It was 2020, and as the world grappled with the unprecedented challenges of the COVID-19 pandemic, assistant professor Sonia Dahiya found herself at a crossroads — a chance to transform a small idea into something extraordinary.

While most were confined within the strict boundaries of lockdown life, the PhD holder embraced the unexpected opportunity to cultivate her dream: mushroom farming.

Initially met with doubt from her loved ones — who were accustomed to the security of teaching and government jobs — she persevered, undeterred by scepticism.

Sonia spent countless hours online, drawing knowledge from research papers, until ‘Doctor Dahiya Mushroom Farm’ was born. With an initial investment of Rs 40 lakh, she built two growing rooms and hired local help, learning through trial and error.

“We grow button mushrooms in a high-tech, controlled environment. This allows us to produce year-round — an endeavour greatly supported by my background in biotechnology. It takes us two months to prepare one batch. Each crop cycle is a labour of love,” says the Sonipat resident.

By 2022, her vision had expanded to include two more growing rooms, allowing her to produce an impressive 10 tonnes of mushrooms every month. Today, this growth continues to strengthen........

© The Better India