Small Businesses of India

Stranded in a foreign land after her father's death, Swati Arun, a 23-year-entrepreneur from Delhi, narrates the story of how she started Arun’s Bakery with her mother.

Quitting her job, Rajkot's favourite 'Chaiwali' Nisha Hussain worked at a tea cafe to learn the tricks of the trade. She now single-handedly runs ‘The Chailand’, selling 10 flavours of chai including her best-selling tandoori tea.

In what she calls a leap of faith, Tanvi Chowdhri left an illustrious career as an investment banker on Wall Street New York to follow her dream of making ice cream, and set up Papacream to sell 15 vegan, gluten-free and delectable flavours.

In Odisha’s Malkangiri, Sumit Samal and Priyam Bebarta set up Engineer’s Thela to serve fresh biryani every day after work. Today, they are selling up to 100 plates a day, earning up to Rs 8000 a day!

After losing her mother to a decade-long battle with a severe skin condition, Kruthika Kumaran started Vilvah Store, a brand of natural skincare products made of goat milk procured directly from her family farm near Coimbatore.

Sparsh Agarwal, a 23-year-old, is saving his family's historic tea garden and has launched Dorje Teas, which sells an entire year's worth of seasonal flavours of Darjeeling tea and is trying to do away with the industry's dependence on export markets.

Maria Kuriakose, a resident of Thrissur, Kerala, launched Thenga, to manufacture bowls and other products from coconut shells, which were otherwise discarded as waste.

Rajat Jaiswal, a commercial airline pilot, and his friend Farman Beig launched Wat-a-Burger in Noida, Uttar Pradesh, in 2016. Today, the franchise has its presence in 16 cities with 60 outlets.

Delhi-based Nandeeta Manchandaa started Enn's Closet, a natural, vegan, and cruelty-free skin care brand that aims to promote natural and homegrown alternatives to big, chemical-based beauty brands.

Kaviya Cherian from Cochin, Kerala, launched Green Heirloom, a traditional cookware business, after experiencing the difference it makes to the taste of the food being cooked.