Amit Soni of Jodhpur, who was assigned by PUSA to make millet-based confections, used pearl millet to create a creative chocolate truffle cake. He was shocked when PM Modi sliced the cake at a high-profile function. This unanticipated development thrust Amit into the national limelight and demonstrated his commitment to baking with millet, which is healthier.
Amit Soni of Jodhpur was given the responsibility of making millet-based confections a few years ago by the PUSA Institute, which stands for Indian Agricultural Research Institute (IARI).
He chose to use bajra (pearl millet), a grain that is sometimes disregarded because of its unique flavor and gluten-free status, to make a chocolate truffle cake. Amit’s millet cake was finally ready after he spent a month experimenting and perfecting his recipe. He had produced eight enormous 10-kilogram portions of this millet masterpiece, totaling an astounding 80 kilograms.
The cake was chosen by a few representatives of the Central Arid Zone Research Institute (CASRI). And to my amazement, they were accompanied by commandos. After they sent our heavy cake to PUSA in Delhi, I had no idea where it was going,” Amit says.
He had no idea that the top authorities in the country would take notice of this bold endeavor. He got a mail with a video link two days later.
When he opened it out of curiosity, he was shocked to see Prime Minister Narendra Modi personally cutting into his millet cake. Dignitaries Rajnath Singh, Kailash Choudhary, and Narendra Singh Tomar flanked him.
However, what caused a modest Jodhpur baker to get his creation honored at such a prominent occasion? In an interview with The Better India, Amit shares the unexpected ways his culinary invention gained international recognition!
A tribute for his parents
Amit was born and reared in Jodhpur, Rajasthan, and comes from a jewelry-making family, but he decided to follow a different career route. Before discovering his actual vocation in the art and business of baking, he held a number of positions, including event manager and electronics salesman, and he holds a master’s degree in marketing and human resources.
Amit went to the Institute of Hotel Management, Catering Technology and Applied Nutrition (IHM) in Mumbai for formal training because of his natural entrepreneurial energy and desire to learn. Later, in the far-flung places of Phuket, Thailand, he honed his craft.
Despite receiving job offers from Saudi Arabia and Canada, my father insisted that I remain in Jodhpur. After a lengthy discussion, he agreed to provide me with financial support for the company. In contrast, my mother assisted me in refining my cakes and biscuits. He says, “I wanted to dedicate this business to them.”
When perseverance and passion combine
At first, the bakery sold bread and cakes, but Amit became interested in millet-based cuisine after receiving a special order for a bajra chocolate truffle cake from ICAR Rajasthan. Amit later began concentrating on breads, brownies, and cookies that keep better than cakes.
