Nayagarh: Only a few have the nerve to quit a cushy job in United States with a fat package of Rs 36 lakh and return to his native village to help the farmers.
However, Ramesh Chandra Biswal, an IITian from this district, didn’t give a second thought before taking such a step after watching the increasing cases of farmer suicides back in his country. The scientist has now turned an entrepreneur and launched a start-up named VillaMart to help famers in his native village.
VillaMart aims to procure vegetables from the farmers and sell them to customers in rural areas at reasonable prices. Apart from veggies, the company also meets the daily ration needs of the local people.
He started the project just Rs 10 lakh and five associates and it has now turned into a venture worth over Rs 1.5 crore. “I would like to expand it to the best of my ability,” said Biswal.
A native of Nuagaon block, Biswal, after completing his graduation in Nayagarh College, did his post-graduation from Ravenshaw College in Cuttack. Subsequently, he did MTech from Jadavpur University in Kolkata and PhD from IIT-Kharagpur. These degrees landed him a cushy job in the United States.
There, Biswal was a part of a research on use of water, instead of oil in vehicles. However, the news of farmers’ death in India on Internet changed his goal. Appalled, he quit his job and returned to village to do something for the farmers.
Like other middle-class families, his family members didn’t approve of his decision in the beginning, but later gave in and even lent him support.
“My aim is to offer the right price to the farmers and prevent exploitation of the consumers,” says Biswal.
He travels with his five associates from village to village in his vehicle and sells vegetables and other items. He started the business with 100 items which has now reached 300. However, he doesn’t sell soft drinks to the customers.
The project has been conceived according to the sale-purchase practices followed in village marts, the entrepreneur said, adding, the vehicle now covers 20 villages in a week.
“Rural youth heading towards cities has become a very dangerous trend which leaves many fertile lands uncultivated. This also compounds the problems in the cities. My project also aims at generating earning opportunities in the village itself,” the US-returned scientist, said clarifying his vision.
At present, Biswal is doing research to provide technology to the farmers so that they can get more output with minimal efforts.
PNN