SheThePeople Impact : Netizens Pour Their Hearts Out For Pickle Nani

87-year-old Usha Gupta's pickle business has gone viral on LinkedIn: Gupta started a pickle business after losing her husband to COVID-19 in May 2021 after being in hospital for 28 days. She shared her moving story with SheThePeople. Thousands of people came out to help and buy from her. She makes the pickle and doesn't keep the profits she earns by selling them. She donates them to families who have been financially crippled by COVID-19.

What an amazing woman!

Gupta describes in detail how she faced a harrowing time at the hospital when she and her husband contracted COVID-19 at 87 years of age.  "We were in the hospital for almost a month; I saw a lot of misery around me. Young people were collapsing in front of me. There were families that lost their only earning member. 3 weeks into being admitted, we were stable and started showing signs of recovery. But on the 9th of May, my husband’s oxygen levels dropped. The next thing I heard was that he was no more; I was shattered."

Her husband's death to COVID-19 left her alone. "That day, I not just lost my life partner but also my best friend and companion. We’d been together for 6 decades–It was almost as if I didn’t know how to live without him. After being discharged, I’d have sleepless nights pondering over my loss and the loss of thousands of lives; I’d cry my heart out feeling helpless.", she told SheThePeople in a now viral post.

Usha Gupta decided to build a mission - that of supporting other families who were suffering. And become a beacon of hope for young people.

Why did she start?

A few weeks later, she started a pickle business to lessen her pain as well as the pain of thousands of families who were struggling financially due to COVID-19. "2 weeks later, when the cases were increasing, I went to my granddaughter and said, 'I really want to do something to support the families of covid martyrs.’ She said, 'Nani you make such tasty pickles. Why don't you start a pickle business and donate the money you earn by selling them?'.

Viral Pickle Nani

"I started with three flavours – khatta aam, grated mango chutney and gulabi meetha achaar. The initial orders came from friends and family. Gradually, I started getting a lot of orders through Instagram. I’d sent each pickle bottle with a handwritten note. Within 2 months, I was able to raise close to Rs 20,000! And so far, we have fed 65,000 needy people from the profits I earned by selling these pickle bottles", she told SheThePeople.TV.

Usha Gupta regularly donates to a Non Governmental Organisation called Every Infant Matters engaged in COVID-19 relief work.

The story surged within hours of posting and people started calling her viral pickle nani. Close to 1 lakh people have liked the story so far and thousands of them have commented about how the story has encouraged them not to give up despite odds. A SheThePeople Linkedin user wrote, "You are an AMAZING inspiration. The best charity is the one that one does it oneself vs throwing money at some so called charity. Your husband is very very proud of you. And LOVE the name "Pickled with Love" kudos for a great name. And many thanks to your grand daughter for suggesting this charitable work and helping you. If I see one on the shelf, I am picking it up! If you haven't it already, trademark the name please!"

Another one showered praise on the woman's grit and wrote, "Nani Gupta, You are a beautiful soul. I am so sorry for your loss and so inspired by what you’ve chosen to do with your heartache".

SheThePeople reached out to Dr. Radhika, her granddaughter who has been handling marketing and sales of the pickles. She shares that they have witnessed a high surge in the number of pickle orders they are getting after her story went viral.

Here's the power of how we can make impact and build a sisterhood of support

Suggested Reading : Usha Gupta Lost Her Husband To COVID-19. Here’s How She Gave Him A Tribute