Awadhesh Maurya's journey from making jaggery laddus with his mother to establishing a large-scale business is truly inspiring. By incorporating medicinal herbs and empowering rural women, his innovative jaggery venture has brought him immense success.
Awadhesh Maurya, from Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, is earning lakhs by selling 'medicinal jaggery'. His journey not only showcases his immense success but also highlights his dedication to empowering rural women by providing them with employment opportunities. Like many, Awadhesh faced challenges in establishing his business but he refused to give up. Let's explore the inspiring success story of Awadhesh Maurya.
Awadhesh noticed his mother making sesame and jaggery laddus during Makar Sankranti, and her laddus were highly popular in the market. Inspired by her, Awadhesh began making regular jaggery himself. He soon realised that by adding Ayurvedic herbs to the jaggery, it would not only improve the flavour but also offer health benefits. With this idea, he started producing and selling the herbal jaggery, which was met with an overwhelming response.
The turning point in Awadhesh Maurya's life came when the relevant ministry recognised the uniqueness of his jaggery. During his visit, he was inspired by Prime Minister Modi's ideas. On the Prime Minister's advice, Awadhesh began incorporating medicinal elements into his jaggery. He then expanded his venture by creating various types of laddus, leading to the establishment of a large-scale jaggery laddu business. Today, Awadhesh produces seven different varieties of laddus, which are sold in the market.
Awadhesh established a large jaggery factory in his village, providing employment opportunities for women. This initiative has sparked a new social and economic revolution in the rural area. So far, he has empowered 100 women to become self-reliant through this work.
According to Awadhesh, various herbs and ingredients are added to his jaggery to boost its health benefits. For instance, ginger jaggery is rich in ginger and aids digestion, while cardamom jaggery offers a pleasant taste and aroma. Sesame and dry ginger jaggery are beneficial for bone and joint health, and coconut and peanut jaggery provide a rich source of energy. Flaxseed jaggery is packed with Omega-3 fatty acids, which are beneficial for overall health. Awadhesh has branded his product as ‘Khagraj’. A 400-gram pack of plain jaggery is priced at Rs 80, while the medicinal or flavoured varieties are priced at Rs 120.
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