Farming was not a bed of roses for Bachittar Singh Garcha of Deh Kalan village, Punjab. While he enjoyed substantial profits from potato cultivation till the mid-1990s, an unexpected glut in the market between 1998 and 2001 saw him lose over Rs 3 crore.

Unable to sell his potatoes due to a surplus and low demand, the debt-ridden farmer was forced to sell 15 acres of his farmland — his only treasure. Soon, he became depressed and wouldn’t come out of his home or attend social events.

After some time had passed, he recollected a trade fair he attended in Delhi in 1993, which showcased the advantages of soybean cultivation and processing.

With newfound determination, he underwent training in preparing soy milk and soy paneer at the Central Institute of Agricultural Engineering (CIAE), Bhopal, in 2002.

Upon returning, he established a small one-room factory to produce soy milk and tofu. He began giving samples to customers who came to his grocery shop.

“It was challenging to market this product in a place where people preferred cow and buffalo milk. Even though they liked its taste, they wouldn’t purchase it. But I believed in myself that one day this work would scale up,” he says.

It took him a year to make the first sale, with assistance from Punjab Agricultural University, which gave him a platform to market his products.

Bachittar eventually established an automatic soybean processing plant, where he freshly prepares up to 700 litres of soy milk and four quintals of tofu daily, earning a profit of Rs 10-12 lakh per year.

He reinvested his earnings into purchasing back the land he had previously sold, reclaiming ownership of seven out of the 15 acres.

Recognised for his contribution to the Indian soy industry, he has received numerous awards, including the Chaudhary Charan Singh National Award.

Bachittar’s journey from financial hardship to entrepreneurial success serves as an inspiration, demonstrating the power of resilience and innovation.