About Women Entrepreneurs in the City

With the passage of time, women are no longer bound to the kitchen and household chores. They are breaking barriers and setting new benchmarks. According to a study by Forbes India, women make up for 8.05 million, that is 13.76 percent of entrepreneurs in the country and own 20.37 percent of MSMEs. With the growing number of female entrepreneurs, it can be also be alluded that the 21st century is a golden age for entrepreneurship and it has successfully been contributing highly to the economy of a country.

Like the rest of the world, India too is moving forward in the field of entrepreneurship and in Assam too, there has been a remarkable growth overall. On a parallel vein, the numbers of female entrepreneurs have been able to carve out a niche for themselves and excel in their respective fields.

In the contemporary world, people are often seen experimenting about the food that they consume and there has been a growing interest in terms in terms of exploring authentic dishes.

Aligning with this context, here is a business that had its inception in the city. With an objective to support local farmers of Assam and Northeast, Being Natural Tholuwar Gourav is a women-led enterprise that deals in products made from natural herbs and plants. It was formed in the year 2020 by two ambitious Assamese women, Barnali Baruah and Pallabi Baishya. The two partners started preparing the products at home and selling it at potential markets.

Barnali Baruah, a full-time businesswoman, who always had a liking for natural herbs and spices, had harboured a dream of an enterprise exclusively connected to natural products. "In a world where food items are filed with artificial flavours and harmful chemicals, we want to create a space where the best quality of natural herbs and spices are made available to everyone, at an affordable price so that along with taste, people can also enjoy a healthy diet. Additionally, I also want to create opportunities for people, especially for those from rural areas, so that their raw products get a market," she said.

On the other hand, Pallabi Baishya, a fashion designer by profession also shares a common interest and love for organic food. Like her business partner, her way of perceiving things is also quite similar. "I have often heard stories of struggle from my women friends and acquaintances, and had always wanted to do something that would bring us all together and give us a name. Being Natural is like our baby, who we want to nurture and give our best to," she informed while hinting about some of the future plans of the venture.

In 2020, the brand entered the market with Kola Khaar (A traditional Assamese alkaline extract made with burnt Banana peels), dried powdered spices, and blue tea. Currently, the products available at Being Natural- Tholuwar Gourav include a wide variety of items prepared from natural herbs and plants, some of the primary ones being organic teas, spice powders and pickles. The most recent addition to their business is products made of cane. It particularly includes furnitures and other home decor products.

This enterprise has been a part of many local events, the most remarkable one being the participation in North East Festival 2022, held at Radisson Blu. Barnali Baruah, co-founder of this enterprise, stated that Honourable Union Minister, Sarbananda Sonowal and Honourable Agriculture Minister of Assam, Atul Bora's visit to their stall and their words of appreciation have translated to a great source of inspiration. She also shared her future plans and expressed her strong desire to make the products accessible to every part of the globe.

Currently, the company has five hardworking members who toil day and night, and have been working towards bringing quality products to the plate. Both the co-founders, expressed their desire to create more employment opportunities and expand the product portfolio. Also, through their venture they want to bridge the gap between the local farmers across Assam and the rest of the Northeastern states while making authentic spices reach every nook and corner of the world.

By: Krishangi

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