For Subrat Nath, going on a shopping spree equals visiting plant nurseries. He considers this as one of the most upbeat activities for him. On one such trip, the florist there introduced him to a sapling that was said to produce the world’s costliest mangoes – Miyazaki!

“The rare mango is native to Miyazaki city in Japan. It has a violet-red colour and is comparatively sweeter, juicier, and larger than other mango varieties, including the famous Alphonso mangoes. I was so fascinated by it,” he tells The Better India.

The fruit has an unusual appearance like an egg, which is why it is also known as the ‘Eggs of Sun.’

Surprisingly, these mangoes are sold at Rs 2.5 lakh per kg in the international market. Subrat cites their medicinal properties for their exorbitant price. 

A 2021 research article points out that these mangoes –  botanically classified as Mangifera Indica – have anti-cancer, anti-inflammatory, antimicrobial, antioxidant, and immunomodulatory properties. Its consumption may potentially be beneficial in breast cancer management.

As the monsoon arrives in Karnataka’s Udupi district, a small nursery run by the state’s Social Forestry Department opens its gates to the public, offering indigenous plant varieties for as little as Rs 20.

We got in touch with Siva Sankar, co-founder of Magadha Vana, a farm stay in Udupi’s Hebri Taluk, to learn more about this initiative.

“Towards the end of May or the first week of June, the gates of this nursery are open to the public. People can walk in, submit their details, pick up any variety of saplings, and plant them on their premises,” Siva shares.

Every year — without fail — Siva and his team visit this nursery to pick up saplings for their Magadha Vana farm, which now boasts over 25 varieties of indigenous plants.

“Mango, jackfruit, bamboo, cane, wax apple or rose apple trees, and red sanders are a few varieties we picked up this year from the nursery. We planted them on our farm,” he adds.

Meet Alice Thomas, a social worker from Puducherry who has spent 32 years funding the education of over 150 children from tribal and marginalised communities and helping them find jobs as paramedical staff, teachers, engineers, and more through her NGO Udhavi Karangal.

In Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland, a young Alice is bored of sitting by the river with her sister. She spots a rabbit that looks rather different and decides to follow him on a whim. And so she heads down a rabbit hole and arrives in Wonderland. 

As children, all of us who read the classic by Lewis Carroll dreamt of visiting Wonderland ourselves some day. 

But what is this land? I suppose it depends from person to person. For me, it’s a fantasy land, but for many children who do not have anyone to look after them, it is basic education, dignified life, and a secure future. 

Such is the case for several children in Puducherry, for whom ‘Alice’ has created a sort of ‘wonderland’ for the past 32 years. 

Alice Thomas is a 53-year-old who runs Udhavi Karangal to work towards rehabilitation of children who have nowhere to go. These include those living on the streets, coming from tribal communities, orphans, or any child who needs a good education and life. 

Take, for example, seven-year-old Subash* (name changed). His life included begging daily and eating whatever he received as alms. His parents were ragpickers and depended on him to collect money.

Started with the motive of giving back to the society, Shekhar Mahajan’s ‘Sahyog Care For You’ has successfully rescued 2,788 children via 148 successful rescue missions along with other Government departments, creating a dignified future for the young minds.

October 12, 2023, began like any other day for most of India. However, in the Wazipur Industrial Area of New Delhi, a grim reality was playing out. In a cramped, hidden room, 12 children, aged five to 10, were living through unimaginable hardship.

As the sun dipped below the horizon, casting long shadows over the city, these young souls, mere specks of humanity, toiled tirelessly. For them, 17 hours stretched into an endless cycle of forced labour, their tiny bodies confined as bonded labourers.

Disturbed by the conditions in her ancestral village, this accomplished woman gave up on a corporate career to start a school for children.

I wondered why…There might be many reasons but if it is just because they live in the village, then it is totally unfair! This disturbed me to the core and I wanted to do something about it,” says Pooja. After two years of her education at IIM, Pooja opted out of campus placements. She was the only one in her batch who said no to the high paying jobs that normally come the way of an IIM graduate.

Founded in 2002 by Shekhar Mahajan and some like-minded friends with the aim of providing quality education to children, the Delhi-based organisation has expanded its scope to address various societal issues.

‘What will he gain from school?’

