Four years ago, a banker decided his cushy job was not satisfying enough – he wanted to do something that would enrich his life not just monetarily. After much soul-searching, he came upon a grass that ‘bows’, the more it ‘grows’! And Yogesh Shinde knew he had found his mission.
Known as the Poor Man’s Timber, Bamboo needed someone to change that perception. Yogesh came to the conclusion that making bamboo products could be the best entrepreneurial option for the farmers in the villages of Velhe, Bhor, Panshet, and Mulshi, all adjacent to Pune. And on August 15, 2016, he alongwith his wife, Ashwini, founded Bamboo India – in his own words “to give freedom to my countrymen from plastic. It’s not for the income, but for the outcome.”
He quit his job as the Assistant VP of Barclays Bank, gathered 10 farmers from the village of Velhe and set up a small manufacturing unit in his farmhouse. Initially, everything was trial and error. Yogesh himself learned how to make the products and taught the farmers personally. He then started selling these products to his friends, family members, and acquaintances.
Bamboo India now makes innovative Bamboo Products and each product is a replacement for plastic: Bamboo Toothbrush, Bamboo Earbuds, Bamboo Comb, Bamboo Straw, Bamboo Tongue cleaner and Bamboo Sound amplifier. In fact, he has even made a bicycle of bamboo, his favourite mode of transport.
Yogesh informs, “Earlier people use to call Bamboo as Poor Man’s Timber but in reality it’s the wise man’s Timber. Bamboo India is on a mission to make this happen. Bamboo can be best as a plastic alternative. Someone has to demonstrate so why not me?”
The Planet’s Tallest grass
Bamboo is not a tree, it is a grass. In fact, Bamboo is the Planet’s tallest grass. It grows 1 feet average per day during monsoon. Native species can be found on all continents, (except Antarctica), from the coastal South Pacific islands to the Himalayan mountains. Bamboo typically reaches full height and width within the first 12 months of its life. During the next few years its cell walls will continue to thicken and grow stronger until it reaches peak maturity, usually between 5 and 7 years and every year new shoots grow. Bamboo consumes 30% more CO2 from the atmosphere. No pesticides are required to grow bamboo. In India we have 136 different Bamboo species.
Speaking of the initial challenges, Yogesh recalls, “Every change in society has some resistance so the same happens with Bamboo products but when people understand the intention behind them they will accept. We are not only a profitable business house but a social entrepreneurship which also touches base on social and environmental issues. Bamboo products which we make are not less than any existing plastic product in terms of quality and ease of use.”
He shared that initially the pricing of the product was really challenging as the manufacturing is labour intensive but they increased production to lower the cost. “For example earlier our Bamboo Toothbrush used to cost Rs 180 per piece which was expensive but we have now successfully brought it down to just Rs 49 which is the same as what a plastic one costs.”
Yogesh sources the Bamboo locally from the Pune region, Konkan region, Nagpur region, Gujarat, MP and the Northeast. Bamboo India follows all GMP standards. Audits are frequently conducted by the company. Bamboo India also does a lot of CSR activities to create awareness about Bamboo products like distributing free Bamboo toothbrushes in local schools. Growing the farmer community is always at the core of the company’s ethical values.
Ground reality
He is thankful to the Modi Government for changing the Bamboo classification from tree to grass. But he opines that though the National Bamboo Mission is doing good work, it’s not reaching the right people. “The UN, TEDx, SAARC, many newspapers and bloggers came to visit Bamboo India and appreciated our work but not a single government authority has yet reached us to know what we are doing. They are busy arranging conferences, webinars in 5-star hotels about the Bamboo industry condition in India but they are sadly, not interested in seeing what the innovating artisans are doing on the ground level,” laments Yogesh.
He adds that no one is talking about innovation. He even reveals that one minister in the current Maharashtra government took products from him but even after 9 months of aggressive follow-up, he is yet to pay the money. Such incidents deter us and will not help us achieve our target, he says.
Bamboo India uses e-commerce platforms, local markets, retail stores, community marketing, etc, as its distribution channels. The company also exports its products to more than 18 countries including Europe and US.
Yogesh is very upbeat about future plans for Bamboo India. “Bamboo India is always committed to make innovative Bamboo products which save plastic and help Bamboo farmers, artisans and Mother Earth. In the last 3.5 years, we saved 10 lakh kg of plastic waste and in future will save minimum 10 lakh kg of plastic waste every year. We want every Indian to understand the global warming situation and switch to Bamboo to avoid plastic waste. Finally in the next 3 years, we want to have a positive impact on every segment of our one billion population – consumers, resellers, distributors, employees and farmers.”
Also read: IGBC Green Village Rating System: Encouraging Villages to go Green
Commendable work. I have been involved in the Bamboo Flooring industry over the past few decades mostly in China.In fact Strand woven Bamboo flooring idea was germinated by me, using waste strands of Bamboo.You must develop bamboo flooring.
Awesome work Yogesh… your courage and thoughts to make world greener place will take Bamboo India to greater heights. All the best for bright future…
Hats off to your hard work for making this place greener and livable by using bamboo products and reducing plastic population 👍🏻🙌🙏🏻
Nicework sir heard alot about you best wishes
Sir,
This has inspired me to Become- Banker with Bamboo Missionary.I would love to work with you in Bamboo Missionary recently I have planted some varieties.Guide me which varieties can be grown in western ghats.
Hello Yogesh,
Great work, really commendable… I too want to get into bamboo farming. Can I seek your guidance and support.
Looking forward to your reply.
Regards,
Kumar Ankur