We all say this without realizing the gravity of other person’s situations. Just as Poonam Sharma, a mother from Gurugram. She faced humiliation when her children were removed from class due to unpaid fees because after her husband lost his job, their financial conditions deteriorated. Now she is an entrepreneur, earning lakhs, but her journey inspires many, showcasing how she turned adversity into success.
Flashback Time!
It was over a decade ago when Poonam Sharma’s life took a devastating turn. Her children were removed from class in front of their peers, and she stood by, powerless.
Reason: 3 months of unpaid fees, with the impending risk of facing three more.
Gurugram-based Poonam pleaded to the school authority not to take this drastic step and allow her some time to arrange the money.
But instead of supporting her, they rejected her heartfelt pleas, forcing her children to abandon their education midway through the year. 💔
How heartbreaking it is!
On their way back home, tears streamed down her face: that day she felt both humiliation and heartbreak. Her children were innocent and oblivious to the hardships that led to this moment, and could only feel the weight of their mother’s anguish.
But How Did They Ended Up Like This?
It all started when her husband Rajesh Kumar lost his job unexpectedly. He worked at the Delhi airport, and this sudden adversity created uncertainty for the family. Heavy-heartedly, they moved their children from good international schools to less expensive one while searching for new job opportunities.
But Poonam, being educated only till class 8 and burdened with household responsibilities, felt crushed at that moment.
However, 44-year-old now-entrepreneur Poonam has her own food business Dadi Ka Pitara. She sells laddoos, chocolates, French fries, namkeen, and more. Moreover, the demand for her products at weddings, corporate gifting, and birthday parties is ever-increasing.
A big news: her products gained international popularity by reaching USA and Canada.
A Journey from Heartbreak to Hope
After Poonam’s husband lost his job, she turned to stitching to support her family. Sometime later, she discovered an opportunity through a government initiative led by President Pranab Mukherjee. The initiative was aimed at promoting women’s entrepreneurship in her village, Tajnagar. She got excited and enrolled in a program to learn new skills.
The program facilitators mentioned their preferences of home-cooked meals over restaurant food. Poonam was known for her cooking skills, and she offered to prepare meals. And after tasting the food made by her, the team affectionately called her Annapurna, the goddess of food.
This built a positivity within Poonam that led to a regular catering agreement for three daily meals for 30 people.
This was the opportunity that she realized and changed into a catering business by taking help from 10 more women.
New Secrets to Uncover
While providing basic cooked meals, she started exploring local snacks like mathri and sweets. She once received a notable order for bajra roti and churma from an international team. This shifted her focus to millets. Recognizing the rising demand for millet-based foods, she started promoting her products at local exhibitions. She focused on appealing to health-conscious consumers.
Unpredictability of Life
In 2020, Poonam had a paralytic attack, and this left her with limited mobility in her left leg. For a brief time, it felt like her thriving business might come to a standstill.
She was struggling to even walk and she was canceling all incoming orders.
It made her feel: Is this how her dear business is going to end? Would she be able to work again?
But her dedicated team uplifted her spirits and encouraged her. They urged her to lead them despite her physical challenges. This might seem a little gesture, but their unwavering support was the main ingredient in her complete recovery.
And like this, she re-entered the business with renewed vigor and enthusiasm.
Recognition for the Fighter
Poonam, despite physical challenges, resumed working, and soon her story became the talk of the town. This attracted attention, and her inspiring life story and struggles were respected and earned her numerous recognitions.
But the most notable one was in 2023 when she received the Sushma Swaraj Award at the district level.
Walking One Step at a Time Towards Success
Dadi Ka Pitara slowly grew and presently it offers 100 types of millet-based products. May it be savory snacks or preservative-free laddoos, her products are becoming everyone’s favorite across Gurugram, Chandigarh, Delhi NCR, Jodhpur, and internationally in Canada and the USA.
Poonam is also planning to expand her business on e-commerce platforms.
Overall, 2024 sales done by Dadi Ka Pitara were around Rs 7 lakh.
Empowering Others and Growing Together
Dadi ka Pitara is not just a business, it is a lot more. It is a movement through which she empowers others. Collaborating with 9 self-help groups under the Haryana State Rural Livelihood Mission (HSRLM), she is training over 500 women and providing employment to 120.
HOW?
She is sourcing raw materials directly from these women. Thus, she is enhancing their economic status and fostering a support system that exceeds her own immediate achievements.
EndNote
What Poonam got from her business is not just income or fame. What actually matters is that she is now Poonam Sharma, the founder of Dadi Ka Pitara, and not just some housewife or Rajesh’s wife. Today, she is not dependent on her husband’s name for introducing herself. She has a name of her own!
Her son has completed an MBA and her daughter is studying agriculture. Moreover, her husband has stable employment, and with this, they successfully restored a balance in their life.
Her journey is a lesson, an inspiration, and a motivation for women and girls. Come on, don’t be shy, don’t be like the back wheel of a vehicle. Lead your life the way you want. Make goals and achieve them! Yes, we can do it. 💪🏼
You can shop your pack of millet-based products and Follow her journey @DadiKaPitara