Bonded labour is a harsh reality in India, affecting countless lives despite being prohibited under the Child Labour (Prohibition & Regulation) Act, 1986. It persists in both rural and urban areas, driven by poverty, illiteracy, and entrenched social inequalities. 

These children are not only deprived of education but also robbed of their childhoods. Addressing this complex issue requires a multi-faceted approach, including identifying exploitative industries, strict enforcement of laws, community-level awareness campaigns, and comprehensive rehabilitation programmes to break the cycle of exploitation.

Shekhar, a lawyer by profession, and a graduate in social work, found his legal practice unfulfilling. He yearned for a deeper impact and believed himself to be an agent of change, addressing the societal disparities he witnessed.

“I wanted to change my life based on my passion for giving back to society. I wanted to build a career that allowed me to earn a living while making a meaningful difference,” Shekhar tells The Better India.

A pivotal moment arrived during a visit to a resettlement colony with a friend. Witnessing a young boy assisting his father at a makeshift tea stall, Shekhar observed the father’s indifference towards the child’s education. “What will he gain from school? He’s helping me here,” the father dismissed.

This posed a profound question for Shekhar: What future awaited the child without education? The realisation ignited a spark within him, inspiring him to dedicate his career to providing quality education for underprivileged children.

While the idea was promising, Shekhar faced significant financial struggles to establish what he envisioned. “Corporates did not come forward to provide funding due to lack of CSR mandate in 2002,” says Shekhar. He started the organisation with the minimal amount received from supportive friends and family.

“When I discussed the idea with my friends, they were happy with the initiative, but their follow-up question was regarding the money. But I only needed their moral support and to stand by me while I take this forward,” says Shekhar, who started the organisation in 2002. 

An Odisha-based engineer named Subrat Nath cultivated a home garden featuring rare plants, including the expensive Miyazaki mango, a 1,000-petal lotus, and 400 other exotic varieties, creating a “mini forest” and inspiring others to take up gardening. 

Odisha resident Subrat Nath has turned his home into a mini garden with rare flowers and fruit plants. His exotic collection includes the Miyazaki mango which sells for Rs 2.5 lakh per kg. With lilies, lotuses, and other rare plants thriving at home, Subrat hopes his work will inspire others to pick up gardening.

Inspired, Subrat came home with the sapling and decided to grow it.

After two years of care, the sapling has now grown into a nine-feet tall tree. “This February, I spotted its first fruit. My happiness knew no bounds. It was truly rewarding. In June, I will be able to harvest eight mangoes. If I sell them, I will be a crorepati (millionaire),” he laughs.

However, the urban gardener intends to refrain from commercialising it. It goes into his personal collection of 400 plant garden that comprise rare plants like 1,000 petal lotus, rainbow sugarcane, and hydrangea.

Managing 400 plant garden with a full-time job

Subrat grew up tending to his parents’ garden comprising fruits and vegetables. After finishing his homework in the evening, he would water all the plants along with his sister

Over the years, Subrat’s interest piqued in growing rare flowering and fruiting plants at home.

Recalling one of his childhood memories, the 43-year-old says, “My parents had all sorts of seasonal vegetables in our home. We would be tasked with fun duties like protecting cauliflowers from the harsh sunlight. So, we would get creative and make cones from newspapers to shield them. This was our favourite activity.”

Although Subrat became an engineer in a multinational company, his fondness for gardening only grew with time. So alongside his full-time job, he maintains a garden of 400 plants comprising 100 varieties of water lilies and lotuses, 10 types of orchids, 20 varieties of Adenium, 10 rare varieties of plants including the Miyazaki mango, and the ‘Shashikala Padman’ – a lotus with 1,000 petals. 

Utilising the ground floor, balcony and terrace spaces of his house, Subrat grows these plants in a combined area of 4,000 sq ft.

“I give up two hours of sleep daily and wake up around 5 am to look after my plants before setting off for work around 8. See, if you aspire to do something, you must be passionate about it,” he says.

Every evening after returning from work, Subrat waters the plants just like he did as a kid. “I kept my inner child alive,” he smiles.

