At BrilliantRead Media, we always strive to bring meaningful and powerful stories from India and around the world to empower and motivate our growing community. As part of this endeavour, we invited Krithiga Prabakaran for an exclusive interview with us. Krithiga is a Leader, Entrepreneur, Health Coach, Organic Enthusiast and Change Enabler. She is the Founder of Organic Positive. Let’s learn more about her incredible journey, her background, and her advice for our growing community!
Excerpts from our exclusive interview with Krithiga:
We are aware of your contribution to the ecosystem, talk us through your background and your journey as a women entrepreneur, please;
With 6 years of experience as a software engineer by profession turned to be an Organic Enthusiast by Passion.
It is a simple thought process that came to me when I became pregnant, for the very first time, The mother’s instinct in me, started working. I had this amazing urge, to check around me, us, and the world, see what the BEST is and give only that to my baby and started exploring Indigenous rice and organic foods for my baby and to my family. When I started solid foods for my daughter, I dwelled even more into organic foods.
My first exploration was towards Native rice varieties, millets. The very First Rice, I gave her was Mapillai Samba and then gave all rice in rotation.”
This was the turning point in our lives to completely switch over from the polished and hybrid rice varieties to our native rice and millet varieties.
Throughout my second pregnancy, I was feeding my first child and later tandem feeding both my children and I don’t want to stop with my family alone. This is the reason that led to the beginning of my mission.
I am on a mission to transform 1 Lakh people by educating them on indigenous rice and millet. So far, I have impacted 3500 families and made them change their Lifestyles. This is how my brainchild Organic Positive was born!
What attracts you towards entrepreneurship instead of a corporate career?
I chose entrepreneurship because I always wanted to make an impact. I have always been intrigued by entrepreneurship, it all started during high school a lesson about Bill Gates in English Subject, it created a seed of passion about entrepreneurship.
From that point, I always wanted to be an entrepreneur, When I was in college final year, I used to prepare final-year project reports for other college students, that was my first entrepreneurial journey. Though I was working in IT, I always used to tell my colleagues that I wanted to start a business.
During my maternity, I really struggled to know information about indigenous rice and organic food, after I got it from authentic stores, I was not able to cook it properly.”
Many farmers who passionate about organic farming and native rice who was struggled to sell their products. All these sounds like a problem to me and then I started creating awareness about these rice on social media and guiding the methods to cook and facilitate at their doorstep, This is how I had started Organic Positive before 2.5 Years.
Now we are Value adding Native rice and millets as Instant Ready to Eat and Ready to cook products. It is not only satisfying my entrepreneurial thirst and more self-satisfaction in providing good food to the next generation, it gives immense pleasure to me than a 5-digit salary in a corporate job.
Reviews. Food pictures shared by customers and the Kids who Enjoying indigenous rice and millets are the real fruits paid off to my hard work.
‘Organic Positive’ is such a unique name; talk us through more about it, please. Our audience would also love to know what kind of problem you are solving?
Organic Positive is Food-Ag tech that promotes direct commerce between farmers and customers of Native rice varieties and millets as Instant Ready to Eat and Ready to Cook Products like Idly/dosa batter, Granola and much more.
We had nearly 1.5 Lakh of traditional Rice in India, Now Reduced to 120+ saved by organic enthusiast groups and hardly 3-4 on Regular Consumption.
People are not aware of Native Seeds and Natural Cultivation, not aware of its wellness, Lack of Knowledge on how to cook it and No-Time to cook in a Busy Routine. Farmers are not able to market their naturally grown products. There is a gap between cultivation and Sales.
To all these problems, we are providing a solution as providing ready-to-eat and ready-to-cook products made from Millets and Native rice such as Idly/dosa batter, Instant Granola which are low in GI and rich in protein and fibre.
And being a Bridge between Farmers and Consumers Encouraging farmers to grow traditional Paddy varieties and facilitating to customers.
What does your company specialise in?
We are specialists in the product called Multi Millet Granola and Nutrocrunch which are High Protein Millet and Indigenous Rice based Breakfast Cereal introduced to increase the acceptability of traditional crop varieties in the market Tasty and Crunchy 3 in 1 to either use as Breakfast cereal, Snack or Post workout Energizer.
No added Preservatives or artificial flavours. It is rich in Protein, Fibre and Iron.
How do you manage to keep going despite the challenges? What drives you?
I always believe that “when you want something, all the universe conspires in helping you to achieve”.
I have sacrificed many things and being strong in what I want with more passion and honesty, I know that I will get what I want but it takes some time.
Nowadays I started to love challenges because it gives me more learnings and new paths.
I love challenges to learn more things.
Who do you believe has been the biggest source of motivation in your daily life?
My customers are my biggest source of motivation in my daily life, there are times I used to lose my patience but when I get a single text of review or any message about recovery on their health or message on their kid’s happiness on eating our products or cooked products picture.
It cheered me up right away and I will be back at my work with more happiness. My husband, brother-in-law and my whole family are the greatest supporting pillars throughout my journey. Especially my mom who took care of my kids, if she was not there, it would not have been easy for me.
What are some of the strategies that you believe have helped you grow as a person?
I always believe in lifelong learning, I update myself on new things related to business, food and wellness.
In your opinion what are the keys to success?
(a) Passion
(b) Perseverance
(c) Curiosity
(d) Positive Attitude
(e) Persistence
What advice would you give students and young professionals who want to have a successful career?
First you have to find your Purpose in your life, then work for the Purpose with more Passion, Persistence and Perseverance. It eventually ends up with you in Profit.
These 5 Ps are important to living a contended life.
Last but not least, what are the three most important lessons you have learned in your life?
I’ve learned not to compare anyone, not to complain about our problems and not to judge anyone and to be more positive. These are the things I learnt eventually!
BrilliantRead is committed to bringing stories from the startup ecosystem, stories that reshape our perspective, add value to our community and be a constant source of motivation not just for our community but also for the whole ecosystem of entrepreneurs and aspiring individuals.
Note: If you have a similar story to share with our audience and would like to be featured on our online magazine, then please write to us at [email protected], we will review your story and extend an invitation to feature if it is worth publishing.
