneurial spirit extended beyond dairy production. Approximately three years ago, she diversified the business by venturing into vermicompost production.
“We sell around 30,000 kg of vermicompost per month in wholesale to farmers across Maharashtra. It is priced at Rs 8 per kg,”
she reveals, underlining her commitment to diversification and innovation.
Shraddha Dhawan’s incredible journey from a young girl assisting her father to a visionary entrepreneur heading a thriving dairy business serves as a testament to determination, resilience, and an unwavering passion for success. Her story is not merely about transforming a small family business but about creating opportunities, empowering the community, and inspiring the next generation of entrepreneurs. Shraddha stands as a shining example of how dedication, hard work, and innovation can turn dreams into a reality, regardless of the starting point.
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