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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'.