These 10 Indian Moms Prove That Every Mother Has the Power to Build Something Great
They built businesses from scratch, fought social stigma, made films on shoestring budgets, and raised not just children, but entire communities.
This Mother’s Day, we bring you the inspiring stories of 10 remarkable women who have overcome immense challenges to achieve success. These mothers, hailing from various parts of India, embody resilience and unyielding love. Whether selling pickles, building tech platforms, or caring for orphaned girls, these mothers used their maternal instinct and innovation to create legacies.
Each story captures their journey through adversity, highlighting how motherhood became a catalyst for their endeavours.
1. Poonam Sharma, Haryana
When Poonam’s husband lost his job and their children were expelled from school due to unpaid fees, her world came crashing down. “The day my children were asked to leave the school, I cried before them and felt miserable. It was so humiliating and disheartening for me,” she recalls.
With over 100 products and an international reach, Poonam today walks with her head held high.
Not long after, she also suffered partial paralysis, which left her bedridden for months. A village girl educated only up to Class 8, she turned adversity into opportunity. Poonam launched a millet-based foods business, ‘Dadi Ka Pitara’, where she sells over 100 products, including namkeen, laddoos, chocolates, and chips. Her products are in demand for weddings, birthdays, and corporate events. The business has expanded internationally, reaching customers in the USA and Canada.
Her daughter, Himanshi, shares, “My mother taught me the importance of staying true to one’s values, regardless of circumstances. She built her own identity, and I aspire to be like her.”
2. Geeta Patil, Maharashtra
In 2016, when her husband lost his job, Geeta Patil had two young boys to raise and no steady income. “We had two boys to educate,” she recalls. “I had confidence in my cooking, so I started small from our home kitchen.”
She launched ‘Patil Kaki’, selling snacks like modak, puranpoli, chakli, and poha. Her sons helped pack orders — especially Vinit, whose tiffins were always a hit at school.
Today, the brand serves over 3,000 customers a month and earns over ₹1 crore a year — built on a mother’s love, resilience, and food.
3. Laveena Jain, Uttar Pradesh
In 2010, life took a challenging turn when Laveena and her husband were diagnosed with cancer. With two young children to care for, they were forced to consider selling their home to manage the rising medical expenses.
“We were devastated, not just financially but mentally and physically. Selling our home felt like an admission of defeat. It was contrary to the example of perseverance we wished to set for our children,” Laveena says.
Laveena established a thriving business across Uttar Pradesh for her homemade murabbas, jams, pickles, and squash.
Refusing to give up, Laveena started ‘Tripti Foods’ with just Rs 1,500 — making pickles, squash, and sharbat from her home kitchen in Lucknow. Named after her daughter, Tripti, the venture is now co-managed by her and has grown to offer over 20 varieties of products. Their pickles are sold across India through exhibitions and direct orders, and the business helped the family clear debts of over Rs 15 lakh.
4. Indira Dhar, West Bengal
A single mother, Indira defied the odds to bring her debut film, Putul, from the streets of Kolkata to a standing ovation at the Cannes Film Festival. Inspired by her childhood love for Satyajit Ray’s films, she turned her passion for storytelling into filmmaking, focusing on narrative structures and scriptwriting.
Owing to financial struggles, she sold her jewellery to fund Putul, which tells the story of street children and societal standards.
Even A R Rahman appreciated Indira Dhar’s debut film, Putul
Balancing motherhood with her creative ambitions, she wove personal experiences into the film. “I juggled between caring for my baby and my career. I’d meticulously prepare his baby food and keep it in a small tiffin, often rushing between meetings and script discussions.”
Supported by a small, dedicated crew, her film earned acclaim as a home-grown feature at Cannes.
5. Neha Bagaria, Karnataka
Bengaluru-based Neha founded HerKey to support women returning to the workforce after career breaks, moved by her own struggles. Initially planning just a 40-day maternity leave, Neha ended up taking a break that lasted nearly four years, during which she started questioning her identity and ambitions.
“I started putting all my lofty ambitions on the shoulders of my little son. If he wasn’t perfect at something, I’d get frustrated. I realised that to be a happy mother, I needed to be a happy person. And for that, I needed to get back to work,” she shares.
HerKey was born from this realisation. The platform has helped advance the careers of over 3.5 million women, helping them upskill, find job opportunities, and re-enter the workforce with confidence.
6. Jyoti Srivastava, Uttar Pradesh
Jyoti faced ridicule from relatives for leaving her job to start a parenting blog.
Jyoti, a chemical engineer from Meerut, embraced entrepreneurship after having her first child. She founded ‘Little Cherry Mom’ to provide healthier food options for babies. Since its launch in 2022, her venture has served over 60,000 customers, generating nearly Rs 3 crore in revenue.
But this transition was not easy. She faced ridicule from relatives for leaving her job to start a parenting blog about millet and breastfeeding. “When I started blogging and making reels, people used to make fun of me. I was labelled ‘Mummy blogger’. They [relatives] do not mock me now,” she shares.
For Jyoti, motherhood was a catalyst for success, transforming her into a thriving entrepreneur in the baby food industry.
7. Gayathri Kanumuri, Andhra Pradesh
After facing unexpected challenges with breastfeeding her daughter in 2020, former software developer Gayathri Kanumuri experienced pressure and guilt from those around her. Determined to help others, she launched ‘NariCare’, offering one-on-one lactation consultations, a dedicated WhatsApp support group, and evidence-based guidance from trained professionals.
This platform has assisted over 400 mothers in India, Australia, the USA, and Canada. Through NariCare, she aims to provide the crucial lactation support often lacking during the postpartum period, empowering mothers and enhancing the long-term health of their babies.
8. Yangmila Zimik, Manipur
Yangmila launched ‘Shirin Products’ with just Rs 500 and a tin of wild fruits.
At just 21, Yangmila Zimik became a single mother, abandoned by her partner and denied alimony. With no financial support and limited acceptance from her community in Ukhrul, Manipur, she faced the daunting task of raising her child alone.
Determined to provide a better future, she launched ‘Shirin Products’ with just Rs 500 and a tin of wild fruits. Using foraged ingredients like roselle, gooseberries, and galho leaves, she crafts pickles and candies that now sell across India — from the Northeast to cities like Mumbai and Delhi — with monthly sales crossing Rs 1 lakh.
9. Dr Michelle Harrison, West Bengal
Originally from Israel, Dr Michelle has devoted her life to caring for orphaned girls in Kolkata, despite facing significant challenges, including death threats. After adopting a child in India, she was struck by the apathy of child welfare organisations and the prevalence of human trafficking.
So, she founded ‘Childlife Preserve Shishur Sevay’, a home providing lifelong care and education for orphaned girls. She is now ‘mother’ to 14 abandoned girls, including four with disabilities, who are enrolled in vocational training — from tailoring and yoga to jewellery-making and visual art.
Despite receiving death threats, Israel-origin Dr Michelle Harrison dedicated her life to providing a safe space to orphaned girls.
10. Krishna Yadav, Delhi
A mother of three with no formal education, Krishna Yadav moved to Delhi with just Rs 500 after her husband lost his job. With no source of income and three children to raise, she enrolled in a pickle-making course and started small — selling jars on the roadside.
What began as a way to support her family grew into ‘Shri Krishna Pickles’, a successful enterprise offering over 250 products. In 2014, she stood proudly before the Prime Minister of India, Narendra Modi, holding the NG Ranga Farmer Award for Diversified Agriculture.
“I was a homemaker. But I wanted to contribute to the family income during our dire times. Today, I have cars and a house, and the dignity to walk with pride,” she says.
Edited by Khushi Arora
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