It was the year 1956. Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat with seven other neighborhood women started making papads with an investment of a mere Rs. 80. Today, their business model is a multimillion dollar company and it is a household name in the country- Lijjat Papad. Popat, one of the co-founders, received the Padma Shri in November 2021 for her contribution to industry and consumer goods. This is her story of making a difference and driving the kindness revolution!
For Jaswantiben, kindness meant helping other women stand on their feet and giving them strength through employment. The highlight ingredient is nothing but providing employment and empowering women of our country. She set a perfect example of women empowerment and diligence.
The brand needs no introduction, but there is a story behind it which inspires many today. The business was initially set up in Mumbai’s Girgaum area. The seven other women who helped Popat begin the business are Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundlia, Banuben Tanna, Laguben Amritlal Gokani, and Jayaben Vithalani. They all became the co-founders of what came to be known as the Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad.
Today, this women centric effort started by Jaswantiben with just Rs. 80 and seven others have grown into a business with a turnover of Rs. 800 Crore with 60 branches that gives employment to 45000 women across the country and makes them self-reliant. Indeed, the eight women who began in 1956 pushed boundaries with the only skill that Gujarati housewives knew the best then, i.e cooking.
At 91 years of age now, Jaswantiben continues to look after the business. Popat did not have any knowledge about running a business when she started. But she gathered up courage and perseverance to make a profit out of her business. Further with hard work, her business grew so much that her papad brand is now a popular household name all over the country.But what is the most significant is that it employs so many rural women who are illiterate but skilled. Popat transformed a small home business into a large cottage industry over the years. Currently, the papad is sold all over the country as well as exported to other countries including England, the USA, Singapore, Thailand, and the Netherlands.
For her, the Padma Shri belongs to every woman working at Lijjat. As she said “This recognition is the fruit of their hard work. Each woman working at Lijjat is considered as the ‘malik’ and not as a worker for they contribute equally to its success.” This is where she draws a kind inspiration by providing opportunities of success and growth to rural women of the country. She never felt tired in running the business. Continuous profits kept coming and she kept growing with her team. When the business was set up first, the company was named Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad. Later in 1962, it was renamed Lijjat Papad. Out of the initial establishers, Popat is the sole surviving member now.
Being one of the world’s oldest co-operatives to support women through employment opportunities, it stands on some core values. From providing quality products at reasonable prices to having a solid distribution network, Lijjat has earned its success through sustainable entrepreneurship and the trust of customers. Jaswantiben has been the driving force behind the initiative, it was her perseverance that made it work for thousands of women across the country and many more customers across the globe.
She is always driven through kindness and empathy while looking at the business. Jaswantiben became a figure of entrepreneurial skills and leadership for so many generations of women to come after her.
This is her inspiring story of laying foundations of rural female employment in the country, giving a chance to other women to stand out and grow the emotion of sisterhood within women!
Jaswantiben and her story of building the Lijjat Papad empire remains a testimony to women empowerment and the kindness revolution till date!
Here’s hoping for more and more entrepreneurial success and inspiration to million other women of the world!
