Tanuja Patil, Bhada village, Latur, Maharashtra

𝐓𝐚nu𝐣𝐚’𝐬 S𝐭𝐨𝐫𝐲 𝐨𝐟 C𝐡𝐚𝐧𝐠𝐞

Running a dairy is not easy — more so when it is led by women in a village where people doubt their ability. This is the challenge that Tanuja Patil took up when she decided to start Laxmi Dairy in Bhada village, Latur, Maharashtra. She wanted to create a steady business that supports farmers and gives women like her an equal place in the economy.

In the beginning, milk collection was very low, and electricity costs made it harder to sustain the business. Frequent power cuts often spoiled the milk, forcing her to shift it to other centers. To add to this, many farmers hesitated to supply milk to a women-owned dairy, and her own family pressured her to shut it down.

Instead of giving up, Tanuja focused on building trust through fair pricing and timely payments. Slowly, she increased milk collection from just 5 liters a day to 200 liters. With inspiration and business training from Swayam Shikshan Prayog (SSP), she built confidence, learnt new skills, and adopted solar power for her dairy — cutting electricity costs by half and ensuring smooth operations. As she says, “When you believe in your work and keep working hard despite difficulties, the solution will definitely find you.”

Today, Laxmi Dairy is a profitable, women-led enterprise. Tanuja has mobilized 50 women dairy farmers, strengthened the local milk collection network, and inspired many women to see entrepreneurship as a real possibility. She has become the first woman in her village to run a solar-powered dairy — a step that earned her respect and recognition across the community.

Her journey shows how resilience, innovation, and women’s leadership can create sustainable businesses that benefit both families and communities.

Swayam Shikshan Prayog
06 October1st September, 2025