Started in 1959 by seven gujarati women in Mumbai with a seed capital of only Rs.80 (Rs.6,800 adjusting for inflation ) ($80 in today's money), it had an annual turnover of more than Rs.1600 crore (over $224 million) in 2019.

[5] It is considered one of the most remarkable entrepreneurial initiatives by women that is identified with female empowerment in India.

The seven women were Jaswantiben Jamnadas Popat, Parvatiben Ramdas Thodani, Ujamben Narandas Kundalia, Banuben.

[7][8] The women borrowed Rs 80 from Chhaganlal Karamsi Parekh, a member of the Servants of India Society and a social worker.

[5] Initially, the women were making two different qualities of papads, to sell the inferior one at a cheaper rate.

[9] During the first year, the women had to stop production for four months during the rainy season as the rains would prevent the drying of the papads.

The name, suggested by Dhirajben Ruparel, was chosen in a contest held for the purpose, with prize money of Rs.

[8] In the same month, on Chaganbapa's recommendation, U N Dhebar, the chairman of KVIC personally inspected the Lijjat.

The group also initiated some unsuccessful ventures such as cottage leather (1979), matches (1979), and agarbattis (incense sticks).

[15] In July 1979, the general secretary of a trade union tried to interfere in Lijjat's affairs, making certain demands on behalf of a few member-sisters.

L. C. Joshi, Labour Advocate of Bombay and a well-known industrial relations expert, was called for consultations.

", he clarified that member-sisters were competent to take a decision for their own and it was not open for an outside agency to interfere with the internal working of Lijjat.

[18] Sasa had annual sales of Rs 500 million, accounting for 17 percent of Lijjat's total turnover in 1998.

[28] Men can only be salaried employees (accountants, drivers or security guards), and not the members of the organisation (i.e. they are not the owners).

[13] The running of the organisation is entrusted to a managing committee of twenty-one members, including the President, the Vice-President, two secretaries, and two treasurers.

But, as the organisation grew, the authority was decentralised in terms of work and sharing of profits at the branch level.

In the initial days of Lijjat, the profits of the first six months were shared equally among all sisters in the form of gold.

[29] The cost of national-level advertising is borne by all branches and divisions, depending on their individual production abilities.

On successive failures of a branch to abide by the organisation's philosophy of consistent quality and production of papads, the central committee reduces the daily wages of its members by 1 rupee.

[13] Several issues of Lijjat Patrika enumerate the names of the names/numbers of the member-sisters, who were rewarded with the cash or gold, for their extra efforts.

It has emerged as a strong mode of communication for information related to significant events and initiatives at Lijjat, in addition to presenting articles on women.

[13] Member sisters across all branches of Lijjat recite an all-religion prayer before beginning their daily activities.

Once, when the president Jyoti Naik was questioned about this anomaly, she said that there was no need to make provision for a retirement age, as the emphasis obviously was on earning one's bread through daily work, all through one's life.

[13] From 1980 onwards, Lijjat started giving Chhaganbapa Smruti Scholarships to the daughters of the member-sisters.

[36] In October 1984, Bhadraben Bhatt represented Lijjat at the UNESCO sponsored international workshop on "The role of women in the assimilation and spread of technological innovation" held at NITIE, Powai.

[38] At the behest of Mother Teresa, the member-sisters also took part in some activities of Asha Dhan, an institution to care for destitute women.

[9] In 1999, the Mumbai City felicitated Rukminiben B. Pawar, Lijjat President, as an outstanding woman in the field of social work.

[41] Lijjat undertook the rehabilitation of Chincholi (Jogan), the earthquake affected village in the Latur district of Maharashtra.

The institution provided the finance and supervised the work of construction of fifty-eight houses for the people of the village.

Lijjat built forty houses for the rehabilitation of the people of Bhujpur (Bhachau) in Kutch District.