Hyderabad-based Pramada Reddy runs thriving business out of her kitchen

The moment you enter her home, you will be enamored by the aroma of 'pindi vantalu'. Every corner you glance at, you will find freshly made snacks and sweets.

Hyderabad: At the age of 61, Hyderabad-based Pramada Reddy is pushing the envelope as she runs a successful business right out of her kitchen. She has not only broken the barriers but also has been a source of inspiration for women who work with her.

The moment you enter her home, you will be enamored by the aroma of ‘pindi vantalu’. Every corner you glance at, you will find freshly made snacks and sweets. Says Pramada, “we started by selling small quantities of bakshalu and sakinalu. Everything is homemade and of the best quality. We also do not reuse the oil.”

Located near Indira Park, Pramada’s Traditional Telangana Food was started in 2000 with the support of her husband, Rama Sahayam Sudhi Ram Reddy, who also happens to be an ex-serviceman.

Their business had a humble beginning and was something that she pursued out of her interest. “Initially, I was looked down upon. Why does she have to make these and sell them, they would ask. But as the business grew and became successful, I earned the respect I always deserved,” she says.

Today, her business sells over 200 regional snacks and sweets like murukulu, appalu, laddu, and others. Their best-sellers are kheema garjalu and non-veg pickles made with prawns, mutton, and chicken.

“We mostly take bulk orders and have the most work around the wedding season and festivals like Sankranthi and Diwali. People living abroad also place orders and we deliver them through courier,” says Pramada adding that they also run a walk-in store for customers who want to purchase in lesser quantities.

At any given time of the day, their home is abuzz with around 30 women working on different orders. She says that having women work in her kitchen was a conscious decision to give them a livelihood.

Although the stereotype says that women never allow others into their kitchens, Pramada not only pushed the boundaries and shattered the stigma of the pitied woman behind the curtains, but also made space for other women working for her.