Meet Trupti Dhakate, Professor And Gold Medalist Left Her Job For Mushroom Farming, Earns Rs 4 Lakh Per Month Now

A Gold Medalist in Botany from Nagpur University, Trupti Dhakate chose the path of mushroom cultivation to provide people with plant-based protein alternatives. A former microbiology professor, Trupti struggled to find a market for her mushrooms but eventually built a brand that now caters to customers across India.

Without any formal business training, she developed her brand Quality Mushroom, through hard work and perseverance that now gives her a monthly earning of Rs 4 lakh. Trupti's entrepreneurial journey inspires us to dream big and put in all the efforts to achieve them.

A gold medal in Botany from Nagpur University, Trupti's love of mushrooms inspired her to pursue entrepreneurship. She had researched mushrooms extensively and quit her job as a professor of microbiology to launch her own business. With hands-on experience in growing mushrooms, she launched a mushroom farming business in 2018.

Trupti's biggest challenge shortly after launching the business was marketing the produce. It was very difficult to sell the mushroom as she didn’t know anything about marketing. As she didn’t have any formal business training, she had to learn everything on the go — from packaging to distribution. However, Trupti did not give up in the face of challenges. To make people aware of the product, Trupti went to the local markets, set up tasting stations, and handed out free samples. It was a lot of work, but slowly people began to recognize it. Trupti stayed the course and in the end, enjoyed the sweet smell of success. Today, her brand Quality Mushroom offers wholesale mushroom supplies and home delivery across India.

While there were many ups and downs in the business, Trupti's husband was always there to encourage her efforts. Her husband invested around Rs 3 lakhs in the business and also actively was involved in the business.

Trupti's business took a new turn when the Coronavirus epidemic struck. During the pandemic, people were looking for plant-based protein sources and mushrooms were the perfect fit. At this point, people started to understand the importance of including mushrooms in their diet. This gave a lift to her mushroom business.

The fundamental component of Trupti's business is empowering women and small-scale farmers. She urges farmers to adopt sustainable farming methods. She has educated more than 7,000 students through workshops and training sessions and has also assisted more than 200 farmers in launching their own mushroom farming operations.

Trupti has consistently assisted farmers in their transition to organic, natural farming. She always encourages farmers to switch to natural agricultural methods as artificial pesticides can lead to health problems. (Picture Courtesy: All pics from instagram.com/truptibhushandhakate/)