Originally reported and written in March 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content. 

Every year, farmer Rakesh Gundrashiya cultivates watermelons on 50-bigha land. For a fruitful crop, he would use plastic mulching sheets as protective covers to prevent the growth of weeds, regulate the moisture content and create a micro-climate. However, the plastic would often crack.

“The cracks in the cover would promote weed growth, and the scattered plastic would make soil infertile. We were forced to employ labourers to remove the plastic cover and end up spending more in the process,” the MSc graduate, who owns 200 bigha land in the Sinor village of Gujarat’s Vadodara district, tells The Better India.

However, his worry came to an end when three years ago, he switched to non-woven mulching crop cover.

“The non-woven cover is a good quality product. Even if the cover breaks, it does not cause any threat to the soil as it is eco-friendly. This saves us labour costs…at least Rs 250 per labourer per day,” informs the 35-year-old farmer.

 

Rakesh has been implementing protective farming practices using products from GROWiT — a Gujarat-based direct-to-farmer startup that aims to increase farm output through protective farming.

Behind the startup are Saurabh Agarwal and Akshay Agarwal who launched the agri-tech company in 2019 to help farmers increase crop yield. The brothers evolved from their family business of packaging to an agricultural-based company.

“We do not belong to an agricultural background, but agriculture always captivated us. Saurabh and I wanted to do something in this sector to help farmers,” Akshay, co-founder of GROWiT, tells The Better India.

Like Rakesh, the startup has catered to more than 20,000 farmers across Gujarat, Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh, Uttar Pradesh, Karnataka, Rajasthan, Chhattisgarh, Rajasthan, Andhra Pradesh, Haryana, Tamil Nadu, and Odisha.

Finding agri-tech solutions to common farmer problems

Akshay, who hails from Surat, pursued his master’s degree in plastic engineering from the University of Massachusetts. In 2014, he moved back to India and started researching protective farming practices.

 

“India is an agricultural country. We found that in other countries, 70 to 80 percent of farmers are using the protective farming technique, whereas in India only 2 percent of farmers are using this,” he says.

“It was surprising for us that a country as big as India is not taking full advantage of this simple concept. That was one of the trigger points,” he adds.

According to the 31-year-old entrepreneur, protective farming is an agricultural practice where crops are grown in a controlled environment by regulating temperature, humidity, and moisture as per the crop’s growth. This helps enhance crop production by reducing the consumption of water, fertilisers, and pesticides. It further helps in preventing sunburn and weed growth and increasing the quality and quantity of farming products, resulting in better returns for farmers.

“The idea of protective farming is to reduce resources while increasing the yield. Think of a greenhouse; it controls the temperature and climate of the crop, but not every farmer can afford it. Whereas protective farming products create a micro-climate for the crop, providing similar results while cutting the cost down,” says Akshay.

He claims that his startup is the only company seeking protective farming and selling products directly to farmers as per their needs. “Generally, a supply chain functions wherein a manufacturer sells farming products to a distributor, who sells it to a retailer, who sells the product to the farmer. In this chain, the flow of information is negligible,” he says.

 

“That’s where our whole concept of D2F (direct-to-farmer) came about. We interact directly with our customers who are farmers. We found that they use a cheap quality product. We help them understand that they can buy a cheaper but good quality product that will have long-term benefits,” he informs.

Akshay believes in encouraging a sustainable agriculture ecosystem in the country. Along with his brother, he has collaborated with several state governments and Krishi Vigyan Kendras (KVKs) to expand the supply chain.

Their Shark Tank Success

GROWit manufactures products — such as mulch film, shade nets, sticky traps, vermi beds, and agri wires — that help optimise the farm yield.

Through its mobile application, it also guides farmers in climate-smart agriculture to enhance farm productivity. For instance, the application allows farmers to get information about the crop they grow, how to prepare the land, what the mandi (market) price is, and how to connect with an agriculture expert as well.

Recently, the startup was featured on Shark Tank India Season 2. The brothers closed the deal of Rs 50 lakh at 1 percent equity and Rs 50 lakh debt at 10 percent interest from the ‘sharks’ — Namita Thapar, the executive director of Emcure Pharmaceuticals and Peyush Bansal, CEO of Lenskart.

“From practising speeches to pitching ideas to the country and closing a deal, the Shark Tank experience was phenomenal. We closed the deal with a valuation of Rs 50 crore,” informs Akshay.

Last year, the brothers clocked sales of Rs 20 crore, and this year, they project sales of Rs 30 crore.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

“I remember someone asking my daughter where milk comes from,” says Kiruba Shankar. “She said it comes in a tetra pack.”

At the time, it felt like a passing moment. But it stayed with him. Growing up in a farming family, Kiruba had always known food through soil, animals, and effort. That answer revealed how far that understanding had shifted.

Across many urban homes today, food arrives without context. Milk comes in cartons, vegetables in neatly packed trays, and meals with a tap on a screen. Somewhere along the way, the connection between what we eat and where it comes from has begun to fade.

For Kiruba Shankar, this gap is not an abstract concern. It is something he has observed closely over years of working with both education and agriculture, and it ultimately shaped a very unusual learning space in rural Tamil Nadu.

Moments like his daughter saying milk comes from a tetra pack stayed with him, and over time, became part of a larger pattern he began to notice in everyday conversations with children.

“At that time, we laughed it off, but it stayed with me,” Kiruba says. “I come from a farming family, and I realised how easily the source of food is disappearing from a child’s understanding. It was not just funny, it was worrying.”

That concern became the foundation of ‘Vaksana Farms’, a 14-acre working farm in the village of Rettanai, where farming is experienced rather than explained, through a structured and immersive 24-hour stay.

From a forgotten land to a living farm

Kiruba’s connection to Rettanai is rooted in family history. Both sides of his family came from agrarian backgrounds, but like many rural households across India, the next generation gradually moved towards cities for education and employment. Over time, the family land itself was left behind.

“When I came back to the land in 2011, it had been untouched for nearly three decades. There were no active farming systems left, and it was completely overgrown,” he explains in a conversation with The Better India.

The change that followed unfolded slowly as a process of rebuilding that took time to materialise. The initial six acres that were revived gradually expanded as more land was reclaimed and restored. Over time, it grew into a 14-acre ecosystem combining crops, trees, animals, water systems, and learning spaces.

“Rebuilding the farm was less about restoring what was there before, and more about understanding what the land could become again,” he explains.

The name Vaksana, meaning “fertile land with lush greenery”, reflects that intention more than its past does.

Step into a farm that feels like a classroom

The shift from farming to experiential learning did not begin as a business idea. It developed slowly as schools began visiting the farm, and children responded with curiosity and surprise to common agricultural processes.

“We realised that children were not just seeing farming,” Kiruba says. “For many of them, it was the first time they were interacting with it in any real form.”

By 2021, after years of informal educational visits, the structure of a residential learning programme was beginning to take shape. He introduced the ‘Farm Camp’ in September 2021, after extensive planning around safety, flow, and age-appropriate activities. The first full interactive residential experiences began in May 2022, marking the beginning of what is now a structured 24-hour farm stay for children and parents.

“It took time to design it properly. We wanted it to be real, but also safe and meaningful,” he explains. The idea was to create understanding through participation.

Arrive and ease into the rhythm of the day

The experience begins at 10 am on Saturday. Families arrive at the farm and are welcomed into an orientation session that sets the tone for the next 24 hours. There is no formal staging or performance; instead, expectations, safety guidelines, and the philosophy of participation are explained. 

“We are very clear from the beginning that this is not a tour but participation in farm life, where children experience a full day on the farm and live the life of a farmer from the time they wake up at five in the morning to the time they retire at night,” he explains.

The first impression is designed to shift the mindset rather than provide information. Children are encouraged to observe, ask questions, and prepare for direct involvement rather than passive observation.

Walk the land

A guided walk across the 14-acre farm follows the introduction. Children move through different zones, including crop fields, animal spaces, and water systems, slowly building an understanding of how the farm functions as a whole.

“Most kids do not realise how interconnected a farm is,” he explains. “This walk helps them see that everything depends on something else.” This phase provides spatial and ecological context before children begin working on the land.

Get your hands into the soil 

Late morning moves into field-based farming activities. Children begin with soil preparation, ploughing, and understanding how land is prepared for cultivation. Tractor rides are often the first highlight, offering both excitement and physical engagement.

“The tractor becomes an instant favourite among children, who warm to the experience,” Kiruba says. “But the real learning happens when they touch the soil.” 

They are also introduced to traditional ploughing methods using oxen, which slows the experience and makes the effort behind farming more visible.

“Modern tools make farming look uncomplicated, but traditional methods show how much effort it actually takes,” he adds.

Children then move through sowing seeds, weeding, and preparing fields, experiencing different stages of the agricultural cycle within a compressed timeframe. “We try to give them a full crop cycle in a few hours,” he says. “So they understand where food begins.”

Pause as the day slows down.

Lunch is served on the farm, often using ingredients grown within the same ecosystem. The meal is followed by a structured rest period. “Rest is part of farming. You cannot separate work from pause,” he says.

Children rest in shaded areas, mirroring the natural cycle of agricultural life during the hottest hours of the day.

“We do not rush them into the next activity,” he adds. “They need time to absorb what they have already experienced.”

Spend time with the animals on the farm

The afternoon begins with interaction with animals that live on the farm. The ecosystem includes around 14 species, such as cows, goats, sheep, horses, camels, ducks, geese, and turkeys, many of which have been rescued and rehabilitated. “Animals are not separate from farming. They are part of the system,” he adds.

Children feed them, observe their behaviour, and learn how they contribute to the broader functioning of the farm.

“When children take responsibility for feeding an animal, something shifts in them,” he says. “They begin to understand care in a very direct way.”

Play, create, and learn together

As the afternoon light softens, activities move into shaded spaces on the farm, including areas surrounded by bamboo and trees. Here, children are introduced to traditional village games and creative exercises.

“These games, including bambaram, tayambas, kitti pul, and uriyadi, carry memory. They naturally connect generations, because they were once a part of everyday childhood in villages,” he explains.

Younger children, typically aged between four and seven years, work with natural materials such as flowers to create colours and paintings through safe, guided activities. Older children engage in group tasks designed around cooperation rather than competition. 

“The focus is not on winning or losing,” he adds. “It is about enjoying and learning together.”

Step into the water 

As the day moves into early evening, two of the most anticipated activities take place in the water. The first is swimming in the farm’s irrigation pond, and the second is bathing under the pump set, where water flows directly from agricultural systems.

“Water removes hesitation. In those moments, children shed all self-consciousness and become themselves,” he says. Parents often join these activities, stepping away from defined roles and engaging alongside their children.

“That shared participation changes the dynamic,” he explains. “It becomes a family memory, not just a child’s activity.”

Harvest your dinner

When the day settles into its later hours and the heat begins to ease, a calm spreads across the fields, setting the stage for one of the most important parts of the experience. Children walk through the fields, harvest vegetables, and decide what will be cooked for dinner.

Cooking is done collectively with parents and facilitators, turning food preparation into a shared activity rooted in earlier farming experiences. “When they cook what they have harvested, everything comes together,” he adds. “The circle becomes complete.”

Gather for stories under the sky

Dinner is served outdoors under the open sky, followed by a bonfire and storytelling session. The environment is informal, allowing conversations to flow naturally.

“That is when families begin to open up, and before you realise it, stories are being shared freely, without anyone having to ask,” he explains.

By 10 pm, they settle into accommodation within the farm, concluding the first day.

Wake up before the sun

The second day begins at 4:30 am, reflecting the natural pulse of farming life. Children experience early morning routines such as animal care, observation, and light agricultural activities.

“Farmers follow the sun, and we want children to experience that life, even briefly,” Kiruba adds. 

Breakfast is served soon after, bringing the programme to a close by 10 am.

“They leave with tired bodies, but a different understanding of food and effort,” he says.

Learn in small groups

Each camp is limited to 10 children, supported by 11 staff members and family participation. This guarantees safety, attention, and personalised learning throughout the experience. “Small groups are critical, because every child must be seen and heard,” he adds.  

Parents are encouraged to participate but are asked to allow children to lead their own experience. “Children learn best when they are allowed to try,” he explains. “Even if they make mistakes.”

How to plan a visit?

The farm camps are conducted across April and May, with upcoming sessions scheduled for:

• 9-10 May
• 16-17 May
• 30-31 May

Each programme runs for 24 hours from Saturday 10 am to Sunday 10 am.

The fee is Rs 6,000 plus taxes per child, with optional parent participation at Rs 2,000 plus taxes per person. Bookings are available through the official Vaksana Farms website, vaksanafarms.in.

You can also reach out via call or WhatsApp on 98415 97744 for enquiries and bookings.

Carry the experience home

For Kiruba, the value of the farm camp is not in the activities themselves, but in what children carry forward from them.

“Children will become future parents. What they experience now will shape how they think about food, nature, and responsibility later in life,” he says.

At Vaksana Farms, children learn what it actually takes to grow food. If your child had to explain where their food begins, would they know what to say?

All pictures courtesy Kiruba Shankar.

Originally reported and written in March 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content. 

Hailing from Kacheri Gaon, a small hamlet in the Jajpur district of Odisha, Jhunbala Malick was born into a family of labourers. Her mother had to undergo surgery, so Jhunbala had to compromise her studies and step up to care for her family — her parents and three siblings; she could only study till Class 5.

At a tender age, she started working on the farm along with her father, who was an agricultural labourer. He could barely earn enough to meet the medical expenses of her mother. “It was a painful period. At times, we used to eat one day and skip meals on the other,” the now 31-year-old tells The Better India.

A few years later, she was married off. She hoped for a better life, but luck did not favour her.

