Kaushal Sambal

Covid was indeed a life-altering experience for the most of us. Some lives changed for better and some otherwise. Mamta Verma’s journey can’t just be categorized into either of the extremes. Reality, at times, is certainly stranger than fiction and Mamta’s trajectory of life is proof to that.

Mamta used to lead a fairly comfortable life as a home maker and mother of two young daughters while her husband. Everything was bed of roses for her until destiny had other plans. Fractures are uninvited guests as they say, such was the wound that Mamta met with. During the fatal second wave of the covid pandemic, Ravikant her husband tested positive and with each passing day post him getting struck by the deadly variant, his situation only worsened. He was put on ventilator and the doctors gave it their all to save his life, but in vain. They lost him.

This is exactly when things turned topsy-turvy for Mamta, as Ravi was survived with two daughters along with her before departing. A loss that was really shocking and unexpected. 2nd May, 2021, a date that clearly changed everything for Mamta.

It took some time for this inevitable reality to seep in and there was nothing in this world which could compensate the loss that Mamta and her family incurred.

“Sometimes, life compels you to leave the past behind and move ahead. Life without Ravi is unimaginable, it’s a void that can never be filled. But it’s life, some day or the other, you’ll have to come to terms with whatever has happened and let just bygones be bygones. There’s no doubt that He will be missed,” stated Mamta, with tears in her eyes and grief in her heart.

Mamta knew that this period of melancholy couldn’t prolong as she had her loved ones to take care of. Initiating something was now a matter of priority.

“I wasn’t well educated, didn’t hone any of my skills for years and was happily leading my life as a housewife. Ravi’s passing away didn’t just leave me numb but also baffled about the contingencies. I didn’t know what to do, how to go about things and how to plan the future of both my daughters,” She continued.

Little did Mamta know that the ray of hope wasn’t lying elsewhere but within her. She’d have never anticipated that her once attained culinary certificate would come to her rescue and act as a saviour. 

“I had learnt cooking years ago and also received a certificate but that was a matter of the past.” said Mamta, reassuring the world that matters of the past only push an individual to do better.

“I couldn’t understand its value until M3M Foundation identified it for me and came up with a proposal that they’d fund for my fast-food centre and provide me with everything that is necessary in setting up the same.” She further added.

Though initially hesitant, she gathered the courage to take the leap. “With someone as credible and authentic an organisation as M3M Foundation having my back and handholding me to climb the ladder of enterprise, I thought it was only fair on my part to accept this beautiful opportunity that they offered to me on a platter.” Said Mamta.

This is when Mamta, along with a group of close friends and with the constant support of M3M Foundation, built her own, cosy fast-food centre at Sainik market, Faridabad.

The shop, if viewed from the external lens might be a small affair, but for Mamta, it gave her a second chance, a valuable chance to get her life back on track, to help her daughters in everything possible and to live with dignity. She named her fast-food joint ‘Sai Di Kitchen.’

From a woman who didn’t understand how the world outside functions to a woman who now can be comfortably called an entrepreneur; From a woman who couldn’t commute all by herself or by a cab to a woman who now rides her scooty; From a woman who was comfortable being a homemaker to a woman who now turned into a bread winner for her family; Mamta has come a long way.

Kudos to Mamta and hats off to such women whose lives are nothing short of a hero’s journey. Kudos to the internal battles that they must have fought and more importantly, kudos to the courage that they showed in order to become something, especially when they thought they couldn’t do anything. Kudos to their optimism and kudos to their perseverance. Their existence in this world undoubtedly instils loads of hope and positivity.

Mamta’s life isn’t just a story that one merely should read through, it is an example that one should live by. A journey that one should seek inspiration from.

From a woman who didn’t understand how the world outside functions to a woman who now can be comfortably called an entrepreneur; From a woman who couldn’t commute all by herself or by a cab to a woman who now rides her scooty; From a woman who was comfortable being a homemaker to a woman who now turned into a bread winner for her family; Ms Mamta Verma, W/O late shri Ravi Kant Verma has come a long way and we are happy to share with you that M3M foundation under its programme Kaushal Sambal has supported Ms Mamta to not only establish her dream “Sai Di Kitchen” but also helped her to identify the entrepreneur with in herself and set the role model.

Today Dr. Payal Kanodia, herself inaugurated this first enterprise at Faridabad and we are happy to be part of this new journey of Ms Mamta Verma.