INTERVIEW

ou had a successful job at one of the leading MNCs in Mumbai—a job you gave up to pursue your passion for farming. What got you interested in farming to this extent?

A. I was a project manager with IBM and was doing well in my job. It was seven years in the same role and I was looking for a change. After applying to various companies, I realised that all the offers I got were for project manager. What would change was the salary, the office and my colleagues. I was not looking for a change in job but a change in lifestyle. Around this time my wife, Meena, was writing a book on organic cotton in India. During the course of her research, she visited many farmers and stayed with them in their villages.

I was fascinated by her stories of village life. She told me about the organic farming that they were doing. The thought came to me that maybe I should also do farming. I asked her if that was possible and she encouraged me by replying that if 65% of our country was into farming, why couldn’t I do it. That’s how the seed was sown and we embarked on this transition from the city to the village to do organic farming. Q. Tell us about your initial struggles after you took the plunge. A. The first thing that one realises in the village is the lack of basic amenities. You notice the erratic power supply, the lack of a water-supply system and bad roads. Things we take for granted in the city are missing in the village. The local milkman, grocer, plumber, garbage collector, the laundry, the househelp, the takeaway joints are non-existent in a village. Besides the lack of these comforts, there was the rampant corruption that exists in villages. It was also a challenge to win the trust of the villagers initially, as most thought I was there for fun and would eventually return to the city.