Author: Bihar Say | Amrita |

“From ₹15K in Mumbai to ₹80 Lakh in Bihar: Meet the Man Behind Bhagalpur’s Booming Bag Business”

Bihar Startup Story: Youth Brings Mumbai Skills Home, Launches Booming Bag Manufacturing Unit

“Mumbai taught me the skill, but Bihar gave me the will to build.”
That’s how Nandikesh Kumar, a 25-year-old from Kharik block, Bhagalpur, sums up his extraordinary journey—from a migrant worker earning ₹15,000/month in Mumbai to the founder of a fast-growing school bag and notebook manufacturing business in Bihar.

At a time when thousands felt hopeless during the 2020 COVID lockdown, Nandikesh didn’t just return home—he rebuilt it.

 The Turning Point: Shramik Special and a Dream Reborn

Back in 2020, like many others, Nandikesh boarded the Shramik Special train from Mumbai with barely ₹2–3 lakh in hand. But unlike many, he returned not with defeat, but with a plan.

“I didn’t want to go back,” he says. “I decided — whatever I do next, it’ll be in Bihar.”

He rented a house in Amarpur, Bihpur for ₹5,000/month. There, in November 2020, with just grit and savings, he launched a notebook-making unit. He even mortgaged family farmland to raise ₹5 lakh.

The second lockdown in 2021 hit him hard. Panic set in. But the moment the lockdown lifted, business bounced back stronger than ever.

 From Mudra Loan to Manufacturing Momentum

As notebook sales picked up, schools started asking for bags. That’s when opportunity knocked — and Nandikesh answered with confidence.

He applied for a ₹10 lakh Mudra loan and got it in two instalments. Seeing potential, he went further — securing land via BIADA and a ₹25 lakh PMEGP loan.

In January 2023, his dream took factory form: On-YatraBags, a bag manufacturing unit in Bhagalpur. Today, it supplies to schools across Bihar, Jharkhand, Assam, and beyond.

Bringing the Migrant Workforce Back to Bihar

The most emotional chapter in Nandikesh’s story?
His first call after launching On-YatraBags was to his former co-workers from Mumbai.

“They said, ‘We used to do this work 1,000 km away. Now we can do it at home.’ That was the moment I knew — I wasn’t just building a business. I was building hope.”

One by one, workers came back. Today, the factory employs 15 full-time staff — all locals or returning migrants.

2 Years. ₹80 Lakh Turnover. 1 Big Vision.

With just two ventures — On-YatraBags (bags) and School Map (notebooks) — the young entrepreneur has clocked an impressive ₹80 lakh turnover in 24 months.

Yet, he believes this is just the beginning.

“If I get more government support, I can give jobs to 200 people,” he says. “Our people are skilled. All they need is an opportunity at home.”

And he’s right — go to any metro, and you’ll find Bihari workers building its backbone. It’s time that backbone stood tall in Bihar.

A Message to the Youth of Bihar

“When we go outside, people call us ‘Bihari’ like it’s an insult. But we work harder than anyone else,” says Nandikesh.

“There is employment here — just don’t waste your life waiting for a government job.”

His story is living proof that with courage, vision, and support — dreams in Bihar aren’t just possible, they’re profitable.

💥 Be Part of the Change!

This isn’t just a success story. It’s a roadmap for Bihar’s future.
To discover more such powerful journeys that are reshaping Bihar from the grassroots, follow www.biharsay.com and join our 11k+ global community today.

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