Written by
Krishnan Ranganathan, Co-founder – Udhyam Learning Foundation, Director – Udhyam Vyapaar
Shruti Anand, Specialist – Marketing and Communication
In the lanes of Subhash Nagar, a small village in Dhule district, Maharashtra, twelve women quietly run small clothing businesses from their homes, selling door-to-door. Walking the quiet streets with the load of garments on their heads – they sell sarees, dress materials, and everyday wear to friends, neighbours, and familiar faces.
It started with just a few pieces, bought in the local market and resold with small margins. But over time, they began to understand their customers better, what fabrics worked, which colours sold faster, and what rates people trusted.
They saw the opportunity to do more. By sourcing materials directly from Surat, they could improve both quality and profits. It wasn’t an easy decision, many of them had never stepped so far from home for work, and taking that leap meant going against what their society often expects of women.
But they planned carefully, supported each other, and made the trip together to Surat, traveling 5 hours away. They bargained hard, chose fabrics with care, laughed and enjoyed themselves, and returned not just with bags of fabric, but also with pride. Since then, they’ve been earning ₹3,000 to ₹5,000 per cycle, not just through better prices, but because their customers now see the difference in what they offer. Many of the women now even travel alone to source materials. They now have the confidence to make independent choices, negotiate deals, and manage their own timelines. It’s a quiet but powerful shift – from relying on the group to trusting in their own ability as businesswomen.
For these women, this isn’t just about sarees. It’s about having the confidence to try something new for their livelihoods. To run a business with care, to learn with each step, and to make decisions together. To me, these dozen dreams are evidence that entrepreneurship doesn’t always need a big stage. Sometimes, it grows quietly, in back rooms, in local markets, in the shared determination of twelve rural women building something of their own.
Note: An ask from this group of Vyapaaris has been for a transparent large bag with wheels, so that they can pull it along easily instead of lifting the load on their heads, which is what they currently do. The transparency is useful so that the garments are visible to onlookers.
Calling out to anyone with an idea to make their requirement happen! Get in touch with us @krishnan@udhyam.org
