Gujarat: Today’s hustle culture has created an illusion that success cannot be achieved if one does not make it to the 30 Under 30 list. However, in truth, success is not relevant to age and only depends on one’s courage to dream and their perseverance in the pursuit of success. Navalben, a resident of Gujarat, who never received formal education, embarked on her business journey at the age of 60. She initiated her venture at an age when many people prefer enjoying their retirement. Let’s delve deeper into her inspiring journey. 

Navalben’s family

Navalben’s full name is Navalben Dalsang Bhai Chaudhary. She launched her business during the COVID-19 pandemic. She is a mother of four sons, all employed in urban areas. Her sons actively support her business endeavours. Navalben’s day begins with tending to her animals in the morning. Remarkably, she earns Rs 2 crore annually through her animal husbandry business. She has 200 buffaloes and 100 cows. It must be noted that Navalben is illiterate and has never attended school. Despite that, she achieved a significant milestone in 2020 by selling milk worth Rs 1 crore and 10 lakh. She is truly a testament to the fact that one only needs courage to dream big and the rest follows.

Association with leading companies

At the beginning of her journey, Navalben only owned 8 to 10 animals. As her business flourished, she began supplying milk to nearby villages. Within a year and a half, her business expanded significantly, leading her to sell the milk to Asia’s largest dairy, Banas Dairy. She sells 1000 litres of milk through this dairy and earns Rs 8 to 9 lakh in a month. She was also honoured for being the largest milk supplier in the dairy.

Recognition

Navalben’s day starts at 4 in the morning, and by 7 am, she ensures all the milk is delivered to the dairy. She spends rest of the day tending to the animals. She comfortably takes care of the animals on her 5-acre of land. She even provides employment to 30 people. In August 2020, RS Sodhi, the Chief Executive Officer of Amul Dairy, recognized Navalben among the top 10 rural women entrepreneurs in the milk production industry. That year, she earned Rs 87,95,900 by selling 22,15,956 kg of milk. Furthermore, she received an award from the Chief Minister in Gandhinagar in 2020. She was also honoured with two Lakshmi awards and three animal husbandry awards for her outstanding contributions.