Kaushalya Chaudhary is scripting business success, one Marwadi recipe at a time

In the small village of Kuri in Bhopalgarh, Rajasthan, Kaushalya Chaudhary started making YouTube videos to share her recipes—with a single kadai, a phone camera, and a stand made of a cardboard box and aluminium wire. She wouldn’t have imagined that her passion would eventually grow into a full-fledged business empire. 

Kaushalya founded Sidhi Marwadi—a homegrown brand that sells traditional Marwadi spices and oils across India through physical stores, a mobile app, and a website. 

The eldest among four siblings, she began cooking at a young age to support her working parents. Her mother worked on the farm while her father held a job, leaving Kaushalya to care for her siblings and handle household responsibilities after school. Cooking became a necessity, which later turned into a passion.

Launch of YouTube channel

Kaushalya started her YouTube channel in 2017 but failed to gain traction when sharing her recipes in Hindi.

She soon switched to her regional language, Marwadi, a local Rajasthani dialect. The shift led to a surge in viewership; her subscriber count crossed 1 lakh within a month. The YouTube channel currently has 1.6 million subscribers.

Kaushalya credits the success to cultural representation and authenticity.

“It felt really nice to see people supporting my language and food on such a big platform,” she tells HerStory.

Some of her most viewed recipes include popular Rajasthani dishes like gatte ki sabzi, dal baati, churma, and bharwa mirch. 

Initial challenges

Starting the channel came with numerous challenges. “We had very limited internet access, it took around 5-6 hours to upload one video”, Kaushalya says. 

She had limited resources and equipment. With the help of her savings and family support, she bought a smartphone for Rs 7,000. At the time, her husband was unemployed, and they were raising a child. Managing household expenses while pursuing content creation required considerable effort and determination.“I live in a small village, I had to go the main city to get basic items like coriander”, she says. 

MasterChef India experience

In 2023, Kaushalya received a call for MasterChef India auditions. She was initially sceptical but auditioned in Jodhpur and was later shortlisted for the Delhi round. Eventually, she made it to the top 12 contestants. 

“I used to watch the show and get recipe inspiration. Being part of it pushed me to do better,” she says. “Being selected gave me more motivation to fulfil my dream.” 

During this time, she had the idea of building something larger. While interacting with contestants and judges, Kaushalya noticed how many people longed for authentic, home-style flavours—something that’s increasingly difficult to find in packaged food. “Spices and oils are the main ingredients of any food item, hence I decided to start a business of these two items.”

Business with a women-centric model

On March 8, 2024, she launched her brand, Sidhi Marwadi, named after her YouTube channel. It sells traditional spice blends and cold-pressed oils.

Kaushalya started small—selling three types of masalas, four varieties of oil, and 15 other kitchen essentials. The first branch was set up in her village, where she employed 30-35 local women. From there, the brand grew and is now available in 12 branches across India, on an app, and a dedicated website.

While the brand has grown quickly, Kaushalya remains steadfast about the big picture. Her goal isn’t just sales—it’s inclusion. She has set up a partnership model that allows women to join the business with a minimum investment of Rs 25,000. The idea is to create low-barrier opportunities for women who want to earn, without relocating or changing their domestic routines.

The model is still in its early stages, but Kaushalya says the response has been encouraging. “I want women to feel like they can grow, do something of their own, and write their own stories,” she says.

Moving forward

Kaushalya continues to shoot, experiment, and expand her channel and brand. But she is careful not to lose the essence of what made her journey special. “I only sell products that I use at home,” she says.

That personal connection to her brand, along with her lived experience as a rural woman navigating digital spaces, gives her story a grounded authenticity. Kaushalya’s journey stands out not just for where she’s reached, but for how she’s rooted her success in her language, culture, and community. In an internet economy that often chases trends, she has built something lasting—by cooking the food she knows, speaking the language she grew up with, and staying close to where it all began.

“I want to employ more people and expand my business in more cities”, she says.