 

Dignity vs dowry

From abject poverty, Jhunbala went into an abusive relationship.

“My husband was an alcoholic. He used to drink all the time, even during the day. Before marriage, I did not even know his name, let alone his behaviour and habits. He used to beat me up. Not only him, but my father-in-law, mother-in-law and sister-in-law would also beat me up. When I would complain about this, my husband would not listen. He never supported me,” recalls the tribal woman.

The reason? Dowry.

“My family could not fulfil the dowry they demanded. They asked for Rs 20,000, but my family could give only Rs 15,000,” she adds.

Despite the Dowry Prohibition Act 1961, India continues to witness dowry-related cases. The National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) data shows that there were 6,589 dowry-related deaths in the country in 2021, which is equivalent to three deaths every four hours.

After three months of agony at her in-laws’ place, Jhunbala took a courageous step to escape. “I decided I could not continue to live like this. I lied to my in-laws that I was going home for a few days. But after coming to my parent’s home, I never went back,” she says.

 

“After two to three months, my in-laws came to take me back. They convinced my parents that they will not beat me. My parents asked me to go back, but I resisted. I told them that I can be independent and that I don’t want to go back to that hell. If I had continued to lead that life, I would have ended up taking my life,” she shares.

This decision of hers was followed by the contemptuous behaviour of villagers and relatives, but she decided to not bother.

To make it worse, her elder brother was killed in a dispute. “He used to work as a mechanical fitter and earn Rs 30,000 a month. He would financially support us. After his death, the entire burden of looking after my family came upon me,” recalls Jhunbala.

 

When women come together

In 2018, Jhunbala joined a self-help group (SHG), and life started taking a turn for the better.

With her consistent efforts, she became a prominent member of the SHG. She even conducted meetings with other tribal women twice a month to work on improving her income.

Today, she manages to contribute Rs 10,000 to her family for their monthly expenses by working as an agricultural labour and selling agricultural produce. In addition, she toiled to make all the arrangements for her younger sister’s marriage. “With the earnings from farming, I married her into a decent family. They did not ask for dowry. She is living happily with her husband,” smiles Jhunbala.

Meanwhile, in December 2021, an initiative — led by a non-profit called ‘Habitat for Humanity India’ in association with Standard Chartered Bank — financially supported and trained the self-help group members. They were taught to grow seasonal vegetables such as bananas, tomatoes, brinjal and cauliflower. They were also trained for alternate livelihood opportunities — such as making hand fans and plates using palm leaves — to generate additional income and become self-reliant.

 

“After learning new skills and working with fellow women, I feel that I have truly realised my potential. I am no longer a victim of my circumstances, but I feel more confident and self-reliant,” says the tribal farmer.

The intervention helped all 10 women of Jhunbala’s SHG to earn well within eight months. “We came together and invested Rs 55,000 and started cultivating vegetables. We managed to earn Rs 1.5 lakh. Nothing is impossible when women come together,” adds Jhunbala, who now cultivates tomato, brinjal, and ginger in a 4-guntha (used for measuring land area) field.

She is now repairing her dilapidated home and treating her 70-year-old ailing father [who is suffering from heart disease] with her hard-earned money. “After my brother’s death, I have been looking after my family. It costs us Rs 3,000 per month for my father’s medicines. I will take him to the doctor in a couple of days. I have started saving for his surgery,” she says.

“I want to tell other women that they should become independent. Money brings you respect. People will enquire about your well-being when you have money. I have learnt it the hard way,” she shares.

(Edited by Pranita Bhat; All images: Habitat for Humanity India/Prashant Nakwe)

Sources:

Crime In India 2021: Published by the National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB).

Originally reported and written in March 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

In 2016, engineer Ramesh Biswal was pursuing his post-doctoral studies in material science in the US. Around the same time, continents away, India was reeling from the horrific news of mass farmer suicides. 

A National Crime Records Bureau (NCRB) report years later would suggest that that year, as many 11,379 farmers took their own lives. The reasons, the report noted, were many — poor harvest, low selling rates for produce, environmental stressors, and crop failure, which all amounted to massive amounts of debt. 

Ramesh would hear about all this through the news and during calls back home to his family based in Bhubaneshwar, Odisha. The stories left him aghast, and he began to wonder why the issue of farmer suicides was so rampant in India.  

“I began drawing comparisons between the United States and India and came to the conclusion that, from a scientific perspective, the reason the US was more developed than India was that of the bend of mind used in research,” the IIT-Kharagpur graduate tells The Better India. “In the US, research is intended to solve societal problems, whereas in India, once the publication is out, the research is left forgotten.” 

But there was another reason why the news of farmer suicides struck a chord with Ramesh. 

“My father, too, is a farmer, and I have grown up watching how hard farmers work in order to make ends meet. So, to hear of the farmer suicides was heartbreaking and felt personal. I decided to use my degree and knowledge for my homeland, and returned to India in 2016.” 

In the months that followed, Ramesh began building a community of friends from his village, who he says shared a common desire to do something good and put an end to these burdening issues in rural India. 

“Our focus was to come up with an idea that would be both innovative and cost-effective. We wanted to reduce the labour cost by ensuring farmers had a one-stop solution to sell their produce and were not walking miles to the mainstream markets to do so. Additionally, we wanted farmers to get their dues for the produce,” he explains. 

 

With this plan in mind, in 2017, Ramesh launched Villa Mart — a market on wheels that would procure grains, fruits and vegetables from the farmers listed with the platform and sell it to the consumers in the villages. 

Mobile mandis across Odisha’s villages 

Weeks into working on the problem, the group landed on the major issue in the system —  market linkage. They realised that the US model of Wal-Mart was successful, as it made a physical marketplace. And until they had a marketplace, they wouldn’t succeed, despite all the research they were doing. 

Ramesh’s next aim was to set up a mandi (market) of sorts, through which farmers would be able to sell their produce along with buying from other farmers for their own needs. 

For this, he modified a van into a mini-shop, designing it to resemble a supermarket with racks to hold the groceries and produce. “The idea was to drive through the villages of India and sell the produce of the farmers. This way, the farmers would be reassured that their produce wasn’t going to waste, while also being paid for it,” he says, adding that they got a good response. 

 

Having started in 2017 with one van and a handful of farmers in Bhubaneshwar, today Villa Mart has a fleet of seven vans, is connected with “over 3,000 farmers from all over Odisha”, and has reached 110 villages to date. 

Villa Mart also connects with FPOs (Farmer Producer Organisations) and guides them on selling their produce, which ranges from rice and other pulses to green leafy vegetables and fruits. 

An AI spin on traditional marketplaces 

Elaborating on the model, Ramesh says the farmers can book the slot for when they will harvest the produce and have it ready. 

“The vehicle then goes to the farms and brings the produce from there to the procurement centre, where it is graded and sorted. Grade A and B are for the produce that is fit to be sold directly, while grades C and D are kept aside.”

Grades A and B are kept in cold rooms for a week, while grade C is treated with solar dryers — in order to dry the produce and perform value addition to create sellable products such as fruit juices, sun-dried tomatoes, powdered spice flavourings, etc— and grade D produce is turned into compost.

Ramesh explains that they also have artificial intelligence sensors at the procurement unit that efficiently detect the quality of the produce, crop disease etc. 

“The sensors do this based on four factors, such as the weight, the visual appearance of the produce, through infrared light and gas in the chamber. This helps us know which crops are fit to be sold and which are of poor quality.”  

Then they get started with planning the selling schedules for the next day. 

 

“We plan it in a way that if we are driving through village A, we collect the harvest of a certain crop that we know has demand in village B, where we will drive to the next day. Similarly, the next day when we drive through village B, we sell the produce of village A and collect a different kind of harvest. We are essentially creating a balance of demand and supply,” he says. 

A wonderful part about Villa Mart is that farmers are paid immediately when the produce is bought. Daitari Jena, a farmer from Khordha associated with Villa Mart, says he is happy to be growing produce for them. 

 

“I have been with Villa Mart for a couple of years now and I see this as a good decision. I do not have to worry much about my produce going bad before it is sold and thus losing out on the value. I can focus completely on a good harvest,” he says. 

Ramesh explains, “We pay them 30 to 50 percent more than MSP and our plan is to double it in the coming months.” 

He also notes that in addition to the mobile mandi, they are also trying to make a marketplace more accessible to farmers who have the prerequisite technology by providing them with emails that have the date and time of when they can come to the [5,000 sq ft] procurement centre in Nayagarh or the [3,000 sq ft] one in Bhubaneshwar and sell their produce. “Until then, the seven vans will continue the process.”

‘You learn along the way’ 

A major challenge, he adds, has been that digital marketplaces for agricultural produce are unorganised. 

“There is a need to focus on rural areas and bring order to the chaos. It won’t be easy,” he says, adding that when he started Villa Mart, it was tough convincing farmers that they could earn a better price on their produce through this model. 

 

“But we proved our system and its benefits to them and then they believed us. Initially, we thought we needed cold storage for the produce, which was working out expensive. But then we realised since we are selling the next day, a cold room with temperature maintained at 18 degrees and humidity at 80 percent is fine. You learn along the way,” he says. 

Having crossed Rs 4 crore turnover last year, Ramesh prides himself on his venture and his efforts. 

“If I had chosen to continue working in the US — while in my hometown farmers were suffering — I wouldn’t be using my knowledge for a good cause. Today I feel proud that I am able to help my town progress,” he says. 

Edited by Divya Sethu

On a scorching afternoon in Kolkata, amidst the cacophony of city life, Jasmit walks through a narrow lane with a small paper bag in his hand. Inside it are discarded mango seeds, known as gutlis, collected from neighbours, schools, and office colleagues. 

To anyone else, they might seem trivial, solely the remnants of a sweet summer fruit, easily discarded without a second thought. But for him, each seed represents a potential tree, a promise of fruit, and a thread in a much larger mosaic. 

It is a vision to reconnect India’s urban and rural communities, rejuvenate biodiversity, and provide economic sustenance to farmers. Every mango seed carries a promise, and this promise has grown into the movement led by the ‘Gutli Man of India’.

“I am neither a farmer nor a botanist. I am just someone who loves mangoes and believes that even a single seed can change the world,” he says. His love for the fruit is more than culinary; it is the seed of a mission that has now inspired thousands across India to become part of a larger environmental cause. “Every gutli you see as waste can turn into a tree that gives food and shelter and supports life,” he adds.

The beginning of a seeded revolution

Jasmit Singh Arora (53) hails from Kolkata and describes himself as a social entrepreneur. His life is guided by a purpose beyond profit, devoted to the environment, the farmers, and the education of future generations. 

“When I saw mango trees being cut down, and I realised how paddy farming drained water and poisoned the soil, I felt compelled to act. These are not just ecological problems; they are human problems, affecting our children, our farmers, and our future,” he tells The Better India.

The Gutli Mission, as it is known today, began humbly in 2017-2018. His initial aim was to connect school children with the importance of the environment and the role farmers play in sustaining life. He saw a world where children believed their parents and teachers were the only pillars of life, while farmers, who grew the very food they consumed, were often overlooked.

“The environment was crying for help. Water and air quality were deteriorating, and farmers were earning as little as Rs 2,000 for paddy cultivation, which also harmed the soil,” he recalls. Mango trees became a focal point for him because of their ecological importance. Birds nested in them, insects teemed, and their wood stored significant amounts of carbon. However, for decades, mango orchards had been consistently disappearing.

When one man’s idea became a nation’s movement

It was during 2021-2022 that he realised his initiative could grow from a personal effort into a nationwide movement. “Everybody wants purity in air, water, and food, but people do not always have a way to participate,” he says. The Gutli Mission gave them that window, an effortless action they could take, connected to a purpose that mattered.

The movement took flight when he released a heartfelt video in May 2023. 

“I explained the problems farmers face, the environmental crises, and asked for just one gutli. If someone asked, ‘What will one gutli do?’ I showed them the saplings it could grow into. If someone asked, ‘What will one forward of that video do?’ I showed them the growing number of people joining in and the seeds arriving from across the country,” he recounts. 

The response was overwhelming. Citizens, students, and even the armed forces joined in, turning a simple seed collection into a nationwide environmental initiative.

How citizens can join: The simple gutli steps

Participation in the Gutli Mission is surprisingly straightforward. Jasmit stresses the importance of intention:

“From here on, I will not throw seeds. I will clean the pulp, dry it in the shade, pack it, and send it. That is the first step,” he says.

He outlines the process clearly:

• Consume the mango: Enjoy the fruit, but save the seed.
• Clean the seed: Remove all pulp to prevent fungus and rot.
• Dry the seed: Place it under shade or sun until completely dry.
• Pack properly: Use paper or cardboard containers to store seeds. Avoid plastic bags that trap moisture.
• Send the gutlis: Citizens can post their seeds or contact him directly at 9831459390 for guidance. Communities, schools, corporations, and armed forces can create collection boxes or social club branches to gather seeds collectively.

“This simple act connects urban citizens with farmers and creates a measurable impact on the environment,” the gutli man explains.

From a gutli to a tree: The careful nurturing process

Once Jasmit receives the seeds, the work has just begun. “If someone donates 1,000 seeds, only 10 percent will germinate due to genetic factors. Artificially ripened carbide mangoes further reduce germination rates, so I request people not to use such seeds,” he explains. After germination, the saplings are carefully nurtured for six months before undergoing a grafting procedure.

“Grafting is key to making the trees viable for farmers. It reduces the gestation period from 15 years to just three, making farmers more willing to plant these trees. We also make sure that the grafts are compatible with local breeds to guarantee fruiting,” he adds.

