A couple of years back, Jodhpur-based Amit Soni was tasked by the PUSA Institute, short for Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI) — to create millet-based confectioneries.

He decided to craft a chocolate truffle cake using bajra (pearl millet) — a grain often overlooked due to its lack of gluten and distinct taste. After a month of experimenting and refining his recipe, Amit’s millet cake was finally ready! He’d prepared a staggering 80 kilograms of this millet masterpiece, divided into eight massive 10-kilogram pieces.

“Some CAZRI (Central Arid Zone Research Institute) officials picked the cake. And I was surprised to see commandoes along with them. I had no clue where our hefty cake was headed after they dispatched it to PUSA in Delhi,” says Amit.

Little did he know that this audacious endeavour would catch the attention of the nation’s highest echelons. Two days later, he received a message with a video link.

Curiosity piqued, he opened it only to witness a sight that left him astounded — Prime Minister Narendra Modi himself was slicing into his millet cake. He was flanked by dignitaries like Narendra Singh Tomar, Kailash Choudhary, and Rajnath Singh.

Amit was overcome with disbelief and pride as he watched his creation being appreciated at such a high-profile event. “It was nothing short of a goosebumps moment,” he says.

But what led a simple baker from Jodhpur to have his creation celebrated at such a high-profile event? In conversation with The Better India, Amit reveals the surprising ways his culinary innovation made its mark on the world stage!

An ode to his parents

Born and raised in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, Amit came from a family of jewellery artisans, but he chose a different path. With a master’s degree in HR and marketing, he worked a variety of jobs — from a salesman in the electronics sector to an event manager —........

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