She Battled Monkeys & Painful Leaves to Grow a Grain That Now Feeds Women In Her Village

Ever been swept away by a sudden wave of nostalgia — not for a place, but for a taste? Something that instantly brings back childhood memories or reminds you of home? For many in Arunachal Pradesh, that feeling comes with the earthy aroma of Adlay millet simmering on the stove.

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It’s more than just food — it’s the memory of meals shared with grandparents on misty mornings, the comfort of traditional flavours passed down through generations, and the quiet pride of a crop deeply rooted in the land and culture. That tug of nostalgia, the longing for a familiar taste, sparked something incredible in the mind of Dimum Pertin, a 32-year-old from the lush hills of the same state. But instead of just reminiscing, she chose to turn those memories into action.

Her mission? To bring back a nearly forgotten millet, Adlay, all because her grandmother missed it dearly. And in doing so, she's not just reviving a crop – she's nurturing dreams and opportunities for the women around her.

It started with an innocent longing 

Dimum's story isn't your typical startup narrative. It didn't begin with market research or a business plan in 2021. It started with something much more personal. “I resigned my work and came back home, wanting to do something with agriculture," she says. But the real catalyst was her grandmother's simple wish. 

“As my grandmother approached her octogenarian years, she began craving the food she grew up eating. One day, she particularly longed for a grain called anyat. To satisfy her craving, I began searching for it and learning more about this forgotten grain,” recalls Dimum. 

During her research period, she was made aware of the reality. “What struck me the most was how, once a staple food in our region, it had been completely overshadowed and replaced by rice,” she adds.

Dimum lists three reasons that she feels have hindered Adlay from being cultivated on a large scale:

1. Over time, the widespread promotion and distribution of rice cultivation played a major role in displacing adlay.
2. The introduction of various commercial crops in the region further pushed adlay into obscurity, especially since it was never commercialised or supported in the same way.
3. Harvesting adlay is also labour-intensive, and unlike rice, there are no machines or tools currently designed to ease its cultivation making it even less accessible to farmers.

Considering all these difficulties and problems, something clicked for Dimum. “So I decided, why not try reviving the adlay millet?” she shares. 

Finding the initial seeds was like searching for a lost treasure. “Procuring the seeds took longer than I expected,” Dimum laughs. “But in two months, I could figure that out.”The next step was learning how to bring the crop back to life. “It took me a month to identify the right people to contact and understand the cultivation process,” shares Dimum. It was a slow, thoughtful journey, driven by passion rather than pressure. 

An all-women powerhouse

Dimum knew that Gepo Ali was something she wanted to build with many hands and minds, not just her own. She wanted others to be part of the journey too. When she first reached out to around 80 women, it wasn’t about building a workforce. It was about sharing what she’d learnt, passing on that knowledge, and creating a sense of ownership.

“The intention was not to start with a large-scale production of the crop, but for the women to understand and get an experience of reviving this lost millet which they once cherished munching on,” explains Dimum. This small beginning blossomed into the Gepo seed collective, a team made up entirely of women.

As the millet slowly took root over six months, something even more meaningful began to grow — a beautiful exchange of trust and collaboration.“Based on the request of the farmers, I began sourcing and providing the seeds to them.” Divty Pajing (42), who works with Dimum, shares that she remembers her parents talking about adlay millet while growing up. “Through the cultivation is when I consumed the millet for the first time, and I was extremely delighted by the taste and texture,” adds Divty.

It is to be noted that in Dimum’s region, it is the women who lead the farming sector. “We don’t just stop at awareness, we actively procure adlay directly from Self Help groups (SHG), creating a source of income and a sense of ownership for the women involved,” shares Dimum.

The name Dimum chose for her startup, Gepo Aali, carries a deep and heartfelt meaning: “Gepo means comfort, and it is something that I resonate with a lot of things personally. And Ali is the yellow seed. It translates to the seed of comfort,” explains Dimum. It's a name that beautifully captures her vision — offering not just food but a sense of nourishment, security, and well-being through this revived grain.

What’s so special about adlay millet? 

The adlay millet isn't just special because it was a lost crop; it's special because of its nutritional value. “Like most millets, adlay also has a very low glycemic index (GI), making it a good alternative grain l for people with diabetes,” adds Dimum. With the richness of fibre, it can be your gut’s friend. 

Dimum was quick to recognise adlay’s potential as a healthy alternative. “When I started selling it as a grain, I noticed quinoa was its closest competitor. It’s not exactly like rice, but it's cooked in a similar way,” she says. 

