Odisha Techie Quits 14-Year IT Career to Start Mushroom Farming
A stable IT career, years of professional experience and a corporate job are often considered the traditional path to success. But Vikramdev Mohapatra from Nabarangpur, Odisha, chose a very different route.
After spending 14 years in the IT sector, the BTech graduate left his corporate career and returned to his hometown to build a commercial mushroom farming business.
Today, his venture, Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms, reportedly produces hundreds of kilograms of mushrooms every day and generates monthly revenue of around Rs 16 lakh to Rs 19 lakh.
The story has attracted attention because it combines technology, entrepreneurship and agriculture while showing how a professional career can take an unexpected turn.
Who Is Vikramdev Mohapatra?
Vikramdev Mohapatra completed his BTech in Electronics and Communications Engineering from Biju Patnaik University of Technology, Odisha, in 2012.
After completing his engineering degree, he entered the IT industry and worked with companies including Discoverture Solutions, Mindtree, Serole Technologies and LTIMindtree.
Over the course of his 14-year career, he worked in several roles, including software engineer, module lead, technical lead and senior specialist in package implementation.
His professional experience involved software development, SAP solutions, product implementation, team management and client coordination.
Despite having built a conventional corporate career, Mohapatra eventually decided to leave the IT industry and return to Nabarangpur.
From Software Development to Mushroom Farming
After leaving his IT career, Mohapatra established Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms, a commercial mushroom production and processing unit in Nabarangpur.
The transition was significant. Instead of working with software, technology platforms and corporate clients, he began working with agriculture and food production.
However, the business was not approached simply as traditional farming.
The scale of the operation shows an attempt to turn mushroom cultivation into a structured commercial enterprise, with regular production, processing and supply to larger markets.
According to reports, the farm now produces between 500 kg and 600 kg of mushrooms every day.
Mushroom Farm Produces Up to 600 Kg Every Day
The production numbers are one of the most striking aspects of the story.
The reported figures include:
- Daily mushroom production: 500–600 kg
- Monthly production: Around 15–18 tonnes
- Monthly revenue: Approximately Rs 16 lakh–Rs 19 lakh
- Average market price: Around Rs 100–Rs 110 per kg
- Project cost: Approximately Rs 2.56 crore
- Government subsidy: Around Rs 97 lakh under the Mukhyamantri Krushi Udyog Yojana
- Employment: 24 people
The mushrooms are reportedly supplied to markets including Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar, allowing the venture to operate as a year-round commercial business.
It is important to note that revenue should not be confused with profit. The reported Rs 16–19 lakh figure refers to monthly revenue, while the reported earnings after operating expenses are more than Rs 10 lakh per month.
From Employee to Job Creator
Perhaps the most inspiring part of the Odisha techie mushroom farming story is that Mohapatra moved from being an employee to becoming an employer.
His mushroom unit reportedly employs 24 people, including 18 women and six men.
This means the venture is not only generating income for its founder but is also creating employment opportunities in the local area.
For rural communities, businesses that can create stable local employment can have an impact beyond the income earned by the entrepreneur.
The story therefore represents a broader idea of rural entrepreneurship — building a business close to home rather than moving to a major city for employment.
Why Mushroom Farming Can Become a Business Opportunity
Mushroom cultivation is increasingly being explored as an alternative agricultural enterprise because it can be organized as a controlled production activity.
Training programmes in India cover different aspects of mushroom production, including cultivation, crop management, harvesting, grading, packaging, processing and value addition.
This makes mushroom farming different from simply growing a conventional crop in an open field.
With the right infrastructure, knowledge and market access, entrepreneurs can develop a production system that operates throughout the year.
However, mushroom farming is still a business that requires investment, technical knowledge, temperature and humidity management, labour, quality control and reliable buyers.
The success of one farm should therefore not be treated as a guarantee that every mushroom farming venture will generate similar returns.
What Can Young Entrepreneurs Learn From His Journey?
The biggest lesson from Vikramdev Mohapatra’s story is that a professional degree does not necessarily determine the direction of an entire career.
His engineering background and years in IT gave him experience in problem-solving, technology, management and structured processes. Those skills can also be useful when building a business outside the technology sector.
His journey also highlights the importance of identifying opportunities in one’s own region.
Instead of searching for another corporate position after 14 years in IT, he chose to build an enterprise in his hometown.
For young professionals considering entrepreneurship, the story offers an important message: a career change does not always mean starting from zero.
Skills developed in one industry can often be transferred to another.
Odisha Techie’s Story Shows a Different Definition of Success
For many engineering graduates, success is traditionally associated with getting a good placement, joining a multinational company and steadily moving up the corporate ladder.
Mohapatra’s journey challenges that conventional idea.
After spending 14 years in technology, he chose agriculture and built a commercial enterprise that reportedly produces 15–18 tonnes of mushrooms every month.
The venture also demonstrates how agriculture can become an organized business opportunity when production, processing, distribution and employment are treated as parts of the same operation.
From IT Salary to Rural Entrepreneurship
The journey from software engineer to mushroom entrepreneur is not simply a story about leaving a job.
It is a story about changing the way success is viewed.
Mohapatra had already spent more than a decade building a career in technology. Yet he decided to take the risk of entering an entirely different industry.
His experience shows that entrepreneurship can emerge from unexpected places — including agriculture.
For professionals who dream of starting their own businesses, the story also highlights an important principle: the goal is not necessarily to abandon everything you have learned, but to apply those skills in a new opportunity.
Final Thoughts
The story of Vikramdev Mohapatra is an inspiring example of how a conventional IT career can eventually lead to an unconventional entrepreneurial journey.
After 14 years in the technology sector, the Odisha engineer returned to Nabarangpur and established a commercial mushroom farming venture.
Today, Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms reportedly produces 500–600 kg of mushrooms daily, with monthly revenue estimated at Rs 16 lakh to Rs 19 lakh. The business also employs 24 people, making the venture a source of local employment.
The numbers are impressive, but the bigger takeaway is the decision behind them.
For today’s youth, his journey offers a reminder that entrepreneurship does not always have to begin in a startup office or a major metropolitan city. Sometimes, an opportunity can be found by returning home, understanding local demand and building a business around it.
From writing code to growing mushrooms, Vikramdev Mohapatra’s journey shows that success can take many different forms — and sometimes, the boldest career move is the one that takes you back to your roots.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Vikramdev Mohapatra?
Vikramdev Mohapatra is a BTech graduate from Odisha who spent 14 years working in the IT sector before leaving his corporate career to establish a commercial mushroom farming business in Nabarangpur.
Why did the Odisha techie leave his IT job?
After a 14-year career in the technology sector, Mohapatra chose to return to Nabarangpur and pursue commercial mushroom farming, establishing Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms.
How much does his mushroom farm earn?
The venture reportedly generates around Rs 16 lakh to Rs 19 lakh in monthly revenue. Reported earnings after operating expenses are more than Rs 10 lakh per month.
How much mushroom does the farm produce?
The farm reportedly produces approximately 500–600 kg of mushrooms every day, equivalent to around 15–18 tonnes per month.
Where does the mushroom farm operate?
Vikramdev Mohapatra’s mushroom venture, Ganga Bhumi Mushrooms, is based in Nabarangpur, Odisha. Its produce is reportedly supplied to markets including Brahmapur and Bhubaneswar.
How many people work at the mushroom farm?
The venture reportedly employs 24 people, including 18 women and six men.
Is mushroom farming profitable in India?
Mushroom farming can be a viable agricultural business when supported by suitable production technology, market access, infrastructure and cost management. However, profitability varies depending on investment, production costs, selling price, mushroom variety and local demand.
