Within the small kitchens of Bihari houses, particularly through the Chhath Puja, the air fills with the candy, spiced aroma of thekua — a beloved snack manufactured from wheat flour, jaggery, and ghee, fried till golden brown. For Guwahati-based Tilak Pandit, this festive deal with wasn’t only a household custom. It turned the inspiration of a enterprise concept that may ultimately attain prospects throughout India.
At simply 20, Tilak has remodeled his mom’s home made thekuas right into a thriving meals startup, ‘Desi Tesi’, proving that homegrown concepts, when paired with grit and fervour, can go a great distance.
Rising up in a Bihari family in Guwahati, Tilak noticed his household put together thekuas yearly as a part of the normal Chhath rituals. It was a nostalgic consolation, tied to recollections of heat, celebration, and neighborhood. But it surely wasn’t till a school fest that Tilak realised its true potential.
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With a humble stall on the occasion, he determined to promote his mom’s home made thekuas to the gang. What occurred subsequent shocked him — the inventory offered out very quickly. And what’s extra, individuals stored coming again, asking if they may order extra.
That spark of curiosity was sufficient. Tilak knew he had one thing particular.
Constructing a model from scratch, with household by his facet
With no formal enterprise coaching or buyers backing him, Tilak did what most would shrink back from: he taught himself. From working an internet retailer to dealing with logistics and packaging, he learnt each facet of working a meals enterprise from the bottom up.
Desi Tesi was launched straight from his house kitchen, with the help of his household. At first, orders have been few and much between. There was barely any funding, and progress was gradual. However Tilak stayed centered, counting on word-of-mouth and consistency to construct a loyal buyer base.
Two years on, Desi Tesi is not only a house experiment. It receives common orders from throughout the nation. Clients who as soon as needed to look ahead to Chhath to get pleasure from thekua can now have it delivered to their doorstep.
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What makes Desi Tesi stand out is its deep connection to custom. The recipes stay true to genuine Bihari flavours — one thing many miss after they transfer away from house. It’s not only a snack, however a style of nostalgia and a connection to 1’s roots.
Success with out factories or buyers
In a time when startups are sometimes outlined by funding rounds, superstar endorsements, and large-scale operations, Tilak’s story is a refreshing reminder of what actually drives success: ardour, resilience, and goal.
He didn’t have a industrial kitchen or massive buyers. What he had was a recipe handed down by way of generations, a supportive household, and a willingness to study every little thing on his personal.
From packaging every order fastidiously at house to managing deliveries and buyer suggestions, Tilak wears a number of hats to maintain the wheels turning.
The journey continues
As Desi Tesi grows, Tilak hopes to develop his product vary whereas persevering with to remain true to the values that began all of it: house, tradition, and neighborhood. For now, he stays the guts of his kitchen, pouring custom into each batch of thekua.
