BACK TO NATURE
India Today|September 11, 2023
Moved by the environmental degradation around them, a growing tribe of professionals is leaving behind the urban life and seeking purpose in this form of farming in the hinterlands of India
Sonal Khetarpal
BACK TO NATURE

ON THE OUTSKIRTS OF PANCHKULA DISTRICT in Haryana lies the sprawling 12-acre Aanandaa Permaculture Farm, built as a testament to the harmony between humans, plants and animals. Unlike conventional farms with their rows of monoculture crops, Aanandaa resembles a lush forest where more than 6,000 trees intermingle with a diverse array of plants, creepers and shrubs in seemingly chaotic fashion. Co-founded by Manisha Lath Gupta, former marketing head of Uber India, and her husband, Agam Gupta, the farm follows the principles of permaculture, a model of agriculture that leverages the complementary qualities of plants, trees and animals to create a self-sustaining and regenerative ‘food forest’.

OPEN SHELL FARM
MALVIKAA SOLANKI, 54

IN A FORMER LIFE: Wilderness researcher, IISC

Where: Near Bandipur Tiger Reserve, Karnataka

Motivation: “I was already leading a sustainable life, meticulously managing my consumption and composting at home. However, over time I realised that city life itself was unsustainable. I felt that if I wanted to live a life honourably, I needed to live off the land”

Revenue stream: Workshops on sustainability, permaculture training, organic produce, permaculture design consultation

This story is from the September 11, 2023 edition of India Today.

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This story is from the September 11, 2023 edition of India Today.

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