Baroda (as Vadodara is also called) has long been known as the cultural capital of Gujarat. Before independence, it was the seat of the Gaekwad dynasty, whose rulers were known for their pluralistic vision and modernizing activities that shaped the city. Baroda’s MS University – the largest university in Gujarat – draws students from across the country, especially at its reputed Faculty of Fine Arts, which has trained some of the finest artists of modern India. And as all Gujaratis will tell you, the city knows how to celebrate Navratra in style – the garba performances and celebrations here are some of the most spectacular in the state

Baroda is well-known for its culture and arts, but a Gujarati loves his dhokla, fafras, farsan and khakras. So while cities like Ahmedabad have their own thriving startup ecosystem, neighboring towns like Vadodara are getting equally competitive. Darshan Dhruv, the brain behind FarsanKart, is an energetic person from Vadodara. As a teenager, Darshan always had the urge to be independent and work from himself, rather than be dependent on his parents. He worked his way through college as a DJ while pursing under-grad from Vadodara. Later he went abroad to pursue his masters and worked for four years with a leading MNC, before quitting his job to come back home.

In India, Darshan joined his family business of packaging, but was never satisfied doing the same.And then, the idea for an entrepreneurship hit him. Being the foodie that he is, Darshan was clear that he wanted his business to revolve around food. So people around him were surprised when he declared that he plans to sell farsan online. Because we have all heard of selling books, clothes accessories and flowers online, but farsan was something very unique.

Today FarsanKart sells farsans from Vadodara’s leading farsan stores like Payal, Sukhadia, Jagdish, and mukhwas from Vadodara’s famous JK Mukhwas. And Darshan is not just thinking local with farsan’s. He is tapping the large population of Gujjus abroad who love their farsans, besides catering to the Indian market. FarsanKart’s international portal: www.global.farsankart.comcaters to UK, USA and Canada and Darshan plans to reach 160 countries in another two years. Till date, he has sold over 500 packs in India and 100 abroad.

“Setting up a new business was a big challenge in itself. When you are self-funded and have to take care of every minor detail yourself, it can be quite a task,” explains Darshan. But he is not worried, because the joy of getting up each day to do something he likes, keeps him going. On a concluding note, he adds that, "I believe in what I do and always do things with sincerity and 100% dedication. The journey from a DJ to becoming an owner of an ecommerce business was a hell of a ride.” Darshan wants FarsanKart to become a world-renowned brand that sells the best Gujarati farsan.Being known for their timely service is another plus point for the company.

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