Once the saplings are ready and healthy, he hands them over to farmers across West Bengal and Jharkhand, along with guidance on organic fertilisers, vermicomposting, and proper tree care. “I do not keep control after giving the saplings because the farmer should feel full ownership of the tree. They grow them independently. It is their tree and their labour,” he emphasises.

The gutli missteps you can dodge

He has seen many well-meaning participants make errors that can kill seeds. Common mistakes include leaving pulp on the seeds, mixing wet and dry seeds, and storing them in airtight plastic bags. “These create fungus, suffocate the seed, and prevent germination. Clean the pulp, dry the seed completely, and store it in paper-based containers. That is the right way,” he advises.

He also warns against artificially ripened mangoes. “Carbide mangoes ripen in a day or two, but they compromise seed health. Always use ripened fruit naturally,” he adds.

Engaging communities: A movement beyond individuals

Individuals can multiply the mission by scaling it to communities. Housing societies can create collection bins, schools can make it part of environmental projects, corporations can include it in CSR activities, and armed forces can participate as units. He shares inspiring examples, “In Gujarat, a single woman collected 8,000 seeds in 10 days by engaging her neighbourhood. Even the courier staff were excited seeing so many seeds being sent to Kolkata.”

The mission also encourages citizens to document their efforts through videos and social media stories. “When you show others how you dry and collect the seeds, it inspires them. One person’s effort encourages many more to join in,” he says.

Why the gutli model works

Unlike traditional tree-planting drives, his approach connects urban citizens directly to the life of a tree. “In regular drives, 95 percent of trees die because no one takes care of them. Here, the seeds germinate in a controlled environment and are handed to farmers who nurture them. It is seed-to-sapling-to-farmer. The survival rate is higher, and the impact is real,” he explains.

Beyond ecology, the mission promotes urban-rural connection, raises awareness about farmers’ struggles, and motivates communities to participate actively in environmental solutions.

The results speak volumes. Since 2022, Jasmit has collected over 21 lakh mango seeds and distributed more than 8 lakh grafted fruit trees to farmers, directly and indirectly benefiting over 5,000 families. The mission currently spans regions of Sundarbans, Bankura, Purulia, and parts of Jharkhand, but the vision is national. “If every Indian sends one seed, the 20 crore-tree target can be achieved in one season,” he says confidently.

The Gutli Mission also promotes knowledge sharing. Farmers receive training in organic farming techniques, ensuring that the saplings not only survive but thrive and yield high-quality fruit.

Citizens are the backbone

Jasmit emphasises that citizen participation is the backbone of the mission. “If people stop sending seeds, there will be fewer saplings, fewer trees, and less environmental purification. Awareness will fade, and citizens are the lifeblood of this movement,” he says.

He calls on everyone, from students and social clubs to corporations and the armed forces, to take a small step, “Just one gutli, one seed, and one action is effective.”

He invites citizens to become Green Sahyogis by taking a ‘green shapat’, a pledge to nurture the environment through the Gutli Mission. Saplings are distributed under the initiative ‘Tree Ka Langar’, confirming both urban and rural participation.

To contribute, contact Jasmit at 98314-59390 or follow the mission on Instagram at mango.gutliman. Your small action can help plant thousands of trees, support farmers, and restore biodiversity across India.

From the simple act of saving a discarded mango seed, a movement has grown that shows the power of collective action. “If you love mangoes, love the environment, or love your country, this is a way to make a real difference. One seed can change everything,” he says, as he looks at the saplings that promise a greener, more sustainable future.

All pictures courtesy Jasmit Singh Arora.

Originally reported and written in June 2025, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

At this farm in Bengaluru, a unique confluence of tradition and technology is reshaping the contours of mango cultivation. Here lies MangoMaze – a thriving orchard of 25,000 mango trees, where mangoes are being grown using drones, drip irrigation systems, and sensors to manage resources precisely.

The AI-driven drones quietly hum across the canopy, collecting vital data on tree health and pest presence. These flying marvels send real-time imagery and analytics back to the farm’s nerve centre, where adjustments in care can be curated with precision.

Drip irrigation systems reduce water use by a remarkable 70 percent by using technology to target specific needs rather than blanket irrigation, ensuring that every droplet counts in nurturing the luscious Ratnagiri Alphonso mangoes to perfection.

This minimises wastage and ensures that each tree receives the necessary nourishment. Interestingly, this method intensively plants 1,450 trees per acre — 15 times the traditional amount.

Behind this is the quantum density farming technique employed by Suraj Panigrahy. We sat down with him to learn how this technique can redefine the way mangoes are grown in India.

 

Why Europe has all the fun

A BITS Pilani alumnus, Suraj worked for about two decades in the corporate sector at companies like Wipro, Nokia, and Make My Trip, before embarking on this unique journey that takes him back to his roots.

With his father serving in the Indian Navy, Suraj's formative years were spent across various parts of India, unknowingly sowing the seeds of a global perspective. His professional stints took him across continents, from the US to Europe, where he absorbed diverse agricultural practices, notably grapevine farming in Europe.

During his time working with an agritech startup focused on the vineyards and wine industry, Suraj was exposed to a fusion of advanced analytics and farming methods across various European countries, including Austria, Italy, Germany, and France. This exposure introduced him to the high efficiency and market sophistication of the European grape cultivation methods.

“Those grapevines flourished in tight proximity, each precisely nurtured with an exact mix of nutrients and care. I was impressed by how these practices elevated the humble grape into a celebrated commodity within the glorified wine industry,” he shares.

“What if Indian mangoes could be cultivated with the same precision?” he pondered.

Recognising the scalable model and potential for replication, Suraj began to envision similar possibilities for Indian crops, particularly the globally recognised Alphonso mango.

Thus, the concept of MangoMaze took root.

 

The science behind the sweetness

Suraj began transforming his vision into reality by acquiring a 15-acre plot of barren land in Bengaluru. In 2018, he began setting up the infrastructure and planting the saplings, and formally launched MangoMaze in 2021.

Through his efforts, Suraj has adopted advanced technologies such as drones and IoT-driven drip irrigation systems to optimise resource efficiency.

In stark contrast to conventional methods, where 50 to 80 mango trees spread languidly across an acre, Suraj’s farm boasts a bustling orchard with 25,000 trees on 15 acres.

The strategy hinges on precision: trees are planted just three feet apart, with seven feet between rows.

“The strategic planting involves positioning trees three feet apart with a seven-foot gap between rows. This allows us to maximise yield by planting 1,450 trees per acre, at least 15 times denser than traditional farming. This significantly boosts the yield up to seven times. We estimate a production of about 40 tonnes of mangoes this season. So far in 2025 alone, we have sold over 50,000 boxes of Alphonso mangoes,” he explains.

Behind maintaining such density without overcrowding lies the real magic in the farm’s orchestration of advanced technology — a symphonic harmony of artificial intelligence, drones, and sensors.

 

Prashant Patalay, who leads the innovative tech vision behind MangoMaze’s AI-powered platform for farm digitisation, shares, “By utilising IoT sensors, satellite imagery, and AI dashboards, we diligently monitor soil health, irrigation, and pest activity. Our cutting-edge tools include precision irrigation systems, microclimate sensors, solar weather stations, and AI yield prediction models.”

The use of AI-driven drones and advanced soil and plant health monitoring systems ensures no need is overlooked. Drones elegantly glide over the orchard, analysing crop health and guiding interventions. Drip irrigation systems precisely regulate water use, whereas sensors monitor soil nutrients, ensuring each tree receives tailored nutrition.

The traditional method relies heavily on natural rainfall or flood irrigation, which can lead to inefficient water usage. Pest control often involves the use of chemical pesticides that can affect the soil health and plant quality over time.

This intelligent use of data to inform planting, fertigation, and harvesting schedules leads to enhanced productivity and quality. Prashant, the chief technology officer, reiterates, “The benefits of this setup include higher crop yields, reduced water usage, improved disease control, and consistent fruit quality. The data-driven approach optimises yield density per acre while minimising inputs. Crucially, it empowers farmers with data-driven decision-making, export readiness, and enhanced market access through our digital ecosystem.”

By integrating these learned practices, MangoMaze redefined traditional Indian mango farming methods, channeling the same strategic vision he saw in Europe into the development of India’s first Quantum Density Mango Farm. Suraj, who is currently based out of Barcelona, manages the farm with the help of local labourers and farmers, who have been engaged through their smart farm management systems software.

Suraj openly acknowledges, “I had no prior experience in farming.” Yet, it’s precisely this unfamiliarity that adds a unique twist to his journey. “When you come from a technical background, you don’t carry the baggage of ‘this is how it’s always been done.’ You ask: Why not better?” adds Suraj. This perspective allowed him to view farming not as a limitation, but as an intricate problem ready to be addressed.

This helped him transform MangoMaze into a thriving model of tech-powered, high-density mango farming.

 

‘Why shouldn’t Alphonso stand in equal to Europe’s finest wines?’

Suraj’s ambition stretches beyond cultivation; he aims to reposition Indian mangoes in the global market. “Why shouldn’t the Alphonso stand on equal footing with Europe’s finest wines?” he questions.

Indeed, despite being the largest mango producer, India exports only a fraction of its fruits.

Due to less intensive agronomic practices, Suraj says, the yield in traditional farms is relatively lower. “The quality and consistency of mangoes might vary, affecting the marketability on a global scale. Only about 10-12 percent of Indian mangoes are exported due to these quality constraints.

A significant barrier has been inconsistent quality; MangoMaze seeks to change that narrative through standardisation. “The quantum density method gives consistent, high-quality mangoes that meet export standards. This includes proactive pest management using natural means like neem oil and bee pollination practices to boost productivity by 25-30 percent,” he shares.

 

 

 

 

 

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At MangoMaze, tradition is not left behind but elevated through technology. “We wish to showcase what’s possible when traditional agricultural practices meet the new-age technological prowess,” he adds.

As Suraj nurtures his orchard, he sends a message rippling through India’s agricultural landscape: “The future of farming lies not just in what we grow, but how we grow it,” he says.

Edited by Vidya Gowri; All images courtesy Suraj Panigraphy

When we think of farming, we think of vast lands, muddy hands, tractors cutting through fields, and seasons dictating everything, from sowing to survival. Agriculture, in our minds, is expansive, unpredictable, and deeply tied to nature. It depends on rain that may or may not come, soil that must cooperate, and climates that cannot be controlled.

But step into a modest, climate-controlled room in Ludhiana, and that entire imagination begins to shift.

There are no fields here, no open sky and no changing seasons.

Instead, there are racks, trays, and sensors and a carefully engineered environment where one of the world’s most delicate and expensive crops quietly blooms. Kashmiri saffron, often called ‘red gold’, grows not in the valleys of Pampore but inside a room in Punjab.

At the centre of this quiet disruption are siblings Asthika (25) and Shankar Narula (23), who, along with their father, Vikas Narula, are reimagining what farming can look like in modern India. Their venture, Grow Grower, is not just about cultivating saffron; it’s about blending technology, research, and family conviction into something that feels both improbable and deeply rooted.

How a banker’s idea became a family venture

The story of saffron farming didn’t quite begin with the brother-sister co-founders; it began with their father.

A banker by profession, Vikas Narula had no formal background in agriculture. But he had something just as powerful, curiosity.

“I was always interested in different cultivation methods and new ventures,” he says.

“When I started reading about indoor saffron farming, I learnt about the different techniques of controlled production and thought if that’s possible, why can’t we do it here?”

During the COVID-19 lockdown, while the world paused, Vikas leaned into research — studying global agricultural innovations, particularly indoor saffron cultivation in countries like Iran and the US. What stood out was not just the technology, but the opportunity.

Globally, saffron demand was rising. Supply, especially of high-quality Kashmiri saffron, was not.

That gap stayed with him, and he decided to do something about it.

The children weren’t immediately convinced. Both came from non-agricultural backgrounds, Asthika was a political science graduate at the time, while Shankar was pursuing his Bachelor’s in Computer Applications and were navigating their own career path.

But over time, curiosity turned into participation.

“We realised there is a huge gap between demand and supply,” Asthika says. “That’s when we thought this had real potential.”

What followed was not a quick pivot, but years of deliberate preparation. Between 2019 and 2024, the family immersed themselves in research, reading academic papers, consulting scientists, and even spending over a month in Kashmir to understand traditional saffron farming on the ground.

“We bought research papers from Google Scholar, ICAR (Indian Council of Agricultural Research), ARCC (Agricultural Research Communication Centre),” says Shankar.

The science and technology behind indoor farming were complex, but not something they couldn’t manage. They also attended a few offline workshops to strengthen their understanding.

“To understand things better and in more detail, we also got in touch with Dr Ghilavizadeh Ardalan, a renowned scientist, and talked with him on a video call to understand things better,” adds Shankar.

“We knew you couldn't plant even one seed without understanding the science,” Asthika explains.

By 2024, Grow Grower wasn’t just an idea anymore. It was a calculated leap.

Why saffron? chasing a crop where demand outpaces supply

Saffron is unlike most crops; it is labour-intensive, climate-sensitive, and incredibly valuable. Just one kilogram can require over 150,000 flowers, and its price can range anywhere between Rs 3 lakh to Rs 15 lakh per kg, depending on quality.

But what makes Kashmiri saffron especially unique is its quality — its deep colour, strong aroma, and medicinal properties. And yet, its production has been declining.

“Most of the saffron in India is actually imported from Iran, and authentic Kashmiri saffron is limited,” adds Asthika.

For the Narulas, this imbalance between demand and supply became the starting point.

Instead of competing in saturated agricultural markets, they chose a crop where scarcity already existed. And instead of relying on land, they turned to technology.

Inside the room: How Kashmir is recreated in Ludhiana

The facility in Ludhiana feels less like a farm and more like a lab and that’s intentionally created by the Narulas.