But what makes adlay a worthy competitor with quinoa is one, it is an Indian variety and two, it is packed with fibre and micronutrient content.

And the best part? It is incredibly versatile! “We now have chefs who reach out to me and are keen on experimenting with adlay to make Italian dishes like risotto. Another one is trying to replicate a Mexican dish with this millet,” shares Dimum.

Reviving a lost crop was not easy

Of course, bringing back a lost crop isn't a walk in the park, and Dimum faced her share of hurdles. “Since this crop wasn't grown earlier, we had to figure out an effective way to cultivate it,” she explains. 

“Some of the crops were also eaten by some wild monkeys and other animals. Elephants had also attacked the crops in the past.” Divty shares. “Weather was a significant complication to tackle,” Dimum adds. However, the primary issue came during the harvest of the crop. 

“Because this is a tall crop. To harvest the tiny grains, you need to use both hands. The leaves are also pretty sharp, making it difficult to use bare hands for a long time,” she shares.

Bringing value back to something nearly forgotten is never easy, and Dimum knew that. Beyond the challenges of farming, there was the tougher task of getting people to believe in the worth of a grain they hadn’t thought about in years. “It was very surprising for people as to why anyone would want to buy something like this when they have alternatives like rice”.

“I was really happy to be part of reviving the millet since it is not widely grown here anymore,” adds Divty, who continues to collaborate in cultivation with Gepo Aali. While the women worked on reviving the grains, it automatically revived a part of their childhood where they had the joy of consuming it after decades. 

Adding more value to the millet

To get people excited about adlay millet, especially the younger crowd, Dimum has resorted to thinking outside the traditional bowl. “Since it's very similar to rice in terms of texture, we are using it to make bread and cookies. The results? Promising!” exclaims Dimum with happiness.

“Even though it is powdered, there's a grainy texture that comes along when you eat a cookie made out of adlay, thus giving you that crunch!” she adds, showing the millet's potential in modern recipes. 

“Value addition and experimentation with the millet is essential to take this crop forward and gain an audience that would prefer adlay-based foods,” emphasises Dimum. 

“Seeing the grain they had grown turned into beautifully packaged, meaningful products like cookies and crackers also gave the women a renewed sense of motivation and pride to continue cultivating these crops,” shares Dimum.

Taking adlay to the world stage

The world took notice of Dimum's incredible work. In 2023, she found herself representing India at the Youth Co: Lab Summit, an initiative of the United Nations Development Programme and Citi Foundation, in Bangkok, Thailand.

“Since I started my journey into Adlay through competition with quinoa and other crops, I developed a habit of participating in startup competitions and expos. I was happy when I knew that Gepo Aali will be representing India — Adlay millets to be specific, among global competitors,” shares Dimum, a significant milestone achieved.

“I took some of my products there and it was quite interesting to across people from different ethnicities coming together with different ideas It was a big exposure for me,” she adds.

And to her surprise, people were genuinely curious about her millet. “I had carried two packets of the millet and they bought both of them,” she shares. Dimum is also in touch with a fellow delegate from the expo who is interested in procuring more of the revived millet.

For the joy of reviving lost foods

In just two years, Gepo Aali has garnered around 150 loyal customers from Arunachal Pradesh— a small but meaningful community that believes in Dimum’s vision. While revenue has been modest, reflecting the challenges of scaling a grassroots food venture in a remote region, Dimum remains undeterred. 

Her focus has never been on rapid growth or profit margins. Instead, it’s rooted in steady and sustainable impact — building seed banks, empowering women through financial models like ROCA (Rotating Savings and Credit Association), and preserving indigenous knowledge.

Looking ahead, her goals are ambitious yet deeply connected with community care. “We want to look for more such foods and revive them effectively, bring them to our seed bank, and expand our women workforce. ,” she says. The aim is not just agricultural revival, but financial inclusion — giving women the tools and support to grow, earn, and lead.

And of course, she dreams of sending the goodness of Adlay millet across India. “This year, we plan to achieve pan-India shipping,” she adds with quiet determination.

Dimum Pertin’s journey is a beautiful reminder that the most powerful innovations often rise from humble beginnings — a longing to preserve the past and a deep love for one’s people. One day, thanks to her dedication, all of India may get to taste the warmth of Arunachal, in the form of a tiny, delicious and humble cookie.

Edited by Saumya Singh. All images courtesy Gepo Aali.