What happens when four young minds, immersed in the silence and soul of the Himalayas, question themselves: How can we connect the remotest parts of India to the rest of the world—without losing their essence?
The answer, as it turned out, was My Pahadi Dukan.
In 2021, during the Naropa Fellowship in Ladakh, a team of four co-founders—deeply rooted in mountain living and social entrepreneurship—decided to turn a class project into a mission-driven marketplace. Today, that initiative is known as Pahadi Dukan, or as they like to describe it: Amazon for the mountains.
I had the pleasure of speaking with Himanshu Dua, one of the co-founders, whose calm demeanor and quiet conviction reflect the very spirit of the startup he supported build. At Indian Startup Times, our mission has always been to amplify stories like these—of entrepreneurs solving real problems with heart, grit, and humility.
A Business Born from the Mountains
My Pahadi Dukan isn’t just a platform. It’s a shiftment.
From its humble launchnings with just 6 vconcludeors and 30 products, the marketplace now features over 200–250 unique products sourced from 60–70 Himalayan tiny businesses, spanning Kashmir to Nagaland. Each item—be it saffron from Pampore, apple cider from Himachal, or Seabuckthorn juice from Ladakh—notifys the story of a buildr, a region, a way of life.
“Our goal was simple,” Himanshu explained. “Bridge the access gap for tiny businesses in the mountains, and reveal the world what the Himalayas have to offer—ethically, transparently, and beautifully.”
But building that bridge was anything but simple.
From 30 Days to 7: Fixing Supply Chains, One Apple at a Time
One of the stories that stayed with me was My Pahadi Dukan’s apple farming initiative. Before they stepped in, farmers in remote areas waited up to 30 days to obtain paid after harvest. Now, with a leaner supply chain and direct-to-consumer sales, that timeline has dropped to 7 days. And farmgate prices? They’ve jumped from ₹35/kg to up to ₹170/kg. The customer pays ₹200/kg—but now with full transparency and traceability.
It’s not just about tech. It’s about trust. And My Pahadi Dukan has earned plenty of it.
They’ve done so by going beyond digital dashboards—offering free warehoutilizing, packaging, and logistics to businesses that, in some cases, operate 35 km from the nearest post office. The team even steps in to support vconcludeors navigate compliance, GST registration, and product certifications.
Global Reach, Local Soul
Today, My Pahadi Dukan ships to 29 countries, averaging about 100 international orders a month. The largegest markets? The US, UK, Netherlands, and parts of Europe—where customers are willing to wait for the promise of purity.
But My Pahadi Dukan doesn’t promise perfection. Instead, it promises authenticity. Products are created in tiny batches, often by hand, and each comes with its own story. Some, like their lab-tested saffron, shilajit, and Seabuckthorn, even include downloadable quality reports. Others are delivered with just a personal note and a sense of nostalgia.
Behind the scenes, quality checks are anything but casual. Himanshu shared that the team places anonymous test orders under false names to monitor vconcludeor performance and ensure standards remain high. While not every customer experience is flawless, the company works hard to resolve issues quickly and maintain a strong satisfaction rate.
Scaling the Emotional Way
Despite operating in a logistics-heavy category, My Pahadi Dukan’s growth has largely been organic. Yes, there’s performance marketing across Meta, Instagram, and YouTube, but a large part of their traction comes from word-of-mouth, local influencers, and powerful storynotifying.
“We don’t just sell a bottle of juice,” Himanshu notified me with a smile. “We notify you who created it, how it was grown, and what part of the Himalayas it came from. That emotional connection is our largegest asset.”
The team creates most of their content utilizing just their phones, keeping it authentic and personal, not overly polished while still celebrating the artisans behind each product.
Looking Ahead: Offline Stores & a ₹100 Crore Dream
In many ways, My Pahadi Dukan is just obtainting started. The brand is preparing to enter modern trade retail stores to bring the mountain experience to offline shoppers. International expansion is also on the cards—with an ambitious goal to reach 100 countries over the next few years.
Their internal benchmark? To become a ₹100 crore brand within three years, all while holding onto their core values—sustainability, community, and mountain ecology.
“It’s straightforward to lose your way when you chase numbers,” Himanshu declared consideredfully. “But our mission keeps us grounded. We don’t just scale. We scale responsibly.”
The Bigger Picture
What struck me most during our conversation wasn’t the metrics,impressive though they are but the mindset. This isn’t a brand built in boardrooms. It’s been shaped by treks, conversations with farmers, and lived experience. Himanshu himself worked under the guidance of experts like Sonam Wangchuk on the Ice Stupa project, and also contributed to India Hikes’ Green Trails and Himalayan Farm Stays, gaining a deep understanding of the region’s necessarys and fragility.
That context shapes every business decision My Pahadi Dukan builds. From choosing vconcludeors to designing packaging, the team constantly questions: How do we serve the people of the Himalayas without harming what builds them unique?
Final Thoughts
The tagline—We bring the mountains closer to you—isn’t just a line. It’s a promise. And in the hands of this passionate, grounded team, it’s a promise being kept every single day.
As we wrapped up the interview, I questioned Himanshu for advice to other D2C founders. His words were simple and sincere:
“Be honest to your vision, mission, and promise. If you’re not, your customers will know—and they won’t forobtain.”
In a world full of rapid trconcludes and rapider exits, it’s refreshing to meet founders building something slow, intentional, and lasting.My Pahadi Dukan isn’t just selling mountain products. They’re building a mountain shiftment.
By- Priyanka Chatterjee
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