At 52, She Built Rs 5 Crore Salt Empire With Rs 1,000

At 52, when most people are thinking about retirement, Shashi Bahuguna Raturi decided to build an empire from salt.

In the hills of Uttarakhand, pisyu loon was more than seasoning. This traditional salt blend, ground by hand on a sil batta stone with rock salt, fiery chillies, and mountain herbs, carried generations of wisdom and the taste of home.

But as packaged products flooded supermarket shelves, this handmade tradition was disappearing. Shashi refused to let it fade away.

With just Rs 1,000, one helper, and support from her son who managed social media, she launched Namakwali in her home kitchen. The doubters arrived immediately, questioning how a housewife could run a business.

Shashi walked nearly 15 kilometers to source the finest ingredients. She recruited local women to join her mission, building trust one packet at a time.

Instagram took notice first, then media stories followed. She launched a website that brought orders from across India.

The Ripple Effect

What began as one woman's mission to preserve a mountain recipe has transformed into something far bigger. Today, Namakwali employs 35 women and supports 500 farmers across Uttarakhand, creating sustainable livelihoods in rural communities.

For every order placed, the company plants a tree. Growth isn't just measured in revenue, but in environmental impact and community empowerment.

The numbers tell part of the story: from Rs 1,000 to Rs 5 crore in annual revenue. But the real success lies in reviving a fading tradition and proving that housewives don't need permission to build businesses.

Shashi's journey breaks the stereotype that ambition has an expiry date. She showed that heritage can be the foundation for innovation, and belief often matters more than capital.

In her mountain kitchen, surrounded by the aroma of traditional spices, Shashi proved that it's never too late to begin something extraordinary.