{
  "id": 10135351,
  "title": "Farmers’ column: Widowed 19 years ago, 54-year-old Sukhpal now runs Rs 50-lakh worth enterprise",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/09/27/farmers-column-widowed-19-years-ago-54-year-old-sukhpal-now-runs-rs",
  "topic": "business",
  "section": "Business",
  "published": "2026-09-27T04:22:46.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "The Indian Express",
    "slug": "the-indian-express",
    "url": "https://indianexpress.com/article/cities/chandigarh/farmers-column-widowed-19-years-ago-54-year-old-sukhpal-now-runs-rs-50-lakh-worth-enterprise-10895652/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Sukhpal Kaur, a 54-year-old widow from Guradi village in Budhlada tehsil, Mansa, has turned dairy farming into a thriving enterprise worth over Rs 50 lakh annually. After losing her husband 19 years ago, she took on the responsibility of supporting her two young sons and maintaining a livelihood. With an intermediate education, Sukhpal possesses years of practical experience in managing cattle and understands their feed requirements, health, and nutritional needs. Currently, her herd consists of around 40 cattle, including Murrah and Neeli Ravi buffaloes, and Punjab and Himachal Jersey cows. The dairy generates approximately Rs 50 lakh annually from milk sales, with Sukhpal retaining around 50 per cent after deducting feed, labor, and other expenses. She owns about 12 acres of familial land, using most of it for green fodder while purchasing the rest. Feed management remains a significant cost for her enterprise. Despite the challenges, Sukhpal is committed to expanding her herd and views the animals as substantial assets, with well-maintained adult cattle potentially fetching Rs 3 to 4 lakh each. She remains independent and continues to work in her dairy farm, supported by two permanent workers. Her two sons, one in Canada and the other running a travel business in India, are supportive but do not influence her decision to work. Sukhpal emphasizes the importance of women having their own income, not just relying on government assistance, and believes that even a small investment in livestock can lead to a prosperous future for rural women and their children.",
  "summary": null,
  "key_points": [
    "Sukhpal Kaur, 54, widowed 19 years ago, runs Rs 50-lakh dairy enterprise.",
    "Possesses cattle management knowledge; herd includes 40 cattle and 2 cows.",
    "Invests in 12-acre land for green fodder, employs 2 permanent workers."
  ],
  "editors_take": "Sukhpal's success shows that with practical experience and determination, rural women can build a substantial and independent livelihood, challenging traditional reliance on others for financial support.",
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 1,
    "also_reported_by": []
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}