From facing financial struggles to becoming a successful entrepreneur. Meet Krishna Yadav, who runs a thriving business and generates a revenue of Rs 5 crore.
Early Life and Background
Krishna was born in a small village of Daulatpur in Uttar Pradesh. She never went to school. After getting married she moved to Bulandshahr.
Everything was going well until her husband lost his traffic police officer job in the mid-1990s; the family experienced extreme financial difficulties. However, without losing heart, her husband decided to start his vehicle trading business. Unfortunately, he incurred huge losses.
To put up with the expenses, they had to sell their own (150 guz/1337 sq ft). Things were getting more difficult for them such that they had to go without meal for days.
Time to Take the Next Step
Despite this, she didn’t give up. To overcome these challenges Krishna decided to move to Delhi with her husband and three young children in search of work. However, as she didn’t have any formal education, it was difficult to find a good job. After two months, they got to work in the field through sharecropping.
The family of five lived in a small room on the field and began cultivating vegetables. However, they couldn’t make enough money with this despite working hard and giving their all efforts. The reason was the fluctuating vegetable prices in the market leading to less to no profits in their hand.
The Eureka Moment
Through the struggle, a significant turning point came in Krishna’s life when she heard about a training program from a television show. Taking it as an opportunity, she enrolled in a course at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK). During the program, she learned about making pickles and murabba (Marmalade). This newfound knowledge transformed her life.
Entrepreneurial Journey Began: Shri Krishna Pickles by Krishna Yadav
In 2002, Krishna’s entrepreneurial journey began when she began producing pickles. However, in the beginning, she could not manage to sell them due to not being a well-known brand. Her husband helped her by selling the pickles at the side of the road while she and her children made them.
The couple used to set up a small roadside table stall and put their products on display. Although that road was not a very busy one yet they wanted to try their luck by attracting customers. And to do that, they put 2 earthen pots (matti ka ghadha) along with the pickles. For people who stopped to drink free water, the couple offered them free pickles samples.
This strategy helped them gain the attention of people, and over the years, her pickles gained immense popularity. After seeing the high demand for her pickles, Krishna officially launched her venture named Shri Krishna Pickles.
Later, she expanded her venture by including over 250 varieties of pickles. By 2016, she eventually grew to sell 200 tones of food products. With hard work and dedication, Yadav became a successful businesswoman. Her success not only helped her but also generated a job opportunity for people in rural areas. Later, along with her husband, she opened a shop in Najafgarh and four different business ventures. This led to an impressive annual turnover of around 40 million INR.
Revenue
Krishna’s strategic business skills led to a significant growth of her startup. From struggling to employing over 100 women, she became an inspiration for many others. With dedication and hard work, Yadav generated a turnover of over Rs 5 crore.
Success and Recognition
For her incredible work and entrepreneurial spirit, she was recognized with several awards. She received the Outstanding Women Award from the National Commission for Women on the occasion of International Women’s Day 2012. Another award she received in 2013 was the Innovative Award for Agriculture and allied activities during the Global Agriculture Summit, and in 2014 she earned the Prestigious N G Ranga Award. The journey of Krishna shows facing challenges can make you stronger.