Success Story: It is said that ‘the route to success is very narrow and full of thorny bushes’ that is why very few people in the world are able to cross it. It is true that it takes a lot of courage and hard work to build a business and make it successful. It becomes more challenging if the person is a woman even in today’s world. But imagine the time of partition when part of India was divided and Pakistan was born. The time was very difficult several people lost their lives during protests and lakhs became homeless. Rajini Bector who was born in Karachi came to Ludhiana during the partition. At that time she was just a little minor girl who was trying to understand the reason behind the violent protests. When Rajini was 17 years old she was married to a Ludhiana-based businessman. Soon she became a mother and got busy raising her children. When her children went to boarding school she joined a bakery course at Punjab Agricultural University to utilize her free time to sharpen her cooking skills. How Rajini Bector Started Her Own Business? Rajini started making ice creams for her friends and soon became popular for her delicious baking recipes. Then she got an idea to start a small bakery business. With an investment of Rs 300 (to buy an oven) she started her business churning delicious ice creams in her own backyard. Soon she started getting several orders but was unable to make profits ending up incurring losses. Then her husband Dharamvir stepped in and started supporting her. He invested Rs 20000 to start an ice-cream manufacturing unit in 1978. They both chose the name Cremica for their brand. Rajini started the business selling ice creams and later expanded it with bakery items like – breads biscuits and sauces. HIGHLIGHTS • Rajni Bector started her journey with a small investment of Rs 300 to start a business in her backyard. • With her husband’s support she launched Cremica in 1978. • Today Cremica is India’s second-largest exporter of biscuits. • In 2021 Rajni Bector was awarded with the Padma Shri for her contribution to food industry. Rajini Bector Faced Several Challenges In 1980s it was a big thing for a woman to step into business. Rajini also faced several challenges. However with her family’s support she took her brand to new heights. From Backyard To Second Largest Biscuits Exporter The brand which started as an backyard experiment has now become India’s second largest exporter of biscuits. The products of Cremica is available in over 60 countries. it is the major supplier of desserts to most of the weddings happening in North India. Today Cremica’s annual turnover is around Rs 7000 crore. Honoured With The Padma Shri In the year 2021 Rajni Bector was awarded the Padma Shri—Indias fourth-highest civilian award. Her story is inspiring new businessmen and students who dream of becoming entrepreneurs.