With multiple businesses, this rural entrepreneur is providing jobs for the poor

Balasore-based Rajesh Kumar Mohakud has set up many businesses and a trust and is seeing a turnover of Rs 2 crore in just six years

We are seeing a vast number of youth leaving their villages and migrating to cities in search of employment and to make a better living for themselves and their families. While a major part of India’s economy lies in the villages, we cannot neglect the development of rural areas. Even though rural entrepreneurs are facing problems such as non-availability of primary amenities and financial resources, a few have overcome these challenges to set up successful ventures.

In order to raise the standard of rural life and to create job opportunity in the villages, 32-year-old Rajesh Kumar Mohakud founded SR Group in 2012. Based in Balasore, he has single-handedly launched multiple businesses in order to generate employment opportunity in the rural areas.

Today, the SR Group employs more than a hundred people across its businesses and has a turnover of Rs 2 crore.

While some of his businesses are involved in fly ash bricks and the manufacturing of tiles, others include manufacturing and selling mineral water and floor cleaning liquids. Mohakud is also a social worker and has launched SR Shining Odisha Foundation, a social trust.

“I have a BTech in civil engineering, and I belong to a middle class family. However, my aim is to be a successful entrepreneur by creating employment in the rural area, establish manufacturing units here and create a positive brand image for my group all over the state,” he says.

In 2010, after Mohakud finished his studies, he set up a mobile phone and gas pick up centre in the village market. At the same time, he was also employed by a company and was earning a meagre Rs 3,000 per month. “I was not very happy and I decided to move to Bengaluru to take up a full-time job. But within six months, I resigned because I felt I could contribute more in the rural areas,” he says.

After returning, he established a fly ash bricks manufacturing unit named SR Bricks and Tiles Industry. “It was a new business concept and it was located in a rural area. I also faced challenges in terms of marketing my product and brand. However, I was able to generate employment in the area and this inspired me to keep going,” he says.

“A lot of established businesses are set up in popular markets, townships or city areas. They ignore the villages where, in fact, there is a larger problem of unemployment,” he says.

Battling high costs and other challenges, Mohakud did the unthinkable. In 2014, he set up another company so that he could employ more people and expand the SR Group.

“I was struggling, but with the financial support of the United Bank of India in Balasore, I started a new business called SR Sai Drinks. It was involved in the manufacturing and marketing of mineral water (sold under the Cain brand), soda, white phenyl and distilled water,” he says.

“Overall, I invested Rs 5 lakh and used my own land to run it. But I did not receive enough support from the local government. I had to rely on hard work and had to constantly remind myself about my ambition, which was to alleviate the poor by giving them employment.”

But this was not enough for him. Mohakud, who wanted to do even better for Balasore and the local communities, set up a trust named SR Shining Odisha Foundation. He explains,

“We have done a lot of work in nearby areas such as planting trees, organising blood donation camps and supporting schools for blind kids.”

Mohakud now wants to set up more businesses under the SR Group name and create further opportunities for those in need. He has also involved himself in local infrastructure projects, seeking to bring them under the SR Group and diversify even further. “For something like this, I need support from the government. I have already launched many initiatives and it is hard to manage it alone. With enough external support, I believe I can explore new business opportunities in my region,” Mohakud says.

According to him, environmental concerns, safety and social responsibility are also major considerations. “We certainly understand our responsibility towards ensuring a greener and safer planet. We take several measures to contribute towards the cause, right from energy efficient manufacturing units and green campuses to safe procuring of raw material.”

This strong spirit of entrepreneurship and social work emanating from Mohakud has not gone unnoticed. He has received numerous accolades from rural business associations, including several ‘Best Young Entrepreneur’ and ‘Best Young Social Worker’ awards.

Bigger honours are bound to follow Mohakud, if he continues to contribute to his community at this scale and inspires others to follow him.

(This story is published in partnership with the MSME Ministry to showcase success stories of SMEs)