Seven women, ₹80 and a rooftop
How Lijjat Papad began in 1959 and grew into one of India's best-known women's cooperatives.
In 1959, seven women in Girgaum, Mumbai wanted to earn a living without leaving their homes for long. They borrowed ₹80 and began rolling papad on a rooftop.
They made a few packets a day and sold them to a local trader. From the start they insisted on two things: the same quality every day, and no charity. If a batch was not good enough, it was not sold.
The group grew one member at a time. Today Shri Mahila Griha Udyog Lijjat Papad is a cooperative with tens of thousands of women members across India.
What you can use from it
- You don't need big capital to start. You need a product people buy again.
- Consistent quality builds trust faster than advertising.
- Small daily progress compounds over years.
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