Women of Bilikkere shine at the CSIR Foundation Day in New Delhi

Women Representatives of Asare Sanjeevini Food Products "We Mill" participated & displayed their millet products at a two-day comprehensive convention and CSIR Decade Achievement Mega Expo, organized at Pragati Maidan, New Delhi, as a part of Council of Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) Foundation Day on the 26th and 27th of September 2023.

Minister of Science and Technology and Vice President of CSIR, Dr. Jitendra Singh, Secretary of Space Department and ISRO Chairman Mr. Somnath and Prof. Ajay Kumar Sood, Principal Scientific Advisor were present at the event. The product range displayed included Ragi Malt, Ragi Mudde Mix, Ragi Sari (Shishu Potion), and various types of Ragi Cookies manufactured at "WeMill", a women cooperative social enterprise started under the guidance of GRAAM and Wuerth Elektronik India Pvt.

“It was such an honour for me to be here, as a woman from a village. This was my first travel in an aircraft”, mentioned an excited women entrepreneur, Smt. Parvathi.

"Women from We Mill are a motivation to other rural women aspiring to be entrepreneurs. Despite lack of adequate marketing resources, the quality of products itself is making them sell, through word-of-mouth advertising. Products are manufactured, keeping the standards given by CFTRI standards. The support from people across India would greatly benefit not just these 14 women, but also empower many such rural initiatives, in line with Mahatma Gandhiji's Gram Swaraj and Prime Minister Modi's Make in India Initiative" said Dr Basavaraju R Shreshta, the Executive Director of GRAAM.

"WeMill" product is a model developed by bringing together government, local community, civil society and corporate for rural wealth creation. There are 14 rural women working as proud partners of their own venture. Following the hub and spoke model, "WeMill" products are processed and manufactured from premium quality millet, procured locally from farmers. Ragi Malt, Ragi Mudde Mix, Ragi Sari (Shishu Poshan), and a variety of Ragi Cookies products are available on major e-commerce platforms like Flipkart, Amazon, Big Basket, and also supermarkets and organic shops. Any home delivery can be booked through WhatsApp on 9901981900. For more information contact Mr. Janardhan from GRAAM at 7337844633.