Using aeroponic technology, a method where plants grow in air or mist without soil, they have built a system where every environmental factor is controlled.

“At its core, there are four parameters — temperature, humidity, carbon dioxide, and light,” Shankar explains.

Chillers regulate temperature. Insulated walls trap and stabilise it. Grow lights replicate sunlight. Fine misting systems maintain humidity. Sensors constantly monitor the environment.

“In a way, we are trying to create Kashmir inside a room,” he says.

The setup didn’t come cheap. The family invested approximately Rs 55 lakh to build the facility — covering seeds (corms) from Kashmir, infrastructure, climate-control systems, and vertical farming units.

And it wasn’t without setbacks. Early on, nearly 20% of their seeds were damaged during transportation due to heat exposure, forcing them to innovate antifungal treatments and recovery techniques.

“Initial days were a bit tough, understanding technology, maintaining the saffron buds and managing the flowers was a tedious task we learnt in the first year,” adds Vikas.

But beyond the technology, what truly shapes the farm is timing and process — each step planned months. The setup typically begins around April, since the corms need to be pre-booked and the room itself takes close to three months to be fully constructed and calibrated.

Once the facility is ready, the seeds arrive from Kashmir and undergo careful preparation before planting. 

“The first step is to clean the corms, what we call desilving,” Shankar explains. 

“After that, we treat them with antifungal solutions like neem oil to ensure there’s no mould or infection before plantation.”

Only after this process are the corms ready to be planted — either in soil or through aeroponics, depending on the setup.

From there, the cycle begins. Plantation usually happens around August, and within 3.5 to 4 months, the flowers are ready to be harvested by mid-November—mirroring the natural growing cycle in Kashmir.

What follows is just as crucial but less visible. After harvesting, the bulbs enter a multiplication phase from December to March, where new ‘daughter corms’ are formed. This is followed by a dormancy period from April to July — a resting phase that allows the same bulbs to be reused for the next cycle.

But slowly, the system stabilised.

From planting in August to harvesting in November, the saffron lifecycle unfolded exactly as it would in Kashmir, just indoors.

The first flower: When it all became real

For all the science and systems, the most defining moment wasn’t technical — it was emotional.

“When we got the first flower, my son called me. I could sense his happy tears and cried too. It felt like an achievement," Vikas recalls.

It was a moment that carried more than just success; it carried validation.

Neither he nor his children had grown up around farms. There was no inherited wisdom here — only years of research, risk, and persistence.

“When you see something grow from your own effort, it feels magical,” he says.

That first bloom wasn’t just a harvest. It was proof that anything was possible, and they made it work.

Numbers that matter: Investment, revenue, and scale

Behind the emotion is a business that’s steadily taking shape.

In their very first season (2024–25), Grow Grower produced around 1.3 kg of saffron, generating approximately Rs 17 lakh in revenue, largely through exports to markets like Australia and Canada.

In the ongoing season, they’ve already sold around 500 grams domestically, earning close to Rs 9 lakh, with expectations to touch similar revenue figures by the end of the cycle through a mix of sales, training, and consultations.

Across two seasons, the venture has clocked nearly Rs 26 lakh in revenue, signalling steady early growth.

Their pricing reflects the premium nature of the product, ranging between Rs 1,300 to Rs 1,650 per gram in international markets.

But what’s equally interesting is how they’re scaling.

Today, Grow Grower has built a network of 30 partner farms across India, enabling them to aggregate production and cater to larger global demand, something a single unit cannot achieve alone.

“We guide them, they manage their farms, and we share revenues,” Shankar explains.

Roles, risks, and realities of modern farming

Within the venture, roles are clearly defined.

Shankar leads production by managing the farm, monitoring parameters, and handling research. Asthika oversees marketing, exports, and digital strategy. Vikas remains the knowledge anchor, guiding decisions and innovation.

But despite the structured setup, the journey hasn’t been easy.

“People think this is a quick-profit business. It’s not,” Shankar says.

“The return on investment can take four to five years, largely due to high electricity costs and infrastructure expenses.”

There are also learning curves that no research paper can prepare you for — from managing pests to understanding how many ‘daughter bulbs’ to retain for optimal yield.

“Some lessons only come when you actually do it,” he admits.

Looking ahead: Building an ecosystem, not just a business

For the Narulas, Grow Grower is not just about one farm in Ludhiana.

It’s about building a larger movement.

“Currently, Iran leads saffron production globally,” Asthika says. “We want India to contribute more and be a leader in saffron production.”

With climate challenges affecting traditional saffron farming in Kashmir, indoor cultivation offers a way to stabilise production and potentially scale it.

Their goal is to expand their partner network, aggregate supply, and make high-quality Kashmiri saffron more accessible — both in India and globally.

“There is so much demand that even if thousands enter this, there will be no competition, and all of us can cater to the demand of saffron collectively,” Vikas says.

In many ways, Grow Grower is a quiet reminder that agriculture doesn’t have to look the way we’ve always imagined it.

It can exist without land, without seasons, and without tradition dictating its limits.

It can begin in a banker’s curiosity, grow through a family’s persistence, and bloom in a room where Kashmir is recreated, one parameter at a time.

And sometimes, the future of farming doesn’t lie in expanding outward but in looking inward and asking: what else is possible?'

All images courtesy Shankar Narula

Source: 

‘The uncertain future of the world's most expensive spice’ by Matt Stirn for National Geographic, Published on 15 January 2026. 

Not all strength is loud or visible at first glance. Sometimes, it reveals itself in the quiet decision to keep going — to rebuild, to return, and to reclaim life after it has been deeply shaken. At a time when conversations around health often centre on limitation, some individuals gently rewrite that narrative. 

They remind us that a medical setback is not always an ending; sometimes, it becomes the beginning of a life lived with deeper purpose and renewed strength.

A second chance rooted in resilience

In the fields of Rajasthan, one such story continues to grow, season after season.

In 2015, Suraj Bhan, a farmer from the state, became part of medical history when he underwent one of Rajasthan’s first successful heart transplants. The heart he received belonged to an 18-year-old named Raju, a young donor whose life was cut short, but whose decision gave someone else a future. 

That quiet, extraordinary act of generosity became the turning point in Suraj Bhan’s life.

At the time, the surgery itself was remarkable. Organ transplants were still evolving in the state’s healthcare system, and survival beyond the operating room was often seen as the biggest milestone. 

But for Suraj Bhan, survival was only the first step.

Returning to the land he loves

Returning home after the transplant, his journey did not follow the path many would expect. Instead of retreating into rest or dependency, he chose to return to the land he had always known. Farming — physically demanding, unpredictable, and deeply tied to routine - became both his anchor and his way forward.

Slowly, steadily, he resumed work in his fields, rebuilding not just his strength but also his sense of normalcy. Each passing season marked not just agricultural cycles but also milestones in his recovery. Bhan has now spent the past 11 years living with the heart of an 18-year-old, while continuing to work on his four bigha farm.

Years passed, and what once seemed extraordinary became everyday life.

A life that continues to grow

Today, at 43, Suraj Bhan continues to farm mustard with fellow farmers in his Jorawarpura village, nearly a decade after his transplant. April 2 marked 11 years since his surgery, and in all this time, he has kept turning up to his mandi and to his fields in Jorawarpura village, refusing to slow down.

His days begin at 5 am, as he heads to the fields in the morning, rests in the afternoon, and returns to work again in the evening. He eats simple home-cooked food, follows a steady routine, and sleeps on time — a life built on discipline, balance, and determination.

There is something profoundly moving about this continuity, not because it ignores the magnitude of what he went through, but because it integrates it.

His life is no longer defined by the transplant; instead, the transplant has become a part of a larger, ongoing story of perseverance.

What makes his journey especially powerful is the contrast it holds. A heart transplant is often associated with fragility — a lifelong dependence on medication, careful monitoring, and caution. 

Yet here is a man who chose not to be defined by fear. With discipline, care, and quiet determination, he built a life that feels whole again, carrying forward not just his own will to live, but also the legacy of a young donor whose heart still beats through his days.

More than a medical milestone

His story also reflects the evolving landscape of healthcare in India. What was once rare and uncertain has, over time, become more accessible and successful. But beyond the science and systems, stories like his bring attention to something equally important: the human capacity to adapt, endure, and thrive.

Strength does not always look like grand gestures or dramatic victories. Sometimes, it looks like waking up each day and returning to what you love, despite everything that tried to take it away from you. It looks like choosing purpose over pause and dignity over doubt.

Suraj Bhan’s life is not just about a successful surgery. It is about what came after — the quiet courage to rebuild, the patience to heal, and the determination to keep going.

In a world often drawn to fleeting moments of inspiration, his journey offers something far more lasting: proof that resilience, when rooted deeply enough, can continue to bear fruit for years to come.

Sources:

‘Heart of the matter: With 18-year-old’s heart, this Raj farmer still farms everyday’  by Syed Intishab Ali for The Times Of India, Published on 7 April 2026. 

‘Raasthan's first successful heart transplant patient leaves for home’ by The Times Of India, Published on 15 September 2015.

‘A green heart joyfully at work, part of medical history of Rajasthan’ by Syed Inrishab Ali for The Times Of India, Published 8 August 2022.

India’s small and marginal farmers often find themselves tangled in a complex web of information when trying to understand or access government support schemes. Whether it is questions about eligibility, application status, payments or entitlements under the Pradhan Mantri Kisan Samman Nidhi (PM‑Kisan) scheme, many face long queues at government offices or rely on intermediaries and officials for answers. 

This consumes precious time, energy and money. Often, official information is available only in Hindi or English, leaving farmers in regions where the language is regional at a disadvantage.

For generations, the cost of information has been the cost of a journey. In many parts of rural India, a single trip to a government centre can eat into a day’s earnings. This made it hard for farmers to make informed decisions quickly. A simple question about why a payment was delayed could take days to resolve, and language barriers only added to the confusion.

What is the Kisan e‑Mitra chatbot?

To bridge this gap, the Government of India introduced the Kisan e‑Mitra chatbot, a digital assistant supported by artificial intelligence. This chatbot has been designed to help farmers get answers to their queries about key government agricultural schemes directly and instantly. Available through official farm portals and apps, it provides a user‑friendly way for farmers to pull information without having to visit offices or wait for officials.

A cornerstone of this tool’s appeal is its multilingual support. The chatbot currently understands and responds in 11 major Indian languages, including Hindi, Bengali, Telugu, Marathi, Tamil, Odia, Malayalam, Gujarati, Punjabi, Kannada and English. This dramatically widens the reach of reliable agricultural information.

How it helps:

1. Clear answers without queues

Kisan e‑Mitra is focused on answering questions about major schemes like PM‑Kisan, Pradhan Mantri Fasal Bima Yojana (crop insurance) and Kisan Credit Card queries. Farmers can type or speak their questions into the chatbot. Behind the scenes, machine learning and natural language processing interpret the request and supply an accurate answer based on official data.

There is no need to navigate complex websites or wait on hold to speak to an official. Farmers can check their application status, find out why a payment has not yet arrived, or understand eligibility requirements instantly. This eliminates the long journeys and waiting periods that have traditionally made information access difficult.

2. Multilingual support for real inclusion

One of the biggest challenges in rural India has been the communication gap. A farmer who speaks Bengali or Odia may struggle with English or Hindi technical content and must depend on others to interpret. 

Kisan e‑Mitra’s support for 11 languages changes this dynamic. It allows farmers to interact with the system in the language they are comfortable with, making information accessible and meaningful.

3. 24‑hour availability

Unlike physical offices with fixed hours, the chatbot is available round the clock. Farmers can ask questions early in the morning before heading to their fields, or late at night after a long day’s work. This flexibility is particularly valuable during crucial periods such as sowing and harvest, when time is scarce.

4. Personalised responses and grievance support

Because the chatbot integrates with official agricultural data systems, it can provide personalised answers rather than general information. It can also help raise and track grievances related to scheme benefits. This focus on personalised support gives farmers confidence that the information they receive is both relevant and accurate.

What makes this possible: The tech behind it

At its core, Kisan e‑Mitra uses advanced artificial intelligence techniques like natural language processing to understand farmer queries in multiple languages and dialects. By combining this with official scheme data, it provides real‑time answers with context and clarity. The system is built on multilingual language models that have been trained to interpret and respond to diverse queries from across India’s agricultural landscape.

This is part of a broader shift towards digital governance in Indian agriculture. By weaving technology into extension services, the government is making it possible for farmers to access reliable information without traditional barriers of distance, language or time.

Real‑world impact: Immediate results

Since its launch, the chatbot has handled millions of queries from farmers across India. Even in its early phases, it was resolving thousands of farmer questions every day, reducing the load on physical help desks and providing answers that were once only available through intermediaries or officials.

In remote villages, a farmer can now ask about a pending PM‑Kisan instalment from a mobile phone, receive an instant explanation in their regional language, and decide what to do next without a lengthy trip to the nearest government office.

What makes Kisan e‑Mitra notable is not just that it gives answers, but that it does so without requiring intermediaries or queues. In India’s diverse agricultural landscape, giving farmers direct access to information in their own languages empowers them to make better decisions confidently. It marks a meaningful step towards greater inclusion, transparency and ease of access.

In the spring of 2012, in the West Bengal Sundarbans, Sudhanshu Dey bent down to the soil with a handful of indigenous rice seeds. The Sundarbans had already taught him and his community hard lessons. Every year, cyclones and tidal floods swept across their lands, leaving behind saltwater that poisoned the fields. For four or five years at a stretch, farmers would watch their fields lie barren, their labour unrewarded, their hopes drowned.

