Kalpana Bisht, Mandave biscuits, women entrepreneurship, millet products: In the hills of Dehradun, a simple traditional ingredient has transformed into a powerful success story. Kalpana Bisht, a woman from Sorna Dobhri village in Vikasnagar, has turned mandave biscuits into a thriving business, creating not only financial success but also new opportunities for rural women. Her journey reflects how local products and government support can together change lives.
A Bakery Unit Built with Determination and Support
Kalpana Bisht established the Swabhiman Mahila Bakery Unit during 2024 and 2025 with a total investment of nearly ten lakh rupees. The project received six lakh rupees assistance through the REAP project, while additional support came through bank loans and personal contribution. What started as a small bakery initiative has now grown into a strong example of women led entrepreneurship in Uttarakhand.
Traditional Millets Creating Modern Demand
The bakery unit produces a variety of millet based products including mandave biscuits, jaggery butter biscuits, milk rusks, honey oats biscuits, and other nutritious baked items. The use of traditional Himalayan grains combined with local flavours has attracted growing demand among consumers looking for healthier food choices. These products are now reaching markets beyond Dehradun into districts like Uttarkashi and Tehri.
A Business Touching Forty Lakh Rupees
Today, the Swabhiman Mahila Bakery Unit is generating an annual business worth nearly forty lakh rupees. During the thirty eighth National Games, the unit supplied millet based products to players and sold around twenty seven quintals of biscuits, earning nearly ten lakh rupees from that event alone. The remarkable growth has turned the bakery into a model of successful rural enterprise.
Creating Employment for Local Women
Beyond profits, the initiative has created meaningful change in the community. Around nine women are currently employed at the bakery unit, gaining stable income and financial independence. The success of the venture highlights how women self help groups and local enterprises can become strong pillars of rural development.
Kalpana Bisht credits government support and welfare schemes for helping her establish the business. She also mentioned receiving financial assistance from the state government earlier for the excellent work of women groups. Officials associated with the REAP project believe that this bakery unit can inspire many more women across Uttarakhand to explore entrepreneurship using local resources and traditional products.
Local Taste Building a Bigger Identity
The growing popularity of mandave biscuits reflects a larger trend where traditional millet based foods are gaining recognition for both taste and nutrition. Once considered ordinary village produce, mandua is now emerging as a premium health food, helping local farmers and producers find new markets.
Kalpana Bisht’s journey is more than a business success story. It is a story of confidence, innovation, and the power of local products. Through mandave biscuits, she has shown how traditional knowledge and modern entrepreneurship can together create employment, inspire women, and strengthen rural economies in Uttarakhand.
