Blog

Abhinav Singh had it all: a top job at Microsoft in England, travels across Europe, and exciting weekend parties. But something was missing. “Even though I felt happy, I never felt accomplished,” he shared. This feeling brought him back to India in 2015, where he reconnected with his family and began to think about a different life path.

Singh’s family had a history in agriculture, and he felt drawn to it. He initially tried organic vegetable farming, but that didn’t take off. Then, he discovered the potential in gerbera flowers. These colorful flowers, popular for decorations, were in demand but weren’t being grown much locally. Singh saw an opportunity.

However, gerberas need specific conditions to grow well. Singh’s solution? Build a special greenhouse called a polyhouse. He invested Rs 58 lakh in this, getting half as a government subsidy. By October 2020, he began planting gerberas, and by February 2021, he was selling them.

Today, Singh sells around 2,000 flowers daily. He earns Rs 1.5 lakh monthly, which might be less than his tech job, but there’s more to the story. His flower farm employs nearly 100 people from his village. One worker, Kusum Devi, said this job helped her support her family.

For Singh, this journey is about more than just money. He’s proud of helping his community and being close to his family. He said, “The happiness of generating livelihood for others and doing something unique in my hometown can’t be replaced by money.”

In a nutshell, Singh’s story is a powerful reminder. It shows us that sometimes, stepping away from a high-paying job can lead to deeper satisfaction and community impact. As Singh dreams of expanding his farm and promoting farming tourism, he inspires many to find value in local resources and community growth.