By 2014, government offices began distributing salt-tolerant rice seeds. They came free of cost, with promises of survival in saline soils. But when the harvests came, the truth was bitter. Yields were poor, the grain lacked taste, and the price in the market did not justify the farmer’s effort. Land lost its value, and families lost their faith.

Yet, in the corners of villages, farmers had preserved their own indigenous seed varieties, passed down through generations. When sown, these seeds stood tall against the salt. They yielded better, tasted richer, and carried the strength of their ancestors. For Sudhanshu, now 60, that was the turning point.

His experiment

Determined to test this himself, Sudhanshu filled large plastic pots with soil. He poured five litres of water and mixed in salt bought from the market. Into this, he planted ten local rice varieties. He watched closely to see how much salinity each could endure.

“It was a small experiment,” he recalls, “but it carried a big dream: to find which native varieties could secure our future.”

The seed bank

From this dream grew the Durbachati Folk Seed Bank in his village of Durbachati. Today, it holds 192 local rice varieties, including several from the state, proudly called “Banglar Dhan” or paddy of Bengal — a place where the Green Revolution nearly wiped out a 5,000-year rice heritage.

Each variety is planted in neat plots of 10 feet by 10 feet, with 100 seedlings spaced carefully apart. From these beds, seeds are collected, preserved, and shared. Farmers take them, NGOs and government departments purchase them, and the cycle continues.

“When we hold these seeds in our hands, we feel we are holding our ancestors’ wisdom,” says farmer Barendra Nath Jana, who now cultivates Dudhersar on his saline plot in Gopal Nagar village.

Alor Barta – message towards light

Sudhanshu’s vision has grown into a collective movement called Alor Barta — “Message Towards Light.” Today, over 1,500 farmers across Kakdwip and Patharpratima nurture 26 indigenous rice varieties across nearly 6,000 bighas of land.

Each February, during the annual Krishi Mela, women showcase their culinary skills in a spirited contest. They present a wide range of rice-based dishes — from Basanti Pulao and Pakhala Bhat to Murki and Mutton Biryani.

“We have already documented around 500 recipes, and the list keeps growing every year,” Sudhanshu notes with pride.

Every month, farmers gather to share stories — of floods survived, organic fertilisers prepared, and seeds saved. Since 2018, they have also held an annual organic farming fair, with a clear purpose:

• To protect soil, water, and wildlife

• To revive food culture

• To strengthen the rural economy

“We no longer wait for government-supplied seeds,” says Saleya Bibi. “We save our own, we share our own. That is our strength.”

The varieties

Among the many traditional rice varieties, some stand out for their unique qualities, resilience, and cultural significance:

• Matla – Named after the Matla River, this variety is salt-tolerant and well-suited to coastal soils

• Dudhersar – Known for its fine grains and delicate aroma, often considered a premium table rice

• Gobindobhog – A short-grain, fragrant rice widely used in festive dishes and sweets

• Talmugur – Highly resilient to waterlogging, making it ideal for flood-prone areas

• Kalo Nunia – A black-husked variety rich in nutrition and traditionally prized

• Radhatilak – Aromatic and soft, often used on special occasions

• Kalo Boro – Another black-grained variety valued for its taste and adaptability

• Nona Bokra – Extremely salt-tolerant, crucial for survival in saline tracts

• Jugal – Unique for producing two grains in a single husk, symbolising abundance

• Kanakchur – Famous for its fragrance, often used in making muri (puffed rice)

• Chamor – Aromatic, fine-grained rice prized for household consumption

• Mani-Marichshal – A traditional variety known for its distinct characteristics

These varieties are not only disaster-resistant but also fetch high prices in the market. They are valued for their taste, nutrition, and easy digestion.

“Balam rice is soft, fragrant, and easy to digest,” explains Kabita Jana, another farmer. “My children prefer it over any modern variety. It feels like home.”

Sudhanshu’s role

Sudhanshu Dey is a farmer and a homeopathic doctor by profession. But his passion lies in the soil. With his family beside him, he cultivates, collects, and preserves native seeds. Together, they encourage farmers to trust their heritage, believe in the strength of indigenous varieties, and carry forward the wisdom of their ancestors.

For him, this is not just farming. It is resistance against the tide, a song of resilience, and a message towards light.

Dr Anupam Pal, retired Additional Director of Agriculture, who transformed the Agricultural Training Institute in Fulia, Nadia district into a sanctuary for over 400 endangered folk rice varieties — helping West Bengal rise to the forefront of folk rice production — remarks: “Folk rice growers and conservators like Sudhanshu are not just farmers; they are the sentinels of our food heritage. Through their dedication, they have sown service into every grain, ensuring that the wisdom of the past continues to nourish the future.”

The larger struggle

Since Cyclone Aila struck the Sundarbans in 2009, the delta has endured 14 cyclones, the most recent being Remal in May 2024. Each storm deepens the challenge — saline water intrusion, soil degradation, and declining yields from high-yielding varieties that demand excessive water and chemicals. The aman (winter) crops barely survive, while the boro (summer) crops fail more often each year.

Yet, indigenous rice varieties — Malabati, Dudhersar, Nona Bokra, Talmugur — continue to thrive in saline soils and waterlogged conditions. They require fewer inputs, preserve biodiversity, and ensure food security even in difficult years. Farmers preserve and share these seeds through community systems, keeping alive a legacy that commercial markets have long ignored.

“Cyclones will come, floods will come,” says Mrinal Das, a farmer from Patharpratima who cultivates Mani Mirich Shal, a distinctive traditional landrace with slender, flavourful grains. “But if we have our seeds, we will never starve.”

From soil to market

Since 2022, scientist Dr Partha Chakrabarti of the Indian Institute of Chemical Biology and physician Dr Arup Dhali of Kolkata Corporation Clinic have been bringing traditional rice varieties back to local markets. Each year, they source about 60 quintals of Dudhersar, Chanormani, and Balam and sell them through two Kolkata-based outlets.

Balam carries a proud legacy. Dr Chakrabarti notes it was once Queen Victoria’s favourite, shipped to England through the Kolkata Port. Through their Prakrit outlets in Sodepur and Garia, they make these grains available to families in Kolkata.

Alongside rice, they also bring moong dal, chire (flattened rice), khoi (popped rice), and muri (puffed rice), made specially from the Jamai Nadu variety.

Today, nearly 500 families regularly buy from them, proving that traditional grains still hold strong demand.

The Sundarbans delta is more than a landscape — it is a living classroom of resilience. Here, farmers are not just cultivators; they are custodians of heritage, defenders of biodiversity, and innovators of survival.

Sudhanshu Dey’s journey shows that every seed saved is a story carried forward. Every grain harvested is a promise kept. And every farmer who bends to the soil is part of a larger resistance — against salt, against storms, against forgetting.

This is the Sundarbans’ message towards light.

Last year was particularly tough for Varsha Dhanavade, a farmer from Maharashtra’s Mhaswad. Despite a bountiful harvest of pomegranates — Varsha’s three-acre orchard has nearly 1,000 pomegranate trees — she was unable to sell most of them. 

As the middlemen reasoned with her, no customer in a high-end market would be interested in buying pomegranates that had blemishes, even if their sweetness were intact. “Customers want pomegranates that are shiny and good. And so, we lose a lot of money,” Varsha explains. 

The ‘perfect’ pomegranates give stiff competition to others that aren’t as ‘good-looking’.  

In the hope that the fruits will eventually find buyers, farmers like Varsha stock them. But this isn’t a viable option either, as, eventually, the fruits begin to rot. “It is really sad,” Varsha shares. “We spend so much money on irrigation, fertilisers, and growing the crop. When it rots, it is like watching all our money go to waste.” 

This then has a ripple effect on the farmers’ lives. It translates into loss of opportunities and hinders their chances to dream big. 

But we want this to change. The Better India, in collaboration with Mann Deshi Foundation, wants to ensure women in Maharashtra’s most vulnerable villages get access to solar dehydrators, which will help them process the harvested fruits to avoid post-harvest crop spoilage.  

Donate Now

These women farmers belong to Satara, Sangli, and Solapur districts of Maharashtra, and are supported by the Mann Deshi Agriculture Centre that helps them with adopting a scientific and sustainable orchard management approach. 

Since 1996, the foundation has been empowering women with knowledge, capital, market linkages, and social support, helping them to gain control over their finances. 

The solar dehydrator is another step in this endeavour. 

How will your donation help the women?

As per a report, Indian farmers incur Rs 92,651 crore per year in post-harvest losses. 

We turn our gaze towards Maharashtra’s Satara, Sangli, and Solapur districts, where the real faces of climate resilience are visible in the form of the women farmers who grapple with produce losses due to heat waves, unseasonal rains, and insect attacks. 

In Maharashtra, post-harvest losses in fruits are more than just statistics; they represent months of a farmer’s labour wasted. Growers of mangoes, grapes, and pomegranates often watch a portion of their harvest spoil due to poor storage, delayed transport, and limited market access. 

For small farmers, this can mean lost income and mounting debt. Investing in fruit processing, turning fresh produce into pulp, juice, or dried products, not only reduces waste but also extends shelf life, stabilises prices, and ensures farmers earn more from what they grow.

While sun-drying is a technique rampant in Maharashtra, Nidhi Pant, co-founder of S4S Technologies, an agritech startup that provides solar-powered dehydrators to women farmers to help them increase the shelf-life of agricultural produce, shares in an interview with Mongabay-India, “Direct sun drying results in the heat spreading unevenly, and it takes about six to seven days to thoroughly dry the produce. In this process, it is susceptible to fungus growth and other environmental challenges.” 

This is where a solar dehydrator can help. 

“Solar dehydrators can do this [the drying of the produce] in six to eight hours. The colour, texture, and aroma can be matched with the industry requirements, and it is more hygienic, and the nutrition is retained,” Nidhi explains. 

While protecting the produce from secondary contamination by rain, dust, insects, rodents, or birds, the fruits are dried using hot air. Not only is this one way to help the produce weather the effects of changing climate patterns, but it also offers the slightly blemished produce a lifeline. 

Through the duration of the campaign, the Mann Deshi Foundation will select the beneficiary farmers based on need, farming activity, and readiness to adopt technology. They will take care of the procurement, installation, setup, on-ground coordination, demonstrations, and initial technical support for each unit. 

Practical orientations will be conducted for women farmers on safe usage, basic maintenance, and maximising benefits for farming and enterprise use. 

Helping women farmers dream

The United Nations declared 2026 the International Year of the Woman Farmer. While playing the role of stalwarts in India’s agrarian economy across agrifood systems, producing, processing, and trading food that sustains families, communities, and economies, they often go unnoticed.

But we want to ensure them support and, through the solar dehydrators, ensure they can dream big. Elaborating on their work with the women farmers in Maharashtra, the team at Mann Deshi shares that, through the DRE (decentralised renewable energy) livelihood technologies, the goal is to enable women farmers to strengthen and grow their farming businesses through access to clean, cost-saving green technologies that improve irrigation, reduce dependence on conventional fuels, and enhance post-harvest processing and value addition. 

Donate Now

As Anagha Kamath, Director of Innovation, Mann Deshi Foundation, shares, “Women play a critical role in farming operations, ranging from sowing, weeding, harvesting, livestock care, and post-harvest processing, yet they often have limited access to productive assets, technology, and market opportunities.” 

She adds, “Farmers in the region face persistent challenges such as water scarcity, rising input costs, dependence on conventional energy sources, and post-harvest losses due to inadequate storage and processing facilities. These constraints disproportionately impact women farmers, who manage both farm responsibilities and household care work, leaving limited time and resources to expand their farming enterprises.” 

In her view, “Green technology solutions like the solar dehydrators will help women farmers reduce post-harvest losses and enable them to process and preserve produce of fruits and vegetables. This will support value addition, improve shelf life, and open new income opportunities through local sales and markets.” It will also help counter the monopoly that ‘perfect-looking’ produce enjoys in the big markets. 

Archana Babar from Satara, who cultivates mangoes in her orchard, recalls the Rs 4 lakh loss she faced a few years ago when unseasonal rains destroyed her crop. Things are unpredictable, she reasons. 

She shares, “We used to be hopeful about harvest and reaping many mangoes. But, we realised that no matter how many mangoes we can grow, we cannot sell all.” 

The story doesn’t end here. 

Archana explains, “My daughter was studying in class 8 and would always tell me that she wanted to go to Japan for further studies. She had read that in Japan, there was an institute that taught how to engineer machines that could carry food for astronauts in space. But with all these farming losses, we were never able to promise her that we could send her out of the village to study; out of India was a distant dream.” 

‘Maybe once you receive the solar dehydrator, things will improve,’ I tell Archana. 

“My daughter passed away a few years ago,” she shares. “I still regret that I could never even promise her that I would try to make her dream come true.” 

Today, when anyone commends Archana about the way she handles her mango orchard, she smiles sadly: “If a farmer’s daughter could dare to dream beyond the village, and think of space, I should also have at least some of the strength she had.” 

By being resilient, Archana says she’s honouring the spirit of her daughter.

We want to ensure that women farmers like Archana do not have to put their or their children’s dreams on the back burner any longer. By donating to this cause and helping them get access to a solar dehydrator, you can ensure them financial security, work, and a chance to widen their horizons of hope. 

Donate Now

All pictures courtesy Mann Deshi Foundation

Sources 

'From Plentiful Harvests to Empty Pockets: The Devastating Effects of Post-Harvest Losses': Published in Gram Heet.

'Technologies to decrease food loss and increase farmer incomes': by Priyanka Shankar, Published on 26 April 2024.

There’s something about this time of year that brings thoughts of fresh starts. And across India, some of the most hopeful stories of change are unfolding around flowers. Together, these stories carry the spirit of spring in the best possible way: through renewal, colour, and lives beginning to change for the better.

