Rekha Devi, a homemaker from Gopalganj, Bihar, devoted her life to child rearing and household responsibilities. When her kids grew up and left home to pursue their goals, she found herself with spare time on her hands. Feeling bored during her free time, she decided to utilize it productively. She began the cultivation of mushrooms in an unused room at home. Over time, her venture became profitable, and today she earns lakhs of rupees with her endeavours. 

Agricultural training

To fill her free time with productivity, Rekha Devi decided to explore mushroom cultivation. She mentions that her house is spacious, and at the time a lot of rooms were unoccupied, and she saw potential in utilizing these rooms for growing mushrooms. For an organized approach, Rekha Devi received training from Rajendra Prasad Agricultural University, Pusa. After gaining significant information, she ventured into mushroom cultivation in one of the vacant rooms. She shares that, today, she grows around 5 to 6 kilograms of mushrooms in each room. She sells her produce at Rs 200 per kg. 

A profitable business

In the initial days, the yield from just one room was profitable, and this prompted Rekha Devi to expand the business. She explored various other varieties of mushrooms and gave a boost to her mushroom farming career. Soon, Rekha Devi extended mushroom cultivation to more rooms in her house. The sales generated a substantial income, significantly improving her family’s financial situation. 

Being an inspiration

Remarkably, Rekha Devi provides training in mushroom cultivation to other women in her locality. An endeavour she embarked on to fill her free time, proved to be a successful venture. She is now recognized as a successful mushroom farmer, earning an annual income of Rs 3 to 4 lakh. Today, she empowers other women and has become an inspiration for all the homemakers who wish to make a career of their own. Rekha Devi also produces a range of products, from mushroom pickles to biscuits. Her efforts have been acknowledged with many awards.