New Delhi: Manas Ranjan Das of Cuttack, Odisha, is a living testament to perseverance, innovation, and unwavering determination. Despite battling Ankylosing Spondylitis—a condition that severely restricts neck movement—Manas turned his small mushroom farming venture into a thriving business, generating an annual turnover of ₹24 lakh, and inspiring hundreds of farmers across rural Odisha.
Early Struggles
After graduating in 2000, Manas began his career as a salesman at a mobile phone store, earning a mere ₹600 per month. Over the years, he undertook multiple jobs to sustain himself. In 2016, he joined Sai Kripa College in Dhenkanal with a monthly salary of ₹10,000. During this period, he met four successful mushroom farmers from Mukutpasi village, whose guidance inspired him to explore mushroom cultivation. In 2017, Manas embarked on his farming journey as a novice, experimenting with small-scale cultivation.
Turning Vision into Profit
Manas’ success lies in cost-effective and innovative methods. Instead of expensive steel or iron structures, he built his farm using 250 bamboo poles and affordable shade nets, significantly reducing initial investment. By cultivating Paddy Straw mushrooms from March to October and Oyster mushrooms from November to February, he ensured year-round production. Unlike most farmers who use costly wheat grains for spawn production, Manas sources West Bengal cotton, rich in cellulose, at just ₹19 per kg, accelerating mushroom growth. His farm produces 70–80 kg of Oyster mushrooms monthly and around 30 kg of Paddy Straw mushrooms daily, resulting in an average monthly turnover of ₹2 lakh.
Focus on Value Addition
Manas emphasizes value addition over selling raw produce. Unsold mushrooms are dried and converted into powder, which sells for up to ₹1,000 per kg. Together with his wife, Ritanjali, he prepares pickles, cookies, and other mushroom-based products for annual fairs such as the ‘Bali Yatra,’ earning an additional ₹1.5–2 lakh in just a few days. This strategy not only boosts income but extends the product’s shelf life from 72 hours to one year.
Giving Back to the Farming Community
Manas’ journey was not without setbacks. His first attempt in 2017 ended in failure, leaving him with a debt of ₹1.42 lakh. Undeterred, he pursued training at KVK and IMAGE and refined his techniques through online resources. Awarded the ‘Navachari Kisan’ in 2022, Manas has since trained over 200 self-help groups free of charge, acting as a mentor and advisor to new farmers, and sparking a wave of rural entrepreneurship in Odisha.
From earning ₹600 a month to running a ₹24 lakh enterprise, Manas Ranjan Das exemplifies how vision, resilience, and smart innovation can overcome even the toughest challenges.
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