Let's take a look at what's blooming. 

Originally reported and written in January 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

There is no stopping the Indian hydroponics market. In fact, a report issued in February 2021 predicted that the Indian hydroponics market is likely to grow at a compound annual growth rate (CAGR) of 13.53% between 2020 and 2027. Meanwhile, the global market is estimated to grow at 6.8%.

Driving this growth are a plethora of startups, ventures and farming/gardening enthusiasts. One such venture in the fray is Rise Hydroponics, an Ahmedabad-based agritech startup that was founded in 2020 by three entrepreneurs — Tusshar Aggarwal, Meet Patel, and Vivek Shukla. 

Rise Hydroponics provides “end-to-end soilless and hydroponics farming solutions”. It is also “involved in developing both outdoor and indoor hydroponics farm projects”. 

What do these mean? For starters, they help individuals with the time, manpower and a desire to get into the hydroponics business build an entire farm. 

Once the entire project is set up, these individuals run it while Rise Hydroponics provides them a year of agronomy and maintenance services free of cost. The startup also assists in developing marketing strategies and building the brand, and even buys a percentage of their total produce for the first few months to support their nascent business. 

Thus far, they have developed more than 40 commercial projects across India under this model.  

The startup also works with businesspersons and corporations on a joint venture basis to set up hydroponics projects. Often these entities want to get into agribusiness but don’t have the time, and thus enter into a partnership with Rise Hydroponics. Under this model, the concerned entity must come up with the land and financial investment to set up the project.

Once the land and investment is available, the startup not only develops the project, but also employs trained people to manage the farm and perform a variety of services like nutrient management, crop planning, agronomy, growing, packaging, logistics, sales and marketing. The concerned entity and the Ahmedabad-based startup share the profits of this venture.         

Finally, Rise Hydroponics is also in the business of retailing hydroponically grown vegetables through their brand called ‘Rise Freshz  – Direct from Farms’. 

They are direct vendors to retail businesses like BigBasket, Star Bazaar and Waycool, among others, besides selling to hotels, resorts, caterers, supermarkets, food product manufacturers, vegetable traders, Agricultural Produce Market Committee (APMC) Mandis and Ayurvedic companies. 

Today, the startup is working on growing more than 50 types of crops through their projects. 

“We have completed more than 40 commercial large projects in 27 different cities and developed more than 25 lakh square feet of hydroponics and soil-less farms. We have also trained more than 35,000 agriculture enthusiasts, farmers, entrepreneurs, businessmen, students, working professionals, homemakers, international students and delegates in soil-less farming,” claims Tusshar Aggarwal, director of Rise Hydroponics, in a recent conversation with The Better India. 

 

The meeting of minds

The story of Rise Hydroponics begins with Tusshar and Meet, who first encountered each other at Entrepreneurship Development Institute of India, Ahmedabad, while pursuing their MBAs in 2016. Meet, who comes from a family of farmers, had always harboured a desire to get into the business of agriculture. Tushaar, meanwhile, wanted to build a startup which solved some real-world problems. Eventually, the two of them stumbled upon the science of hydroponics.  

“The idea was innovative and certainly could solve the problems of food security, water scarcity and depleting soil fertility among others which the world is facing,” argues Meet. 

For the first two years, they did a lot of “self-learning, practice, and implementation on their own rooftop” and tried to understand “the nitty-gritty of hydroponics technology and its different implementation methods”.  

This was followed by building a community of hydroponics enthusiasts around the country online. Later, they got into consulting hydroponics companies and farmers, where both of them met Vivek Shukla, an experienced hand in the farm sector.   

They would go on to establish Rise Hydroponics in 2020.

 

Practising hydroponics

“We are working in all types of hydroponics and soilless farming methodologies. Nutrient Film Technique (NFT), Dutch buckets, grow bags, grow slabs, trough, indoor vertical farming, multi-layer farming, etc. We are growing both in a medium-based method like cocopeat as well as the medium-less farming method. The medium-less method works on a recirculating concept, wherein the nutrient rich water is continuously flowing,” explains Meet.

“Here, an inlet of nutrient water is given from one side and an outlet on the other, which then goes back to the main working tank. The same water keeps on recirculating and nutrition management is done through our automation software and dosing unit in real-time,” he adds.  

Elaborating on its benefits, Tusshar says, “This system is efficient in terms of water saving. Compared to traditional farming methods, it saves upwards of 80% of water, uses 85% less land, raises the production rate by 30-70%, and yields by 20-60% depending on the crop.” 

However, when using mediums like cocopeat (a multi purpose growing medium made out of coconut husk) or perlite (made from a mined volcanic glass of the same name), a drip irrigation system is used instead of a recirculating one, explains Meet.   

“Generally speaking, if you are growing vine crops like tomatoes, capsicum or longer cycle crops, it’s always more advisable to go with a cocopeat-based system than a medium-less or a recirculating system because the chances of root-rot or disease spreading is lower,” he says.

For nutrient management in this system, the startup has developed the ‘Rise Automatic Fertigation Management Unit’ (RAFU)’, which relies on automation. 

“The RAFU was developed for large-scale commercial size farms. You can manage multiple acres of farms through just a single RAFU. One can grow multiple different types of crops at the same time and manage the nutrition of all of them through just a single RAFU. You can set weekly schedules, time allotment as per different crops or farms, nutrition combinations, volume based, time based fertigation, EC, pH, temperature, and humidity management,” he says.

“Everything works on automation as per the set algorithms, no matter whether you are physically present there or not. You would also get all of this information on your mobile phone through our IoT enabled systems and software,” he adds.  

 

Setting themselves apart from the crowd?

Given the mushrooming of startups engaged in the business of hydroponics, it’s only natural to ask what sets them apart from the rest. Out of all the reasons they presented to The Better India, a few stood out. 

Here’s what Meet had to say about it:

“We are well versed and capable of working in any kind of weather conditions. We have set up hydroponics farms in cold, rainy and hot cities. Thus, we can easily understand the specific requirements for the structure, type of plastic covering, suitable crops, problems and solutions for all things related to growing. Also, we are among the very few in India who are truly offering an end-to-end agribusiness model, right from training to setting up, growing and selling.”

Another one which stood out is their 50,000 square feet research and development (R&D) centre in Ahmedabad, where they conduct “extensive research of different crops, how to increase production, decrease the cost of growing and come up with new nutrient formulations, varieties of crops and seed testing, amongst other things,” adds Tusshar.   

Going further, they have the experience of setting up and managing large-scale soilless hydroponics farms, which most ventures in this space don’t do.

Navneet Goyal, a practitioner of hydroponics from Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, and Director of Shri Ji Agro Farms, says, “We got associated with Rise Hydroponics about two years back. Currently, we are building India's largest (15-acre) soil-less farm under a joint venture model in Jewar with a vision to export to the world. We have already built multiple projects with them and our experience with them thus far has been great.”

 

Empowering people to get into hydroponics

“Through our different business models, we provide operational training on how to run a farm and 100% agronomy support with respect to growing the veggies in a soilless medium. Our objective is to achieve a successful yield while keeping operational expenses affordable, besides growing crops in a more sustainable and tech enabled way. We also aid in the process of helping farmers and small ventures obtain government subsidies,” says Tusshar. 

For example, recently the startup helped establish one of India’s largest soilless farms in the Raver area of Jalgaon district, Maharashtra, under a joint venture model. 

“This is a 3-acre fully automated soilless hydroponics farm. We are growing English cucumbers, bell peppers, cherry/beef tomatoes, broccoli, etc. Annual yield from this farm is expected to be in the range of 200 to 300 tonnes depending on the crop mix. The joint venture partner of this project is Pranav Agarwal, who returned to India after studying in the UK. The name of the farm is ‘Grovera Farms’. Currently, the crops produced from this farm are being sold locally within 400 km radius to entities traders, hotels, retail businesses, mandis, etc,” says Tusshar.   

This farm became operational from November 2022. The process of setting up such farms comprises various steps and tasks that must be done by both the farmer and Rise Hydroponics. 

1) Local market research: What crops can you grow? Which crops have good demand in the region? These are two key questions they explore first. This is followed by assessing the local weather conditions, and building a suitably controlled protected cultivation structure and growing system depending on the crop. After this, a team of civil engineers employed by Rise Hydroponics visits the client’s location and performs a ‘site feasibility study’.   

2) Project Development: “After all the above process, we move to the next level, i.e., project development, where all the material for the farm is first bought and fabricated at our factory. This material is later transported to the site location along with our team of workers, engineers and supervisors who all take care of the complete project development end-to-end. Depending on the size of the project it takes anywhere between 40-70 days to develop the farm,” say Tusshar.  

The cost of this project in Jalgaon is somewhere around Rs 2.2 crore, 80% of which is financed by a bank. 

“We are also helping Pranav obtain a subsidy of almost Rs 70 lakh under the ‘Development of Commercial Horticulture Scheme’ of the National Horticulture Board (NHB). We are also setting up a 15-acre soilless farm in Jewar, Uttar Pradesh, amongst a whole host of other large farms under our JV Model in 2023,” says Tusshar.  

In addition, Rise Hydroponics has trained thousands of agriculture enthusiasts, farmers, entrepreneurs, businessmen, students, working professionals, homemakers, etc.  

“At Rise Hydroponics, we have developed many training modules starting with online training which is a six-hour question and answer session. We also conduct offline workshops for different durations like 2, 7 and 15 days, besides one-month programmes for detailed training and practical exposure and learning at our R&D farm in Ahmedabad,” says Meet.

“We cover technical, operational, financial and marketing aspects of hydroponics farming. One can apply for our online training anytime and can also register to attend our upcoming offline training in the last week of January ‘23 through our website,” he adds.  

 

Looking ahead

“In terms of crop demand, coloured capsicum, cucumber, tomatoes and broccoli are few of our highest selling vine crops followed by leafy vegetables and herbs, such as lettuce, spinach, arugula, kale and oregano. In addition, we also grow high curcumin content turmeric, ashwagandha, ginger, shatavari, brahmi, basil and kalmegh, among others. These are used by manufacturers of nutraceuticals, pharma companies, ayurvedic companies as raw materials given their high content of nutraceutical extracts,” explains Tusshar. 

"Last financial year, their annual revenue stood at Rs 5 crore. This year they are expecting it to cross Rs 8 crore. Having said that, the bootstrapped venture is looking to raise over $1 million to enhance their capacity. 

(Edited by Divya Sethu)

(Images courtesy Rise Hydroponics)

By the time summer settles in, the rules of farming change. The soil dries faster, the sun works overtime, and crops that once took their time begin to move at a swifter pace. For those who plan wisely, this season is not about struggle; it is about speed. Short-duration crops fit neatly into this window, offering fast harvests, lower risk, and a practical way to keep fields productive when conditions are at their toughest.

1. Green gram (moong)

Green gram is one of the most dependable short-duration pulse crops, maturing within 60 to 70 days. It grows in warm temperatures and requires relatively less water, making it ideal for summer cultivation. Beyond its economic value, it enriches the soil by fixing nitrogen and improving fertility for the next crop. Its consistent demand in the market guarantees reliable returns.

2. Cowpea

Cowpea is a hardy legume that performs exceptionally well in hot and dry conditions. The pods can be harvested within 50 to 60 days, making it a quick and efficient choice. Both its green pods and dry grains are consumed, adding to its versatility. Its drought tolerance and soil-enriching properties make it a valuable addition to summer farming systems.

3. Cucumber

Cucumbers are a fast-growing summer vegetable, ready for harvest in about 45 to 50 days. They survive in warm weather and require regular watering for optimal yield. With proper care, cucumber plants can produce multiple harvests, making them a highly productive option. Their refreshing nature keeps demand high during hot months.

4. Okra (lady’s finger)

Okra is well-suited for high temperatures and begins yielding within 50 to 65 days. It continues to produce over a longer period if harvested regularly. The crop is adaptable to different soil types and requires moderate maintenance. Its consistent yield and strong market demand make it a profitable summer crop.

6. Watermelon

Watermelon is a popular summer fruit that matures in around 70 to 80 days. It grows best in well-drained sandy soils and requires ample sunlight. Although it needs space to spread, its high yield and seasonal demand can make it highly rewarding. Proper irrigation and pest management are essential for a successful crop.

7. Leafy greens (spinach and amaranth)

Leafy vegetables such as spinach and amaranth are among the earliest-maturing crops, ready for harvest within 25 to 40 days. They can be grown in multiple cycles during the season, allowing continuous production. These crops require moderate watering and are valued for their nutritional benefits, confirming steady market demand.

8. Radish

Radish is a fast-maturing root crop that can be harvested in as little as 30 to 40 days. It grows best in loose and well-drained soil and needs consistent moisture for proper root development. Its short growth cycle makes it ideal for fitting into tight cropping schedules.

Quick tips for successful summer farming

• Irrigate during cooler parts of the day to reduce evaporation.
• Apply mulch to conserve soil moisture and control temperature.
• Practise crop rotation to maintain soil fertility.
• Monitor pests and diseases regularly, as they spread faster in warm weather.
• Harvest on time to enjoy better quality and higher market prices.

With careful crop selection and timing, summer can be turned into a season of rapid returns and efficient farming.

Originally reported and written in January 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

Ask anyone in Goa about ‘Saladbaba’ and they will direct you to 34-year-old Janardan Khorate, manager of Ambrosia Organic Farm. The farm prides itself not just on being one of India’s first organic companies, but also on being the go-to provider for numerous restaurants and cafes across Goa. 

