Small business ideas, with the real numbers.

Make urad dal papad with a small machine and a few workers, and sell to kirana shops and wholesalers. Low investment, steady year-round demand.

Cook simple home-style meals and deliver them daily to office workers, students and seniors on monthly subscriptions. Low investment, long hours.

Run a neighbourhood flour mill: grind customers' grain for a fee and sell your own fresh chakki atta to homes and shops.

Offer threading, waxing, facials, hair care and bridal make-up from a small parlour or a room at home. Skill-based, with repeat customers.

Clean, grind and pack turmeric, chilli, coriander and blended masala with a pulverizer, and sell to kirana shops, hotels and caterers.

Run a neighbourhood grocery shop selling staples, packaged food, dairy and household goods. Steady daily sales, thin margins, long hours.

Press paper plates and donas from laminated paper on small hydraulic machines and sell to caterers, wholesalers and disposable-goods shops.

Repair screens, batteries, charging ports and software faults on phones from a small shop, and sell covers, chargers and other accessories.