Balaji Rice Industries

Out here on Kadlipur Road, things are a bit quieter than in the city. Balaji Rice Industries sits near Karanji Katte, and you can usually smell the rice before you even see the building. It’s a big open space with high ceilings and plenty of heavy bags piled up. We spend our hours watching the machines and making sure the grain is coming out right. It’s loud inside, so we end up shouting to hear each other most of the time. The floor is always a bit white from the processing. We have been at this location for years, and the road has seen better days. When the harvest season comes, it gets really hectic around here. Trucks line up outside and we don't get much sleep. My brother and I take turns staying overnight when the load is heavy. It’s a lot of physical work, lifting and hauling. We don't have a fancy office, just a small wooden table near the entrance where we keep the ledger. It’s honest work and it keeps the village going. People come by with their tractors and we chat for a bit while they wait. We aren't trying to be the biggest company, we just want to get the bags filled and out the door. The machinery is old but it works well enough for what we need. We just keep our heads down and do our part.