R As the family had recently shifted from Mumbai to Ahmedabad, they did not have any clue as to whom to contact for completing the rituals. I saw the grieving family’s pain and hassles they undertook in arranging for a pundit and managing all essentials for holding a Puja. I was pained as I thought of so many migrant families who would be undergoing the same crises in such conditions. “ That day Riya decided that she had to do something for helping people with their rituals, ceremonies and rites by bringing the services at their doorstep. She thought of creating a portal where services of Pundits or priests could be booked online and thus was born Easy Puja in the year 2015. Riya did detailed research on Hindu Vedic texts and got in touch with qualified professionals to build a data base of genuine and educated priests, astrologers and vastu consultants. People can call or log on to the website to book their service. Easy Puja provides the services of puja arrangements, which include authenticated Priests for all castes and communities. The person availing her services does not even have to bother about the materials required for a ritual. Easy Puja takes care of all requirements. Riya completed Bachelors in Business Administration from HL College of Commerce, Ahmedabad. Her father is into chemical manufacturing business and mother is a home maker. Riya, after her graduation had started preparation for Common Admission Test as well as for the entrance exam of other management institutes. It was her father who suggested EDII to her as he had always seen that ‘entrepreneurial spark’ in her. Riya took the exam, cleared it successfully and enrolled herself in EDII’s PGDM-BE course in the year 2014. As Riya puts it, “I had entered EDII with just a belief that one day I will be an entrepreneur. But several good things happened to me in the process. I got introduced to new strengths in me, became my biggest critique and learnt to develop an inquisitiveness towards the environment. The learnings and the exposure I received are unparalleled. I developed the confidence to succeed as an entrepreneur, and the biggest fact was that I came to know I would do my best in the services sector. ” So having got an idea, Riya began her market research and operations for bringing rituals o the doorstep of people and thus was born Easy Puja. That she calls her biggest achievement.place trust on a stranger did call for a mindset change. I needed to work on developing their confidence in me.” On the other hand, as Riya informs, convincing Pundits about the idea was also a challenge. Pundits scoffed at the idea and some even responded aloud by saying that it won’t work. But Riya’s research said that there was a demand and she continued with her efforts. She met several pundits and devotees and sought to establish a rapport; simultaneously she worked upon expanding the geographical boundaries of her business. Her patience and perseverance were rewarded. Today she has created a large network of Pundits who are revered for their knowledge of rituals for various occasions. After establishing her hold on dealing with happy occasions like; marriages, house warming, birth rituals etc, Riya stepped into the space from where she had got this idea business idea – handling rituals related to deaths. Many people advised her against it; saying that it could just be a bad omen for her. Riya, however, stood her ground and roped in Pundits for death rituals. She says,” I had got my idea from a death and I had seen how traumatic it could get for a person so how could I not enter this area. I am glad I did.” Throwing light on her business journey, Riya says, “The initial few months were all about establishing a network, getting priests registered and understanding the psyche of people. Getting verified priests on to the platform was the most difficult part. I personally went from temple to temple, trying to make them understand how useful it would be for them.”. Riya recalls that her mentors at EDII were her biggest support and imparted guidance on aspects that she sometimes overlooked. Gradually her family also came to acknowledge that this business could be her road to success. Her business required her to work late nights, all seven days a week with no fixed schedule. Not once in all her grueling schedule did she step back. She credits her family for encouraging her to keep moving on. Riya says, “There weren’t any holidays for me. I was enjoying the journey. Yes, being a woman, going out late in the night, did worry me but I found my own ways of handling such situations. I did not want people to say that I forego this business only because being a woman did not allow me to handle late night assignments.” Riya wanted people to endorse that women can also work odd hours like men and choose unconventional professions. Riya says, “There is some awareness in big cities, but it is imperative that these success stories reach households in smaller cities and villages as well. Other women should feel inspired and thereby show the courage to step out of the ordinary and do something different.” Riya sailed through and managed things using her knowledge and skills in entrepreneurship. Today, her turnover stands at close to Rs. 35 lakhs. Riya’s future plan is to offer online puja services so that those who are staying away from their family can participate in it through video-conferencing and other ways. She is also working on a mobile app for Easy Puja. Her dream is to capture a major part of the market with her convenient services. Riya has stayed put amidst doubts, problems and hardships. She finally conquered it all. Easy Puja is listed in Trade India’s list of verified companies. This young entrepreneur sure thinks different and, therefore, success is inevitable. Congratulations Riya….we wish you success and a bright name in the industry!!!