How Devkant Pandey Turned a Bike Accident and Job Loss Into a Slipper Business Earning ₹5 Lakh a Year After a bike accident left him injured and his Mumbai employer refused to take him back, Jehanabad's Devkant Pandey used a ₹10 lakh government loan to set up a slipper-making unit in his village, which now generates an annual turnover of ₹5 lakh and employs five people. From Babhna village in Jehanabad district, Bihar, comes the story of a man who refused to let misfortune write the final chapter. Devkant Pandey faced two setbacks in quick succession: a serious bike accident that badly injured his leg, and an employer who refused to take him back after his recovery. Yet it was precisely during that directionless period that he stumbled upon an idea which reshaped his life entirely. Today he runs a slipper-making unit from his village, clocking an annual turnover of ₹5 lakh and supporting five families through the work it generates. From a Mumbai Salary to Sudden Unemployment Devkant Pandey was drawing a good salary at a private company in Mumbai when fate intervened. He returned home to attend his brother-in-law's wedding and suffered a severe bike accident during that visit, leaving his leg badly damaged. He spent around six months recovering. When he made his way back to Mumbai and reported to his company, his boss refused to reinstate him. Overnight, the career he had built in the city was gone, and for a stretch of time he had no idea what to do next. A Relative's Home, and an Idea That Took Root During this uncertain period, a visit to a relative's house turned out to be the turning point. There, he saw slipper-making being carried out, and that ordinary sight sparked something. He began asking himself whether he could build a similar operation. Back home, he started looking into the business seriously: the process, the equipment needed, and most urgently, where the money would come from. A Government Scheme Provided the Capital Funding was the biggest obstacle. Around that time, Devkant learned about government loan schemes for aspiring entrepreneurs. He visited the Industry Department office in Jehanabad and, after persistent effort and considerable struggle, secured a loan of ₹10 lakh under the PMEGP scheme. The package also included a subsidy of ₹2.5 lakh. With that financial backing, he launched his slipper-making unit in 2022 from a single small room inside his own home in the village. Fifty Supply Points, Five Jobs, One Family Sustained The business built momentum gradually. Today, Devkant supplies slippers to around 50 locations spread across Jehanabad and Patna districts. The wholesale price ranges from ₹70 to ₹90 per pair. The annual turnover has reached ₹5 lakh, which sustains his household. Around five workers are employed at the unit, and their families too depend on it for their daily livelihood. A Second Machine Opens a Second Income Stream Devkant has not stopped at slippers. He has also installed a machine that makes leaf plates, bowls, and disposable glasses. He supplies these items at weddings and similar events, adding another layer of income to the enterprise. He is actively working to scale this side of the business as well. What began as an unplanned pivot after hardship has grown into a small but meaningful operation that feeds multiple households and stands as proof that the right opportunity, found at the right moment, can turn even the worst luck around. What this means for you • Across India: The PMEGP scheme is available nationwide and offers loans of up to ₹10 lakh along with a subsidy to anyone looking to start a small manufacturing or service enterprise. Interested individuals can approach the Industry Department in their own district to learn how to apply. • In Bihar: Devkant Pandey's example shows that even in smaller districts like Jehanabad, a home-based unit can generate a stable income and create employment for others in the community, without relocating to a city. Questions & Answers 1. Who is Devkant Pandey and where is he from? Devkant Pandey is a resident of Babhna village in Jehanabad district, Bihar, who previously worked at a private company in Mumbai. 2. Where did Devkant get the idea to start a slipper business? During a visit to a relative's home, he saw slipper-making being done there, and that observation inspired him to explore the same business. 3. How much loan and subsidy did Devkant receive under the PMEGP scheme? He received a loan of ₹10 lakh through the Jehanabad Industry Department under the PMEGP scheme, along with a subsidy of ₹2.5 lakh. 4. When and where did Devkant start his slipper unit? He launched his slipper-making unit in 2022 from a single small room inside his home in his village. 5. What is the wholesale price of Devkant's slippers and where are they sold? His slippers are sold at a wholesale price of ₹70 to ₹90 per pair and are supplied to around 50 locations across Jehanabad and Patna districts. 6. What is Devkant's annual turnover from the slipper business? His slipper-making unit generates an annual turnover of ₹5 lakh. 7. How many people are employed at Devkant's unit? Around five people work at his slipper unit. 8. What other business has Devkant set up besides slipper-making? He has also installed a machine that makes leaf plates, bowls, and disposable glasses, which he supplies for weddings and similar occasions to earn additional income. Inspiration & Lessons Devkant Pandey's journey holds concrete, practical lessons for anyone who has lost a job, faced a health setback, or found themselves without a clear path forward. • Treat a crisis as a starting point, not an ending: A severe accident followed by a job refusal would have broken many people's resolve. Devkant chose to treat both as a reason to rebuild from scratch rather than stay stuck. • Inspiration can come from the most ordinary moments: Watching slipper-making at a relative's home was enough to set Devkant on a completely new career path. Opportunity often appears in places you are not looking for it. • Knowing about government schemes is as powerful as having savings: A ₹10 lakh loan and a ₹2.5 lakh subsidy under the PMEGP scheme made the entire venture possible. Financial literacy about available schemes can unlock a business that personal savings never could. • Start small and stay consistent: Devkant launched from a single room in 2022 and now supplies to 50 locations across two districts. The scale of the beginning does not cap where persistence can take you. • Build something that lifts others too: His unit now employs around five workers, turning one person's recovery into a source of livelihood for multiple families in the community. https://trendkia.com/en/success-stories/baika-hadase-ke-bada-mumbai-ki-naukari-gai-lekina-devkant-pandey-ne-ganva-men-chappala-banakara-khara-kiya-5-lakha-ka-karobara-3570 TrendKia — Har trend, sabse pehle.