The year 2015 remains one of the most energetic and defining phases of my professional and personal journey. My career at PeopleStrong, Gurgaon, was at its peak, leading engineering teams building next-generation HR Tech made in India.

While corporate life flourished, my mind gravitated toward building something meaningful in my roots—Kareli Mohad village near Narsinghpur. The vision was simple yet ambitious: create a village-rooted startup providing pure RO drinking water to surrounding rural communities.

From Idea to Ground Reality

With this purpose, I explored multiple water filtration and packaging plants across the NCR region. The goal was to replicate proven models and build a self-sufficient rural water business back home.

The plan was to start with RO water pouch packaging, later expanding into bottles and 20-litre water jars. Execution demanded relentless effort, frequent travel, and constant coordination between city vendors and village teams.

Weekend Hustle and Village Execution

Almost twice a month on weekends, I traveled to the village to review and build infrastructure. Factory layout, equipment installation, and material sourcing progressed step by step.

Large machines and filtration units were shipped from NCR to Madhya Pradesh, while local vendors supplied consumables. Balancing this alongside a demanding role at PeopleStrong required discipline, focus, and sacrificing personal downtime.

Captured Moments: Highlights from the Memoir

Commitment Without Compromise

Despite intense travel, I remained fully committed to my corporate responsibilities at Gurgaon. I believed in PeopleStrong deeply and continued investing through ESOPs at every vesting cycle.

As a leader, I consciously minimised unnecessary time off – holidays, recognising that guiding a tech team and pursuing parallel commitments both required consistent focus, accountability, and dedication. Those months were high-adrenaline, high-purpose, and deeply fulfilling.

The First Order and a Defining Night

By December 2015, the water plant became fully operational. The first commercial order marked a milestone I will never forget. Even at night, I personally helped pack RO water pouches, working late until the truck was fully loaded.

Watching the first shipment depart felt like seeing an idea materialize. It reminded me of a Jeff Bezos interview describing Amazon’s early days, when he personally packaged books to fulfill orders—a powerful moment I still remember vividly from that night.

Lessons From My First Entrepreneurial Chapter

This venture taught me operational realities, manpower challenges, and regulatory complexities faced by small rural startups. Government policies and local bureaucracy often make such grassroots businesses harder than they should be.

Although the plant was profitable, it operated for only one year due to my professional commitments in Gurgaon, which made remote management difficult. A full-time role in Gurgaon ultimately rendered village operations unsustainable.

Captured Moments: Highlights from the Memoir

Reflection and Long-Term Impact

The experience reshaped my entrepreneurial thinking. I learned to focus on domains I understand deeply and ecosystems that support scale. NCR, during the startup boom, offered talent, hunger, and momentum unmatched elsewhere.

Yet, the village startup journey remains unforgettable. It stands for passion, resilience, vision, and never giving up. Those memories continue to influence every entrepreneurial decision I make today.

#Year2015 #WaterFilter #WaterPlant #WaterPouches