In a quaint farming village near Bhopalgarh tehsil in Rajasthan’s Jodhpur district, Kaushalya Choudhary juggled her household duties while nurturing a quiet yet ambitious dream. With a deep love for traditional Marwadi cuisine and culture, she never envisioned that her path would one day empower women entrepreneurs across India.
The pivotal moment arrived in 2017 when her husband surprised her with an entry-level smartphone. What seemed like a simple gift turned out to be a transformative experience. Eager to share the richness of Marwadi recipes and culture, Kaushalya launched a YouTube channel named All India Rasoi, where she began posting cooking videos in Hindi.
Although her recipes were genuine, the content struggled to resonate emotionally with viewers. After two years of dedicated effort, the channel did not achieve the growth she had hoped for. Reflecting on this period, Kaushalya realised that something essential was missing—the authentic essence of Rajasthan.
Finding Her Voice with Sidhi Marwadi
Determined not to give up, Kaushalya made a courageous shift. In February 2019, she launched a new YouTube channel, Sidhi Marwadi, this time communicating in her native Rajasthani-Marwadi language. The response was immediate and overwhelming. Within a month, the channel amassed over 1 lakh subscribers and generated more than ₹10 lakh in earnings.
Her genuine presence, authentic recipes, and pride in her culture struck a chord with audiences. Today, Sidhi Marwadi boasts 1.7 million subscribers and over 360 videos, establishing Kaushalya as one of India’s most recognisable rural women content creators.
This success reaffirmed her belief that younger generations in India still cherish traditional food and regional culture. However, for Kaushalya, digital recognition was merely the beginning.
Learning from Challenges and Gaining National Recognition
Kaushalya’s journey was not without its hurdles. In 2020, she attempted to create a community-focused app and website but fell victim to a tech vendor who vanished after taking ₹4 lakh. Despite this setback, she persevered and successfully launched the Sidhi Marwadi app and website in November 2023.
Her confidence soared further when she participated in MasterChef India Season 8 in August 2023. Competing against 40,000 aspirants nationwide, she became the only contestant from Rajasthan to reach the Top 12. This experience reinforced her belief that traditional Indian cuisine deserved a broader platform.
Building a Clean-Label Food Brand from the Ground Up
Motivated to create a tangible impact, Kaushalya invested ₹20 lakh from her YouTube earnings to establish manufacturing and packaging units in Jodhpur. In March 2024, she officially launched Sidhi Marwadi, a clean-label food startup dedicated to offering preservative-free, chemical-free products inspired by Marwadi cuisine.
Starting with just 19 products, including masalas, oils, and dried vegetables, the brand quickly gained traction. Within the first month, over 3 lakh customers placed orders online, largely due to the trust she had built within her digital community.
Scaling with a Focus on Women-Led Entrepreneurship
By mid-2024, Sidhi Marwadi opened its first offline store in Jodhpur. The rapid demand led to expansion, and today the brand operates 39 retail outlets across India, from Ahmedabad and Surat to Chennai and Coimbatore, following a franchise model. Remarkably, most stores are owned by women.
The brand now offers over 30 products across four categories, including pickles. Bestsellers like red chilli powder, mustard oil, and kasuri methi highlight its commitment to traditional processing methods such as cold-pressing and slow grinding.
Beyond business growth, Sidhi Marwadi directly employs over 35 rural women, empowering them to earn sustainable livelihoods without leaving their villages.
Looking Ahead: Growth with Purpose
Having served more than one million customers, Sidhi Marwadi aims to expand to over 100 outlets by FY 2025–26 and explore international markets such as the US, Canada, and Australia. The company remains bootstrapped and profitable, open to partnerships that align with its values of rural and women empowerment.
For Kaushalya, Sidhi Marwadi represents more than just a brand—it embodies a movement rooted in culture, community, and self-reliance. Her journey serves as a powerful reminder that resilience, authenticity, and a belief in one’s roots can turn setbacks into enduring success.
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