The story behind this young man taking charge of Ambrosia Organic Farm, a venture whose profits have grown from Rs 20 lakh in 2008 to Rs 22 crore today, is quite fascinating, to say the least. 

For Janardan, who now goes by the name John, 2003 was the year his life changed forever. In a conversation with The Better India, he recounts how it all took shape. 

The seeds for Ambrosia are sown 

“David Grower and his wife Michaela Kelemen, my adoptive parents, would often visit Goa whenever they came to India from London, from 1978 onwards. They became so fascinated by Goa that they wanted to start an organic farm there,” recalls Janardan. 

In 1993, they set up their own 5-acre farm in Siolim, an area of Goa that they would frequently visit where they began growing tomato, capsicum and other exotic vegetables and fruits. 

 

“They would supply the vegetables and fruits to nearby restaurants for salads and that’s how the name ‘Saladbaba’ came to be,” Janardan adds. By 1999, Ambrosia had started diversifying to producing peanut butter, rice and grains such as chia. At the time, Janardan wasn’t involved in the venture, but as fate would have it, he soon would. 

He recounts, “Whenever David and mummy (as he fondly calls Michaela) visited the farm in the course of the next few years, I would accompany them and we would roam around the farm together,” he notes. 

By the year 2003, the couple had taken such a liking towards young Janardan that they proposed he come with them to London. 

“I instantly agreed. They spoke to my parents who gave their consent since the couple promised to provide me with a college education, a home and everything one could possibly ask for,” he says. In 2008, they handed over Ambrosia to him to manage, officially. 

Today, the family spends a few months of the year in London and the rest in Goa, while Janardan is closely involved in all the activities of the venture.   

From a local venture to national pride 

 

“There weren’t many organic farms or ventures in India at around that time. Ambrosia was a start in this direction,” he recalls. “We had to make decisions on the farmers we wanted to collaborate with, the products we wanted to focus on and the way we wanted to expand the concept of organic farming.” 

However, it was only when online sales came into the picture in 2016 that the business picked up speed. 

“Until then we were doing well among our local customers. But soon we had people from other states visit our farm. Some people who visited from Delhi loved our products so much that they asked us why we didn’t consider selling to Delhi. That was when we decided to get on Amazon to reach a wider base,” he recounts. 

Soon, Ambrosia’s journey took a steep upward turn. 

“Today we have farmland that spans 135 acres, 4,000 registered farmers working with us, and 59 different products,” says a proud Janardan. 

Among their much-loved products are blueberry-flavoured peanut butter and rice cakes, which are apparently a hit among Russians, Italians and Germans. These are ready-to-eat ladoos made from brown, red and black rice. The rice is puffed and the cake has a shelf life of nine months. “People carry it with them after their stopover in Goa,” he notes. 

 

“Apple cider vinegar is one of our products which we source from Himachal. We provide seeds and compost to the farmers who grow the crops there,” Janardan adds. Ambrosia ships its products all over India, and began exporting to Japan and Taiwan in 2020. They are also planning to export to the Middle East this year. 

The brand has witnessed a turnover of Rs 22 crore in the last financial year and the numbers are only set to increase. With the funds they raise, they provide children in schools across Goa and the Maharashtra border with books, notes and uniforms. “Some of these schools are for orphans while others are managed by the Government for children of farmers,” Janardan notes. 

Ambrosia is scaling heights, but for Janardan, it all still feels like a dream. 

“None of this was planned. I never imagined my life would turn out like this. The moment I said yes to David and ‘mummy’, my life changed.” 

Edited by Asha Prakash

Originally reported and written in June 2025, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

Every weekend, the Kharmale family ascends the sun-baked hills of Junnar, Pune, armed with spades, shovels, and an unshakable mission. Ramesh Kharmale, a 49-year-old ex-serviceman turned forest guard, digs contour trenches to trap rainwater, while his wife, Swati, clears invasive weeds from ancient Shivaji-era stepwells. Their children, Mayuresh and Vaishnavi, scatter seeds into freshly dug pits—tiny acts of defiance against a warming planet.

“Conservation is my passion, but it’s also my duty,” says Kharmale, whose 17-year Army stint forged his discipline, now redirected toward healing the land. After brief careers in banking and education, he found his true calling in 2021: a solo crusade to combat water scarcity atop the Khandoba Temple in Dhamankhel. Timing the project to his birthday, he spent 300 gruelling hours over two months carving 70 trenches into the mountainside. “Every morning, I would spend four hours on the mountaintop digging the water-absorbing ditches and then report for work,” he recalls.

 

These serpentine trenches, totalling 412 meters, can store approximately 8 lakh litres of rainwater per season, significantly boosting groundwater levels. “With adequate rainfall, the system could recharge up to 16 million litres of water annually,” Kharmale notes.

But his vision extends beyond water. The family has planted over 450 trees, with 500 more planned for the trench-lined slopes. Each summer, they haul water up the hills to shield saplings from vanva (forest fires).  Since 2013, come June, before the onset of the monsoon, the family treks to the Sahyadri range to disperse seedballs. “Our mission to make Junnar’s tourist spots completely plastic-free is a continuous journey, and we’ve been fortunate to receive enthusiastic support from dedicated volunteers along the way,” shares Kharmale.

Oxygen Park

While the trenches combat water security, the family’s ambitions extend to creating green oases. Like the upcoming “Oxygen Park” in a one-and-a-half-acre plot in Vadaj village, 3km from Dhamankhel, where they reside. “We began planting wild varieties like Peepal, Cluster Fig, Mahogany, Neem and Bamboo—all aged between two years and more — last July and have so far planted 175 of them and added another 50.  We have built four ponds too. To deter cattle from entering the Park, we have dug up long trenches. Once, without any vegetation, it now attracts hundreds of birds,” says Swati. “This model, we plan to replicate in other neighbouring villages in the coming years.”  

 

Once spring sets in, Kharmale scours the forest collecting seeds and is proud of his huge collection: 15 varieties of forest-dwelling trees, which he shares freely with tree lovers and nurseries. Says he, “I regularly receive requests on my social media accounts for native seeds.” 

Writes Laxman Kolte in Lokmat, a leading Marathi daily: “Kharmale has involved local youth and villagers in his initiatives, organising awareness campaigns and training sessions on environmental protection. He has also used social media to spread awareness and encourage more people to join his mission. His work has become a model for environmental conservation in the region.”

Taking conservation to the youth

Educating about Kharmale actively involves his family, local citizens, and schoolchildren in his projects, fostering a culture of environmental responsibility. He has so far visited some 400-plus schools in Thane, Kolhapur, Baramati, Solapur, Nashik, Karad, Pune and Sangli at his expense to give talks on sustainable forest growth, ecosystem restoration, carbon sequestration, biodiversity protection, and community participation to foster a resilient and sustainable environment.

“I have lost count of the number of talks I may have given, but I can say with conviction that our schoolchildren are very communicative on the issues affecting our environment,” he says. 

His YouTube channel, with 2.8 lakh followers, demystifies trench-digging and seed conservation. Recognition has followed: state awards, a Forest Department commendation, and even a documentary, Couple for the Environment, by the Savitribai Phule Pune University’s Educational Multimedia Research Center (EMMRC), and has received the best educational program award in the government institutions category at the National Educational Research and Training Council (NCRT) event held in Shillong (Meghalaya). 

 

His public outreach, participation in rescue operations, and social work have earned him several honours, including the ‘Shivneri Bhushan award’ from Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis.

“Kharmale is a conservationist to the core, whether on or off-duty,” says Junnar Forest Ranger Nitin Vidhete. “He has actively contributed to forest fire prevention by cutting the dry grasses as winter months set in, constructing waterholes for wildlife, dispersing seed balls in multiple locations, assisting the Forest Department in training government guides for environmental conservation and even helping identify families who cut trees to use them as fuel wood.  These families are now beneficiaries of the Pradhan Mantri Ujjwala Yojana (PMUY), which provides deposit-free LPG (cooking gas).” 

Makes Junnar Proud

Santosh Jadhav, sarpanch of Dhamankhel village, calls Kharmale “a proud son of Junnar taluka” for bringing recognition to the region through his photography and advocacy for tourism.”

In 2018, the Maharashtra government declared Junnar a “tourist destination,” recognising many attributes of Kharmale’s relentless advocacy.

 

Anchored by the historic Shivneri Fort—the birthplace of Chhatrapati Shivaji Maharaj — Junnar is rich in history, culture, and natural beauty. The area boasts ancient forts, cave complexes, temples, and Islamic heritage sites, making it a comprehensive tourist destination.

Through his social media platforms, including the popular “Nisargaramya Junnar Taluka” Facebook page and Instagram accounts, Kharmale has highlighted 12 historical underground routes in Junnar, and showcased 16 ancient stone sculptures of Gajalakshmi and ancient stone carvings located in various villages and most importantly, rediscovered seven forgotten rock-cut sculptures in Junnar.  

Although his social media presence is rooted in Marathi, Ramesh Kharamale has now transcended linguistic boundaries: He authored a dedicated chapter on Junnar’s heritage that has found a place in Yuvak Bharti, a Telugu textbook for 11th-standard students. Through this, his passion for Junnar’s legacy now reaches a new, wider audience beyond Maharashtra, bridging cultures and languages.

Edited by Leila Badyari

Originally reported and written in February 2023, this story has been republished as part of our archival content.

Kalyani Pandya, a 29-year-old law graduate from Vadodara, decided to introduce natural ghee (clarified butter) to the range of food items sold through their venture, Shankar Farms. At that time, she had no idea that this simple activity would take the brand to great heights.

Shankar Farms was started in 2012 with her father Vikram Pandya overseeing the operations. As a part-time businessman and a part-time farmer, he was passionate to see the organic farming boom. But as Kalyani recounts, even while the venture had a customer base that loved its products, they were not doing a lot commercially in terms of sales and branding.

All this time, she had been in London pursuing her master’s in law, following which she returned to India. “I was working in the corporate sector for a year, but I felt like I had another calling. So I quit my job and returned to Baroda,” she notes, adding that whilst in her hometown, she began exploring the family venture and the scope it had.

‘One product changed everything’

“I noticed that there were several areas where we could improve. While the venture was at the time unprofitable, I decided to put it on the map,” she says.

And in 2019, the first step that Kalyani decided would be to brand their ghee and add it to their existing range of products.

“I began selling our branded ghee on Amazon and other retail stores and ran online ads in 2020. The entire process, from when I started to when the product hit the shelves, took me a year and a half,” she says.

 

In retrospect, Kalyani says she realises that she entered the market at a lucrative time when everyone was shifting their sights to organic due to the pandemic. “Coupled with the packaging, USP, and how I positioned the brand, we stood out among the other brands in the market.”

The response they received was fantastic, she recounts.

“We had been doing organic farming and dairy farming much before this. We have over 100 cows and have been using cow dung as a fertiliser…we have always focused on sustainable ways of growing. So, there was nothing much different in what and how we did things…the only difference was that we decided to brand the ghee,” she notes.

But, she adds that there were a few points to address in order to appeal to consumers. 

“In my opinion and through what I have witnessed growing up in a farming state, the milk of Gir cows is preferred for ghee as people presume that this is the best for its creamier milk and richer smell. But in addition to Gir cows, we also have Kankrej and Lal cows. Hence to pitch to a market that was under the notion that Gir cows are the only ones suitable for ghee was tough, but we decided honesty was the best strategy,” says Kalyani, adding that this move worked in their favour.

“I believe once people began tasting our ghee, they began loving it, and their perception gradually changed. The ghee, they say, tastes better than even some brands that only make ghee from Gir cows,” she says, adding that this good quality ghee is due to the organically grown fodder that they feed the cows.

One of the consumers, Shankar Bhatt, affirms this. “I bought this ghee for my mom who was looking for A2 cow ghee and one that had a good texture and natural yellow colour. My mom loved this product, and I will buy another bottle as soon as this one is over!”

An additional step Kalyani says she took was lab testing the cows in order to certify them as A2. “This essentially involves testing blood samples of the animals, after which they are either classified as A1 (cows of western origin such as Holstein, Jersey, etc) or A2 (desi cows said to have superior quality milk according to studies). This certification helped me market my products better,” says Kalyani.

 

Building an organic dream

Today, Shankar Farms is abounding not just in dairy but also in vegetable farming. A group of 12 farmers work on the three-acre land and Kalyani says that they grow enough to match their consumption, while the excess is given to the staff.

Their range of products includes methi (fenugreek), bhindi (ladyfinger), tindora (ivy gourd), papdi (green flat beans), rice, wheat, bajra (pearl millet), chickoo, guava, pears, and more. Shedding light on the other products that they retail, Kalyani says that they also sell vermicompost and dhoop (incense) sticks.

They also sell unpasteurised milk in Vadodara that lasts for three hours post-milking. “We currently distribute this to 60 households from our manufacturing unit that is located in the Anand district. The ghee we make is sold in Mumbai, Delhi, Bengaluru, Hyderabad, Ahmedabad, etc, and we sell approximately 50 litres a month”.

The brand clocked a turnover of “Rs 15 lakh in the last financial year”.

 

Looking back at the journey until now, Kalyani says she is grateful. “I personally think that if you have the basic comforts of life, you should get back to your roots. There is a lot of satisfaction in being connected to nature and helping others earn through your venture. When people ask me why I left London to come back to my hometown, I say I wasn’t forced to do this, rather I chose to do this,” she shares.

She adds that while the job does give her satisfaction, it isn’t always glamorous. “Sometimes being a 29-year-old, I feel like going out on a Saturday evening, but often can’t. But being at the farm satisfies me a lot too. I took the risk to do organic farming, something that does not happen overnight.”

