MBA Sabziwala After MBA Chaiwala: Meet The Man From Patna Who Dropped Out From IIM-A Placements to Revolutionize The Vegetable Market in India!

For a B-school student, nurturing a dream of social elevation may seem a little unusual, but not for Kaushlendra, who is the present owner of a multi-crore agri-business in Bihar. After MBA Chaiwala becoming the talk of the town, another IIM Ahmedabad pass-out has proved that business acumen and a passion for society can be bridged to create a successful venture that could sustain the livelihoods of thousands.

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From IIM-A to working in & for a village

Born in a village in Nalanda, Bihar, Kaushlendra grew up seeing some pitiful circumstances of the rural society, cultivating a vigour for its upheaval. The same led him to pursue agricultural engineering from the Indian Council of Agriculture Research, Junagadh, Gujarat. After his graduation, he landed a job in an Israeli firm which enabled him to communicate with farmers directly in Andhra Pradesh about various drip irrigation techniques and products. During his stint at this firm, he resolved to appear for the CAT exam and qualified the same. He managed to secure himself a seat in the Indian Institute of Management (IIM) Ahmedabad, wherein he excelled throughout college and got awarded the gold medal.

Though Kaushlendra aspired to have a good job, his primary concern to work for his home State Bihar led him to not sit for placements but to construct a business for farmers’ prosperity; a farmers’ cooperative he named ‘Samriddhi’. “I did not take that decision on an impulse,” says Kaushlendra. “During my IIM-A days, I was part of a group of a few teachers and students that used to regularly discuss various ways to ensure social and economic upliftment of different regions. I knew that Bihar had the potential to turn into the vegetable capital of the country.”

Innovation towards sustainable livelihood

Initially starting off with only 5 kg of vegetables and making a sale of Rs. 22 on the first day, Kaushlendra’s determination and management skills made him erect an empire that now has achieved a turnover of five crores.

When asked about what factors made him think that this dream could be actualised, he says that he realised that despite an ideal climate and soil, local farmers had stopped growing vegetables and switched over to other crops simply because they did not have access to markets. The realisation led him to set up a farmers’ cooperative for creating a supply chain through which farmers could directly sell freshly grown crops. “The only thing the farmers needed was a proper marketing avenue, which we provided,” he says.

Among some early innovations devised to maintain the crop quality was a customised ice-cooled pushcart. This helped the farmers keep their vegetables fresh for five to six days. Kaushlendra adds that his team impressed upon the local farmers the need for rotation of crops instead of depending on monoculture to enhance financial incomes and nutrition in the families. Later, as his major customers—the educated urban class—disappeared as a result of malls' arrival into the retail sector, he chose to diversify into other crops like pulses. His foundation subsequently transitioned away from vegetable retailing, save in a few small towns, and became an aggregator, providing know-how and other resources to any entrepreneur interested in starting a vegetable business based on his concept.

At this initiative, more than 9,000 farmers began to grow pulses in Nawada and East Champaran districts in Bihar, which helped attract the educated urban class that was otherwise directed towards malls and big complexes. In addition to this Kaushlendra’s focus has been to educate the farmers to embrace environmentally sustainable farming. This is being done via the appointment of agricultural entrepreneurs at the panchayat level and the setting up of basic schools in some villages.

MBA Sabziwala

Kaushlendra’s foundation, having reached these heights, has now become primarily an aggregator that provides the know-how and requisite support to entrepreneurs who wish to set up an agri-business based on his model. He is identified as the 'MBA sabziwala' and wants to make Bihar India's vegetable hub. Kaushlendra is now venturing towards pre-paid cards for buying vegetables but complains of irritating hurdles that discourage budding entrepreneurs.

Kaushlendra with his astounding initiative has thus come to be renowned as “MBA Sabziwallah”, receiving national and international recognition and inspiring millions.

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