Government of India
Chandana Saikia Kalita
State : Assam
District : Sivasagar
Block : Demow
Village : Gajali Bongali
Self-Help Group : Ankuran Self Help Group
Livelihood Activities : Cake baking, Millet cookies, Pizza making unit.
Lakhpati Didi Journey
Ms. Chandana Saikia Kalita, a member of Ankur Self Help Groups functioning under Demow block, in Sivasagar district, Assam, embarked on her entrepreneurial journey in 2016. Although she had no formal training in baking, her cakes quickly became popular among family and friends. Her products soon caught the attention of local bakeries, and now she supplies cakes and biscuits to several bakeries in Sivasagar district and beyond.
She availed a Self Help Group internal loan of Rs. 10,000 and PMFME seed capital of Rs. 40,000. She also participated in a five-day Entrepreneurship Development Program at the Indian Institute of Entrepreneurship, which significantly boosted her enterprise and facilitated her transition from a home baker to a professional entrepreneur.
She leads a team of six women Self Help Group members, helping her run operations with a vision to maintain a wholly women-run enterprise. She is also a master trainer for bakeries, having trained over 1,500 women. Looking ahead, Chandana aims to establish her own factory-cum-outlet along with a training center. She continues to inspire women in her area to embark on entrepreneurial journeys, showcasing her success as a story of women empowerment. She is self-sufficient now and earns a profit of Rs. 20,000-25,000 per month.
