Anusha Achar brings age-old postpartum care practices into spotlight

New Delhi/Mangaluru: A simple idea rooted in India’s age-old postpartum care traditions has earned national recognition for entrepreneur Anusha Prajwal Achar, whose startup MaVedas was honoured at Rashtrapati Bhavan after being selected among the country’s top grassroots innovations by the Atal Innovation Mission (AIM) of NITI Aayog.

Union Minister for Science and Technology Jitendra Singh presented the award during a ceremony that celebrated innovators developing practical, community-driven solutions.

One of the highlights of the event was President Droupadi Murmu’s visit to the innovation exhibition, where she interacted with Achar and learned about the startup’s range of heritage-based nutritional products inspired by traditional postpartum diets. Achar explained how MaVedas seeks to preserve recipes that were once an integral part of maternal care in Indian households but have steadily declined with changing lifestyles.

An electrical engineering graduate from Kundapura, Achar chose entrepreneurship over a conventional career to revive traditional knowledge through a modern business model. Her startup produces Bananti Leha, Garlic Leha, Fenugreek Satva and Fenugreek Laddus, all prepared from time-tested formulations associated with postnatal nutrition.

The achievement is notable because MaVedas emerged from a nationwide pool of more than 250 entries, with only 26 innovations selected for recognition. Achar is among only two innovators from Karnataka to feature in the final list and the only awardee from Dakshina Kannada district. The recognition reflects a growing national interest in innovations that combine indigenous knowledge with entrepreneurship. Rather than reinventing healthcare traditions, MaVedas focuses on making them accessible to modern families through standardised production and quality-controlled preparation. For Achar, the honour represents more than personal recognition. It validates the relevance of traditional maternal wellness practices in contemporary India and strengthens her mission of preserving culinary heritage linked to women’s health.

She said the startup now plans to expand into traditional infant nutrition while continuing efforts to document, promote and popularise India’s rich postpartum dietary practices among younger generations.