Bihar-resident Satyam Sundaram remodeled his life by establishing ‘Manipuri Bamboo Artifacts’ after exploring the bamboo trade throughout his MBA. Beginning small with roadside gross sales, he is now incomes an annual income of Rs 25 lakh.
Being a wonderful plastic different, bamboo is being broadly accepted by residents at present within the types of disposable cutlery, straws, cups, plates, sturdy family items, and gadgets of furnishings.
Over time, the individuals within the Northeastern area of the nation have eked out a livelihood from this plentiful forest useful resource. Past the borders, it has proved to rework the lifetime of Bihar’s Satyam Sundaram, who was as soon as thrown out of the varsity and was termed jungali (uncivilised).
In 2022, Satyam began his enterprise ‘Manipuri Bamboo Artifacts’ the place he sells eco-friendly merchandise. Beginning with promoting 15 bamboo bottles on the roadside, at present he sells a minimum of 150 styles of bamboo merchandise — together with tongue cleaners, toothbrushes, pen stands, neckpieces, engraved artwork items, lamp shades, dandiya sticks, and flasks with temperature show.
Inside two years, the 27-year-old has established a buyer base throughout the nation in states like Telangana, Kerala, Gujarat, Maharashtra, and Delhi. As we speak, he clocks an annual income of Rs 25 lakh.
Overcoming namecalling like ‘jungali’ and ‘failure’
Born in Munger district’s Lakhanpur village, Satyam studied in a Authorities college. Day-after-day, he would go to the varsity carrying books in a bora (jute rag). Later, his household moved to Purnia after his father’s switch.
“By that point, I used to be seven. However, I might solely get enrolled in Higher KG. My fundamentals weren’t clear so I’d fail a couple of topics. After I reached Class 2, once more I failed in 3 to 4 topics like Maths and English. I’d be termed as a failure,” he tells The Higher India.
“Later, my dad and mom enrolled me in a convent college however I used to be thrown out from there as I got here from a village. They might name me jungali. My mom went to them to take me again to the varsity however she was additional embarrassed by the authorities. Lastly, I enrolled in a close-by college and someway managed to clear my board examinations,” he shares.
Satyam moved to Kolkata for greater schooling and accomplished his commencement with a BCA diploma. Like most youth from Bihar, he was additionally pressured to get a Authorities job.
“My father works with the Bihar Police. So, I used to be additionally pressurised to get a Authorities job, a lot in order that I shed 10 kg of weight inside a month. Anyway, I appeared for the state PCS examination however I did not clear it with a low margin,” he provides.
As an alternative of showing for a second try, he determined to pursue greater schooling in enterprise administration.
Establishing a multi-lakh firm
In 2020, Satyam enrolled himself for an MBA, and this was the primary time, he felt he had made the correct choice. “Earlier than this, I by no means took a topic of my curiosity, be it in Class 10, 12, or commencement. Right here, I turned attentive in school and began elevating doubts on matters. I used to be counted within the record of fine college students. MBA helped me construct good communication, presentation, and advertising expertise,” he says.
Throughout this era, he additionally interned with firms like Britania and ITC Restricted. “Solely only a few in our faculty started working with them. I used to be the truth is given a pre-placement provide from ITC and Berger Paints,” he provides.
However as a substitute of accepting the provide, Satyam wished to utilise his expertise in an organization of his personal. “Throughout faculty, I used to be launched to the bamboo trade within the Northeast. That’s once I researched the sorts of merchandise one might make utilizing bamboo. In hindsight, I knew that I might land a job however I wished to run a enterprise and be the primary individual to arrange a bamboo manufacturing unit in Bihar,” he claims.
He additionally noticed rising demand for eco-friendly bamboo merchandise amid the COVID-19 pandemic. “It was an ideal alternative for me to begin the enterprise,” he says.
To kick off the enterprise, he took Rs 15,000 from his youthful brother and arrange a small desk on the roadside with 10 items of bamboo bottles. “I wished to know the willingness of individuals to purchase these merchandise. Moreover, I additionally wished to encourage individuals to undertake eco-friendly merchandise over plastic. I’d stand in crowds with posters on minimising plastic use and adopting alternate bamboo merchandise. Individuals would cease their automobiles to work together with me,” he says.
In early 2022, he received monetary help of Rs 8 lakh beneath the Prime Minister’s Employment Era Programme (PMEGP). Alongside along with his mom Asha Anuragini, he launched his firm in mid-Might, a month after his final semester examination.
Priced between Rs 10 and Rs 40,000, he presently sells his merchandise throughout the nation. To this point, he has bought a minimum of 25,000 items of diversified merchandise.
Wanting again to his college days, Satyam says, “The varsity that threw me out calling me jungali, now requests me to be their visitor speaker. Nevertheless, I favor assembly rural kids in Authorities faculties and sharing my story with them. They really feel linked to me and get impressed that an individual like them can rise and turn into profitable.”
Edited by Pranita Bhat. All pictures: Satyam Sundaram.