I am Arpita Doshi, Innovator and Founder of Nutrition Dynamic Foods LLP, Ahmedabad. I am a BSc. in Microbiology and P.G. Dip. in Biotechnology (University Of Hertfordshire, UK). From childhood, I was highly passionate about food and innovation in food was my skill. After my post graduate studies and a highly successful career in UK, I desired to do something for my motherland hence in 2007, I returned to India, got married to a businessman, and looked after my family. In 2009, when I travelled to UK, I was infected with H1N1 virus which was as deadly as COVID’19 and for 26 days I was intubated on Ventilator in UK. Post hospitalization, when I returned to India my health was suffering, I was unable to cope with my regular duties making me miserable and depressive. After losing my health and realising that the underlying condition is an inflammatory non-communicable disease that cannot be cured with medicine, I realised that health can only and only be addressed through food as food is the only external source to initiate all the processes inside. In order to cater to the wide population suffering from health diseases that need dietary modification, it is best to provide instant products that truly help in building health. I dreamt of a young population free from inflammatory non-communicable diseases. I started my own venture of manufacturing healthy food that builds resilience.
Prior to starting my venture, we were looking for commercial health products and found that they focused on primary major and micro nutrients but the secondary metabolites like antioxidants, polyphenols and flavonoids that possess the power to alter cellular metabolism are actually lost. After innovating the formulation and getting patent rights, NDF brand was launched in 2019 which manufactures plant-based innovative functional beverage premixes.
Every step was a challenge, as I was a woman entrepreneur with health issues, entering the manufacturing industry which was male dominated. I went through the regulatory authorities, directors, HR, customers in Gujarat where I was based. Support from my family, willpower, hard work, determination and perseverance towards my dream helped me overcome these hurdles and made my venture NDF a successful start-up.
To all the women entrepreneurs who are struggling and grappling with work and family, my advice would be to gain confidence and trust from your family and work towards your dream. You will face many hurdles and challenges and many a times you may even think of quitting, but if you have a family supporting and encouraging you, it would definitely be the most successful venture no matter of how difficult the path is. What I have always learned from all the hardships and I take home with me is that life is never smooth, there are bends and curves but one must remain optimistic, have patience and continue to believe in one’s dream and work towards it. Let your passion be your dream and let your dream be a reality, when the path is difficult have patience, when the path is smooth have humanity and you shall indeed make your dream a reality.
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