BACK TO NATURE

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

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