4 Homemakers in Bengaluru Now Employ 60 Women

Nandini's mornings used to start before dawn, stretching her auto driver husband's income across endless responsibilities with no room for anything extra. Finding work outside the home felt impossible, not because she lacked ability, but because life's structure left no space for it.

Saainirmala Perumall, a former software engineer turned psychotherapist, kept hearing the same story from families in her Bengaluru counseling practice. Shared meals were disappearing, couples were eating separately, and the daily grind was pulling homes apart.

When the pandemic hit in 2020, the pattern became impossible to ignore. Her daughter struggled with new motherhood while managing cooking on top of everything else, and Saainirmala realized something had to change.

She believed at least one shared meal should exist in every home without adding burden. So in 2021, she started experimenting with traditional South Indian recipes in her kitchen, focusing on ready to eat foods that could bring families back to the table.

Four homemakers joined her initial experiment. They cooked together, tested recipes, and slowly built what would become Niragh Foods, a venture selling traditional breakfast items, snacks, and preserves made fresh in small batches.

The business model solved two problems at once. Families got convenient, home style meals that didn't sacrifice quality or tradition, and women like Nandini found flexible work that fit around their existing responsibilities.

Today, Niragh Foods employs 60 women across production, packaging, and distribution. These aren't corporate jobs with rigid schedules, they're positions designed around real lives, allowing women to earn while still managing their homes.

Nandini now has financial independence she never imagined possible. The work fits her schedule, contributes meaningfully to her household income, and connects her with other women building something together.

The Ripple Effect

What makes this story particularly powerful is how one woman's observation about changing family dynamics sparked a solution that addresses multiple challenges simultaneously. Saainirmala didn't just create jobs, she created a bridge between tradition and modern life that respects both.

The women working at Niragh Foods aren't just employees. They're reviving food traditions, supporting their families, and proving that economic opportunity can be redesigned to fit women's lives rather than forcing women to reshape their lives around work.

For families buying Niragh products, the convenience means more time together and less stress. For the women making them, it means dignity, income, and community.

What started with four women and traditional recipes has become a quiet revolution in how we think about work, food, and family in rapidly changing Indian cities.