Bihar: Saharsa's Julie sets example of self-reliance, her pickle business inspires others

IANS April 4, 2025 120 views

Julie Praveen's remarkable journey from financial crisis to entrepreneurial success is a testament to resilience and innovation. After her husband's shoe business collapsed during the pandemic, she launched a pickle-making enterprise from a small rented house. Her determination led her to secure a government loan and expand her business, now producing 10 quintals of pickles monthly. Today, Julie not only supports her family but also provides employment to other women, becoming a beacon of hope and empowerment in her community.

"I never imagined that the pickle-making business would grow to such a large size" - Julie Praveen
Patna, April 4: Julie Praveen, a resident of Bihar’s Saharsa district, has become an example of self-reliance. Her success story of launching and steering the pickle business is inspiring fellow villagers to take up the entrepreneurship route.

Key Points

1

Overcame Covid pandemic business shutdown through innovative pickle enterprise

2

Created employment for three local women through home-based business

3

Secured Rs 2 lakh loan from Chief Minister's Entrepreneurship Scheme

4

Produces 10 quintals of pickles monthly across 12 different varieties

Julie, with her pickle business, not only saved her family from financial turmoil but also brought positive change in the lives of other women by providing them employment.

Julie Praveen's husband, Mohd Mehtab, used to run a shoe-slipper business, but the Covid pandemic resulted in the closure of his shop. Sales dropped drastically, and it was shut by the end of 2021. The sudden financial crisis put the whole family in trouble.

The family was troubled, but Julie didn’t give up hope. She started a pickle-making business in January 2022 from a small rented house. Initially, she earned only Rs 50,000 a year, but gradually her home-made pickles became popular in the locality and found many buyers.

During this time, Julie got a loan of Rs 2 lakh from the Chief Minister's Entrepreneur Scheme, with which she expanded her business further. Now Julie is making 10 quintals of pickle every month and selling it in the market.

Julie Praveen, sharing her experience with IANS, said, "I never imagined that the pickle-making business would grow to such a large size. Now my dream is to expand this business and provide employment to more and more women."

Mohammad Mehtab says that Julie’s endeavour and enterprise has changed their lives.

“When our old business closed, we were very upset, but today we have become self-reliant again. Although there was some difficulty in the beginning but we kept moving forward,” he said.

The pickles made by Julie have now become famous in the entire area. She prepares 12 types of pickles, the most prominent among them being red chilli bharua, mixed pickle, green chilli, amla, jackfruit, tamarind and kairi and biryani special pickle.

The demand for the pickles made by her is also increasing in the nearby villages and cities.

Today, Julie is also providing employment to three other women named Khalida Razia, Gulbasa and Gulzara Praveen. She pays them Rs 200 per day.

Julie Praveen’s successful enterprise reinforces the belief that hard work pays off. Today, she is supporting her family with her venture and also showing the way to other women to become self-reliant.

Reader Comments

P
Priya K.
What an inspiring story! Julie proves that with determination, anyone can turn their life around. I love how she's now helping other women too. 👏
R
Rahul S.
While this is a great success story, I wonder if the article could have mentioned more about the challenges she faced in scaling up. The journey from home kitchen to 10 quintals/month must have had many hurdles.
A
Anjali M.
My mouth is watering just reading about those pickles! 🥭 I hope Julie's business continues to grow. We need more stories like this that show rural entrepreneurship can succeed.
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Sanjay P.
This is exactly why we need more support for women entrepreneurs at the grassroots level. Julie's story shows what's possible when talent meets opportunity.
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Neha T.
From Rs 50,000 to 10 quintals per month - that's incredible growth in just a couple years! I'd love to try her biryani special pickle. Does anyone know if they ship outside Bihar?
V
Vikram D.
Stories like Julie's remind us that India's real economic growth happens at the village level. More power to her and the women working with her! The government should highlight such examples more often.

We welcome thoughtful discussions from our readers. Please keep comments respectful and on-topic.

Tags:
Bihar Entrepreneurship Women Empowerment Rural Business Julie Praveen Pickle Making Self-Reliance Saharsa Startup
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