The Indian Institute of Technology in Kanpur (IIT Kanpur) is now making its presence known in the dessert industry by giving our traditional treat, laddoos, a healthy twist.
The 150 farmer families who create these organic laddoos are now selling them in 22 cities, including Mumbai, Delhi, Pune, Kolkata, Bangalore, Indore, and others.
These laddoos are distributed, packaged, and subject to quality control by IIT-K (IIT Kanpur).
In addition to the confection, the premier institute’s “Unnati” project assists farmer families in selling nutritional “hareera” (a nourishing beverage) in several states.
Rita Singh, one of the project’s organizers, said, “The delicacies initially gained popularity among the institute’s students. We began selling laddoos, which are made from alsi (flax seeds), til (white and black sesame seeds), and gond (edible gum), in a number of cities as demand increased. In order to extend the company into other markets, we are now looking for assistance from our previous pupils who have relocated abroad.”
In order to promote scientific agriculture and provide village students with a quality education through smart classes, the Unnati initiative was started eight years ago in five villages of Kanpur’s Bithoor district.
150 farmer families from 10 adjacent areas have joined the program in the past year.
The IIT Kanpur’s scientists have also promoted organic farming and raised awareness among farmers.
