Gondia district in Vidarbha, Maharashtra, is a land of lakes, forests, farmlands, and simple, earnest people. In Devalgaon a small village nestled in the Arjuni Morgaon taluka of this very district lived Smt. Anju Markand Kapgate, whose struggle for survival was much like that of countless other rural women: limited resources, insufficient income, and an uncertain future. Yet, this woman transformed her family’s fate through sheer determination and the steadfast support of the Umed Abhiyan. Today, her name is spoken with great respect not just in Devalgaon, but across the surrounding region. This is the inspiring success story of CK Griha Masala Udyog.
The Government of Maharashtra established the Maharashtra State Rural Livelihoods Mission, popularly known as ‘Umed’, with the ambitious goal of economically and socially empowering women from marginalized and underprivileged sections of rural society. The mission’s core objectives include making rural women self-reliant, elevating the living standards of their families, and promoting both agricultural and non-agricultural enterprises. When the mission took root in Gondia district, its waves began reaching every village in Arjuni Morgaon taluka. Devalgaon was no exception. Under the Satyamev Prabhagsangh, Navegaon/Bandh, Umed workers began the task of bringing women together in this village and for many women like Anjutai, a new chapter of life began.
The First Step: Joining a Self-Help Group
In 2014, Anju Markand Kapgate joined the ‘Santoshi Maa’ Self-Help Group (SHG). In the beginning, the group meetings, conversations with fellow members, and the spirit of mutual support were all new to her. But within this environment, she found a different kind of confidence a growing belief that she too could do something, that she herself could change the circumstances of her home. Through the SHG, she took her first loan of ₹5,000. Those five thousand rupees were not merely financial assistance they were the first step toward her dreams.
A Business is Born
With those five thousand rupees, Anjutai started a spice-making business. Preparing masalas at home and selling them door-to-door across the village was no easy task but she did it wholeheartedly. Initially, sales happened through direct home delivery. People began to love the taste of her spices. The freshness and purity of homemade masalas drove demand steadily upward. Village women, people from neighbouring hamlets everyone became devoted customers of Anjutai’s masalas. The business that had begun with a small loan was now standing on its own feet, and the family’s income was gradually growing.
Encouraged by this growth, the Kapgate family dared to dream bigger. Anjutai’s son, Chetan Markand Kapgate, resolved to take the business to new heights. He gave the homemade spice enterprise the identity of a brand and formally registered it as ‘CK Griha Masala Udyog’. To give the venture a professional structure, they raised ₹60,000 from the Gram Sangh and ₹80,000 from the bank under the Cash Credit Limit (CCL). With this capital, they purchased a packaging machine. Now, masalas were no longer sold in an informal, homemade manner they were marketed professionally, in clean and attractive packaging.
The arrival of the packaging machine completely changed the face of the business. Sales that had once been confined to the village now reached grocery stores in neighbouring villages. Packets of CK Griha Masala began appearing on the shelves of small and large shops alike. As customers received a branded, hygienic, and quality product, demand surged rapidly. Profit margins improved, and the family’s financial stability grew stronger. What had once been a simple household activity had now taken the form of a full-fledged industry.
Business Expanded
To expand the business further, Sabala Udyog Vikas Kendra, Arjuni/Mor (OSF) sanctioned a loan of ₹1,00,000 to CK Griha Masala Udyog under the Community Enterprise Fund (CEF). With these funds, the Kapgate family purchased an additional packaging machine and an air pressure machine. This new machinery significantly boosted production capacity. No longer limited to masalas alone, they expanded their product range cumin, cloves, cardamom, coriander powder, raw mixed masala, chips, kurkure packaging, and various other spice products began rolling out of CK Griha Masala Udyog. With greater product diversity, their market presence expanded as well.
Today, the products of CK Griha Masala Udyog have reached not only the Arjuni Morgaon taluka but also the larger markets of Gondia district. Urban consumers, too, have developed a taste for these products. By striking a perfect balance between homemade purity and professional packaging, this enterprise has carved out a distinct identity for itself. An unwavering commitment to quality has earned the brand growing trust among its customers day by day.
The cumulative result of this entire journey is a radical transformation in the Kapgate family’s financial life. A family that once struggled just to get through each day now earns an annual net income of approximately ₹1 to 1.5 lakh rupees Children’s education, home improvements, healthcare all these needs are now being met. What once seemed impossible even in dreams has become reality today. The journey that began with a ₹5,000 loan from a small SHG has now crossed the milestone of lakhs.
Success
Gratitude and Recognition Anjutai and Chetan have credited their success to Umed Abhiyan, the Self-Help Group, the Gram Sangh, and Sabala Udyog Vikas Kendra. In their words, the mission did not merely provide money it gave them self-confidence, direction, and the strength to stand on their own feet . This success story proves that even an ordinary woman can achieve extraordinary success.
The story of Anju Markand Kapgate from Devalgaon is a true embodiment of the spirit of Umed Abhiyan. ‘Umed’ means hope and this woman, through her hard work, perseverance, and the support of the mission, transformed that hope into reality. For countless women across rural Maharashtra, this example stands as a lighthouse one that proclaims given the right opportunity, a rural woman holds within her the power to illuminate her own life and the lives of her family.