She says that even though she didn't start the company, she has helped to take it to where it is now. “It’s sad to hear that a cow has a lumpy skin disease or an infection. Everything feels very personal now.” But all in all, Kalyani says the journey has been incredible.

Edited by Pranita Bhat

Spring is an ideal window to grow maize. With warm days, longer sunlight hours, and relatively lower pest pressure, the crop often performs well when managed carefully from the start. Farmers who plan their land preparation, sowing, and irrigation properly can achieve strong yields and a healthy crop cycle. 

Below is a practical, step-by-step guide to growing maize during the spring season.

Why spring is a good time to grow maize

Maize survives in warm temperatures and well-prepared soil. When planted in late winter or early spring, the crop benefits from rising temperatures and better sunlight. This allows plants to establish strong roots and develop vigorous growth before the intense summer heat arrives.

Another advantage of spring cultivation is relatively lower weed and pest pressure during the early growth stages, which can contribute to higher productivity when managed well.

1. Prepare the soil before sowing

Good maize crops begin with proper land preparation. The soil should be loose, fertile, and free from weeds and crop residues.

Start by ploughing the field several times to achieve a fine tilth. Well-prepared soil helps seeds germinate evenly and allows roots to spread easily. Adding organic manure, such as well-decomposed farmyard manure, improves soil structure and fertility.

A levelled field is also important because it confirms uniform irrigation and prevents water from accumulating in patches.

2. Choose healthy seeds and treat them before planting

Seed quality directly affects germination and crop vigour. Always choose high-quality hybrid or improved seeds suited to your region.

Before sowing, treat the seeds with recommended fungicides or biofertilisers to protect them from soil-borne diseases and pests. Seed treatment also improves early growth and guarantees stronger seedlings during the critical germination stage.

3. Sow seeds at the right time

Timing and spacing play a major role in maize productivity. Spring maize is usually sown around February to March in irrigated areas.

For best results, maintain proper spacing between plants so that they receive enough sunlight, air circulation, and nutrients.

Typical recommendations include:

• Row spacing: about 60 cm
• Plant spacing: around 20 cm
• Sowing depth: roughly four to five centimetres.

This spacing allows the crop to grow uniformly and reduces competition between plants.

4. Apply fertilisers in balanced doses

Maize is a nutrient-demanding crop, and balanced fertilisation is essential for high yields.

A common approach is to apply nitrogen, phosphorus, and potash as a basal dose during sowing. Nitrogen should then be applied in split doses during key growth stages such as the knee high stage, tasseling, and grain filling.

Providing nutrients gradually makes sure the crop receives adequate nutrition throughout its growth cycle and helps in proper cob formation.

5. Water carefully

Spring maize requires regular irrigation because temperatures rise gradually during the growing period.

The first irrigation should be given soon after sowing. After that, watering every seven to 10 days usually keeps the crop healthy, depending on soil moisture and weather conditions.

Certain stages are especially critical for the water supply:

• Knee-high stage: The plant grows quickly and reaches about knee height. Good moisture helps it build strong stems and leaves.
• Tasseling stage: The tassel, or male flower, appears at the top of the plant. Water at this stage helps healthy flowering.
• Silking stage: Silk threads appear on the cob and receive pollen. Adequate moisture helps proper pollination and kernel formation.
• Grain filling stage: The kernels begin to grow and fill with starch. Regular watering helps the grains develop well and improves yield.

Water stress during these stages can reduce yields. At the same time, waterlogging should be avoided because it damages the roots.

6. Control weeds early

Weeds compete with maize plants for nutrients, sunlight, and moisture, especially during the early growth period.

The first weeding should ideally be done around 20 to 25 days after sowing. A second round, around 40 to 45 days, helps keep the field clean during the crop’s active growth phase.

Some farmers also use pre-emergence herbicides to control weeds in the initial stages.

7. Harvest at the right stage

Maize is ready for harvest when the husks turn dry and brown, and the grains become hard and fully developed.

After harvesting, the cobs should be dried in the sun for a few days before shelling. Proper drying reduces moisture levels and prevents fungal damage during storage.

Well-managed crops can produce high yields, especially when hybrid varieties and good crop practices are followed.

Early mornings in a guava orchard carry a kind of magic. Dew clings to glossy leaves, sunlight filters through dense branches, and the air fills with a faintly sweet fragrance. Farmers walk between the trees, gently pressing fruit to test its ripeness. What begins as a modest green orb slowly blushes to gold as it matures.

The scent is unmistakable — an intoxicating blend of sweetness, musk and flowers drifting through the air like an invitation. Slice the fruit open and it reveals a radiant centre: crisp white flesh, sometimes tinged with pink, cradling a constellation of tiny seeds.

Beneath this simple appeal lies a remarkable legacy.

Psidium guajava, the common guava, boasts many valued cultivars. Yet the Sardar guava — also known as L-49 or Lucknow-49 — remains exceptional. Originating near Pune nearly a century ago as a chance seedling, it was recognised by Dr Gurdev Singh Cheema for its transformative potential in fruit cultivation — a vision that time has fully validated.

Origin of a classic

The Sardar variety traces its roots to research at the Imperial Fruit Research Institute, Ganeshkhind, Pune.

In 1924, Dr Cheema, along with Dr C J Saldanha and Dr R N Kaul, selected promising seedlings from the Allahabad Safeda variety. By 1927, the most outstanding plant was formally named L-49.

Dr Cheema’s contributions extended far beyond guava. He pioneered scientific methods for Alphonso mango cultivation and led India’s first large-scale demonstration of fruit cultivation across 120 hectares of citrus and mango orchards in 1932. 

Revered as Udyan Mahirshi, he also advanced cold storage and sea-export techniques. In 1934, he famously dispatched premium Alphonso mangoes by parcel boat to King George V — a gesture that earned royal appreciation and cemented his reputation as a visionary horticulturist.

Strength and reliability

Sardar guava is known for its strength and reliability. A single tree can yield up to 56 kg of fruit annually. Each fruit is medium to large, smooth-skinned and filled with firm, sweet pulp.

The variety matures quickly — within 120–130 days — and thrives in subtropical climates. Farmers value it not only for its flavour but also for its versatility. Whether eaten fresh or processed into juice, jelly or sweets, it consistently delivers.

The story of sardar guava across India

Uttar Pradesh stands tall as the undisputed leader in guava production, with the celebrated Sardar (L-49) variety flourishing in districts such as Allahabad, Farrukhabad, Aligarh and Badaun. Here, guava is not merely a crop — it is part of the region’s cultural identity, with orchards stretching across the landscape and supplying markets nationwide.

In Madhya Pradesh, the variety has found a stronghold in Jabalpur, Hoshangabad, Khargone and Indore, where fertile soils and farmer innovation sustain thriving orchards.

Moving south, Andhra Pradesh cultivates Sardar guava in the fertile belts of East and West Godavari and Guntur, where the fruit’s adaptability to diverse agro-climates makes it a favourite among growers.

Gujarat adds its own flavour to the story, with Bhavnagar and Ahmedabad reporting strong cultivation. Meanwhile, in Bihar, guava farming has sparked a quiet transformation. Villages such as Sarsai in Vaishali district and Putia in Banka district have converted once-barren land into productive orchards through dryland horticulture schemes. This shift has strengthened livelihoods and reduced migration, proving guava’s potential as an engine of rural resilience.

In West Bengal, guava — including the Sardar variety — spreads across nearly 14,000 hectares, with orchards across North and South 24-Parganas, Nadia, Midnapore, Burdwan and Hooghly.

Further east, Chhattisgarh cultivates Sardar guava in Raipur, Bilaspur, Durg, Rajnandgaon, Raigarh and Janjgir-Champa. In the south, Tamil Nadu concentrates production in Madurai, Dindigul, Tirunelveli, Theni and Coimbatore, where farmers value the variety for both its yield and strong market demand.

The bigger picture

India’s guava footprint in 2024–25 covered 3.71 lakh hectares, yielding 56.06 lakh metric tonnes with a productivity of 15.11 tonnes per hectare.

Maharashtra alone contributed 21.52 thousand hectares and 1.95 lakh metric tonnes, showcasing its dominance in western India, according to the Government of India’s Agricultural Statistics at a Glance 2024–25.

The state’s guava basket is diverse. Sardar (L-49), Lalit and Ratna remain key varieties, while Taiwan Pink, Ratnadeep and Hisar NRB-1 are also popular. Export-oriented varieties such as Arka Kiran, Arka Purna, Arka Mridula and Arka Amulya have gained prominence, while a newer entrant — Phule Amrut, selected in 2021 at MPKV Rahuri — promises improved resilience and quality.

Standing tall among varieties

Over the decades, Sardar has proven itself against many competitors. Allahabad Safeda may grow vigorously, and Lalit may attract buyers with its coloured flesh, but Sardar stands out for dependable yields, larger fruits and longer shelf life.

Research conducted in Maharashtra confirmed its superiority in fruit count per plant, fruit weight and sweetness.

Scientific validation

Dr S G Bhalekar’s two-year study in western Maharashtra evaluated eight guava varieties — Basti Red, Apple Colour, Chittidar, Seedless, Behat Coconut, Arka Amulya, Arka Mrudula and Sardar.

The findings were clear: Sardar (L-49) delivered the highest yield, averaging 56.39 kg per plant annually. Other varieties ranged from 36.24 kg (Chittidar) to 46.05 kg (Arka Amulya). Sardar also produced approximately 334 fruits per plant, each weighing about 168 g, with peak sweetness at 12.9° Brix and a shelf life of around 80 hours.

“Guava thrives best in subtropical climates of 23–28°C with 300–1000 mm of rainfall. It tolerates drought and prefers well-drained loamy soils with a pH between 5.5 and 7.5. Traditional orchards use spacing of 6 × 6 metres, but high-density systems of 3 × 2 metres or even 2 × 1 metre with pruning are gaining ground. Flushes — Mrig in June, Hasta in October or Ambe in January — can be induced through controlled water stress, tilling and organic manuring with NPK. In Maharashtra, the Mrig flush is most favoured,” explains Dr Santosh Marbhal from the divisional agricultural research centre, Ganeshkhind, Pune.

A farmer’s story

In Maharashtra, Sardar guava has firmly established itself across Satara, Beed, Pune, Ahmednagar, Aurangabad and Amravati.

One inspiring example comes from Sonori village in Purandar taluka of Pune district. Here, 68-year-old farmer Vilas Tattyaba Kale has transformed his seven-acre orchard into a thriving fruit enterprise.

What began with family fig trees gradually expanded into custard apples and eventually a diverse orchard. On 3.25 acres, Kale introduced high-yielding guava varieties — Sardar, Coconut Behat and Ratnadeep — with Sardar taking pride of place.

Today, his orchard holds nearly 500 Sardar plants, producing fruits that sometimes reach an impressive 500 grams — a testament to both the variety’s potential and his careful stewardship. Traders now regularly arrive at his farm to secure the harvest.

Water scarcity was his first major challenge. Kale initially dug wells by hand and later invested in a borewell, a traditional well and two ponds. Today, drip irrigation sustains the orchard through harsh summers and droughts.

“With Sardar guavas, I consistently achieve yields of 20 tonnes per hectare,” he says.

Markets and demand

Guavas from Sonori reach markets throughout the year. After September, Pune’s supply declines, but Ahmednagar’s Rahata, Shrirampur and Kopargaon regions fill the gap, sending 1,000–1,500 crates daily between October and January. October typically sees peak demand.

Retailers in Lonavala and Khopoli remain active buyers, supported by 40–50 sellers in local markets. Prices for a 20-kg crate of Sardar guavas generally range between Rs 250 and Rs 500, reflecting steady demand.

A village transformed

Kale’s journey illustrates how Sonori — once known mainly for figs — is now recognised as a village of thriving fruit orchards. His success with Sardar guavas has inspired neighbouring farmers to diversify their crops and explore new opportunities.

What began as one farmer’s experiment has quietly reshaped the agricultural landscape of the village.

Nurseries and exports

India hosts numerous nurseries supplying Sardar (L-49) guava saplings and fruits, with Maharashtra, Gujarat and Uttar Pradesh leading the way.

Among them, Nafees Nursery & Exporter in Malihabad, Uttar Pradesh, stands out as a third-generation enterprise founded in 1932 by Nafees Hasan Khan. Spread across seven acres, the nursery offers six guava varieties and has played an important role in shaping guava cultivation across India and beyond.

A one-year-old sapling can cost as little as Rs 25.

In 1995, the nursery supplied hundreds of Sardar saplings to A K Mule, then Director of Horticulture in Maharashtra, strengthening the state’s orchards.

Today, the variety has travelled far beyond India.

“For years, we have supplied lakhs of Sardar saplings to Middle Eastern and African countries such as Tanzania, Sudan, Morocco, Ethiopia, Kenya, Oman, Jordan and Somaliland,” says Shabihul Hasan Khan of Nafees Nursery.

Challenges and the future

Rising temperatures in recent years have accelerated ripening and increased sunburn in orchards across Maharashtra and Uttar Pradesh.

Dr Marbhal recommends mulching and mist irrigation to mitigate these effects. Future guava breeding efforts are focusing on pink-fleshed varieties, low-seed fruits, ultra-high-density planting systems, dwarf rootstocks, disease resistance and fruit-fly tolerance through breeding and protective bagging.

Nearly a century after it was first identified, the Sardar guava continues to shape orchards, livelihoods and markets across India and beyond. What began as a single chance seedling in Pune has grown into one of the country’s most dependable fruit varieties.

From the historic nurseries of Malihabad to thriving orchards in Maharashtra — and now to farms across Africa and the Middle East — Sardar guava has travelled far, carrying with it the story of Indian agricultural ingenuity.

And every season, when its golden fruit ripens on sunlit branches, that story begins again.