Government of India
Dasari Kalpana
State : Telangana
District : Hanmakonda
Village : Shayampet
Self Help Group : Saraswathi Self-Help Group
Livelihood Activities : Non-woven bag manufacturing unit
Lakhpati Didi Journey
Dasari Kalpana’s journey from a struggling seamstress to a successful entrepreneur is a testament to resilience and determination. Despite their best efforts, financial stability remained elusive, leaving Kalpana searching for a way to break free from hardship. Her transformation began when she joined the Saraswathi Self-Help Group. She soon became a Community Resource Person, mobilizing rural women into groups across multiple states, including Uttar Pradesh, Madhya Pradesh, and Jharkhand. Her biggest breakthrough came when she established a non-woven bag manufacturing unit, inspired by the Swachh Bharat Mission and the push for sustainable alternatives to plastic. Raising Rs. 10 lakhs through bank linkages, Streenidhi, and Village Organisation loans, Kalpana and her husband mastered machine operations and tirelessly secured orders from shops, hospitals, and nearby towns. Her hard work paid off—today, her unit has a monthly turnover of Rs. 10 lakhs, employs nine other women, and even has marketing agents in multiple cities. She has expanded further, adding a flour mill, a wet grinder machine, a kirana shop, and an agarbatti manufacturing unit. Now constructing a new production shed and mentoring other women, Kalpana is not just a Lakhpati Didi—she is a beacon of hope, proving that with determination and support, dreams can become reality.