Home Gardening This Engineer Grew a Garden With a Rs 2.5 Lakh Mango, 1,000-Petal Lotus & 400 Rare Plants

This Engineer Grew a Garden With a Rs 2.5 Lakh Mango, 1,000-Petal Lotus & 400 Rare Plants

Odisha resident Subrat Nath has turned his home into a mini garden with rare flowers and fruit plants. His exotic collection includes the Miyazaki mango which sells for Rs 2.5 lakh per kg. With lilies, lotuses, and other rare plants thriving at home, Subrat hopes his work will inspire others to pick up gardening

Inspired, Subrat came home with the sapling and decided to grow it.

After two years of care, the sapling has now grown into a nine-feet tall tree. “This February, I spotted its first fruit. My happiness knew no bounds. It was truly rewarding. In June, I will be able to harvest eight mangoes. If I sell them, I will be a crorepati (millionaire),” he laughs.

However, the urban gardener intends to refrain from commercialising it. It goes into his personal collection of 400 plant garden that comprise rare plants like 1,000 petal lotus, rainbow sugarcane, and hydrangea.

Managing 400 plant garden with a full-time job

Subrat grew up tending to his parents’ garden comprising fruits and vegetables. After finishing his homework in the evening, he would water all the plants along with his sister. 

Recalling one of his childhood memories, the 43-year-old says, “My parents had all sorts of seasonal vegetables in our home. We would be tasked with fun duties like protecting cauliflowers from the harsh sunlight. So, we would get creative and make cones from newspapers to shield them. This was our favourite activity.”

Although Subrat became an engineer in a multinational company, his fondness for gardening only grew with time. So alongside his full-time job, he maintains a garden of 400 plants comprising 100 varieties of water lilies and lotuses, 10 types of orchids, 20 varieties of Adenium, 10 rare varieties of plants including the Miyazaki mango, and the ‘Sahasradala Padmam’ – a lotus with 1,000 petals. 

Nelumbo nucifera

mango

flower

Flower

lotus

plants

plant

flowers

lotus flower

mangoes

Utilising the ground floor, balcony and terrace spaces of his house, Subrat grows these plants in a combined area of 4,000 sq ft.

“I give up two hours of sleep daily and wake up around 5 am to look after my plants before setting off for work around 8. See, if you aspire to do something, you must be passionate about it,” he says.

Every evening after returning from work, Subrat waters the plants just like he did as a kid. “I kept my inner child alive,” he smiles.

Miyazaki mango, 1,000 petal lotus, and more

Over the years, Subrat’s interest piqued in growing rare flowering and fruiting plants at home. With a simple google search, he read about rare plants that can be grown in Odisha’s warm climate.

“I love keeping rare plants inside my garden. Sometimes it is challenging as well, given the temperature here rises to 46 degrees in the summer. But this challenge is what exactly makes it fun,” he adds.

To control the temperature, he has established a small greenhouse where he keeps new saplings for 2-3 months to help them acclimatise. “I introduce them to direct sunlight slowly,” he adds.

Talking about the Miyazaki mango plant, he says, “I planted it directly on the ground floor of my house. Its sapling cost me Rs 2,500 and I did not want to take any risk. I let the sapling settle into the soil. After two months, I added cow dung, bone meal, neem and mustard cakes to the plant,” he says.

Just like his parents, Subrat believes in giving traditional fertilisers to plants. “Any fruiting plant requires nitrogen for leaves and stem growth, phosphorus for root development, and potash for flower and fruit growth. We get these nutrients in cow dung itself. I do not make any other fancy fertilisers. Cow dung is enough,” he adds.

Although Subrat does not aim to sell the Miyazaki mangoes, he does sell saplings of the rare 1,000 petal lotus and other water lily varieties. Last year, he earned an annual income of Rs 1 lakh through them.

“To grow any rare plant, one must do a detailed study on the kind of temperature and humidity they require and the pot size. For instance, I grow the 1,000 petal lotus in a bigger pot of 4 ft width and 2 ft of depth,” he explains. 

“Whereas, I use a pot of one ft width and seven inch depth for micro lotuses. We must also keep in mind that lotuses and water lilies do not thrive in hard water and require 6 to 7 hours of sunlight,” he adds.

Subrat says, “I am not a pro. Growing rare plants is just my hobby and these plants are my only treasures. Also, I come across many people who make excuses that they cannot grow plants because of small spaces. With my example, I want to show that anyone can grow plants, even the rarest ones at home. My objective will be fulfilled when more and more people come forward to recreate my work.”