One of my fondest memories as a child was visiting the fruit market with my father. I’d try different varieties, compare how they tasted, and listen to the farmers who grew them as well as the traders who sold them.

I couldn’t understand much of what they used to say, but it fascinated me. I became curious about how fruits grow and why they grow differently. This curiosity is what led me to study Horticulture at Dr. Balasaheb Sawant Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Ratnagiri.

In those four years, I not only studied plants, but also learnt that people and communities aren’t very different from plants. They come from diverse places and experiences, but they all thrive when given the same essentials: care, nurturing, and the space to grow. And that simple realization is where my interest in creating impact started.