In 2020, she took her first step by setting up a small farm in her native village. She quit her job a few months later to dedicate herself fully to the new venture. With savings from her years in banking, she purchased three Jersey cows, 15 goats, along with ducks and chickens. She also constructed sheds for the animals.

But it wasn’t smooth sailing. Complaints from neighbours over the stench of cow dung forced her to move her farm to a more isolated area. She leased a 20-bigha plot and began reconstructing the farm from scratch. The land had five abandoned fisheries, which she revived, investing around Rs 6–7 lakh from her own savings.

“I had no prior experience in livestock farming, so I began visiting other farms to learn,” Banashree says. “Some people welcomed me in, others—ironically, people I knew—refused to let me in. Still, I learned what I could and kept going.”

As time passed, her livestock multiplied. Today, her farm houses 20 Jersey and Holstein Friesian cows, 40 goats, and a large number of ducks and chickens. All the calves born have been females, helping her expand her dairy operation naturally.

In a significant leap forward, Banashree established the Bogi Farmhouse Multipurpose Cooperative Society Limited in 2024, involving local women in the process. The cooperative sells not only milk, but also milk products like milkshakes, lassi, and ice cream. The farm yields around 110–120 litres of milk daily, which is sold through the society.

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