I came across a great article from The Times of India, that I thought I’d pass along about the inspiration behind innovative farming. The author describes how the white fly disease affected cotton and forced him to take up research work. From there he developed a network of thought leaders who are changing the way crops are managed. Here is a snippet with a link to the full article:
How did you turn into a farmer scientist?
I developed an interest in agriculture after observing my father Surayya who adopted innovative agricultural practices 50 years ago. He used to supply seeds to the National Seed Corporation. I stopped my studies and followed in his footsteps. Often, scientists from Bapatla Agricultural College visited our farm with students and spoke of innovative farming and research. I learnt from them. I used to visit the college to find solutions for various problems related to plants. I was close to many professors and researchers who taught me. A chemist CV Naidu explained to me about mineral nutrition and how they work on plants. The scientists conducted trials in my farm and I started production of cotton hybrids in the 1980s. In those days, the government was the only source of providing cotton hybrids. But I started supplying hybrids to farmers in AP and Karnataka.
What pushed you to take up research in agriculture?
The white fly disease affected cotton and forced me to take up research work. I contacted Colorado University in the US for pest resistant genes, but my efforts went in vain. I then started working on varieties of chillies. In 1978, I found a fungi which kills bacteria. Dr Mohit Deen, a pathology professor at Bapatla College, helped me to some extent. Professors of Andhra University and Gitam University approached me to develop the fungi. I started research with the help of funds from Nabard. Later, I got patent rights on the fungi which kills insects but is not dangerous to human beings or animals. Some Germans came to my native place and took the soil. Now, it is being used for green house farming in Germany. By 1983, I had developed six varieties of chillies.
How did you became a homoeopath?
I met with an accident and sustained severe head injuries. My uncle Kodandaramaiah, who was a gold medallist from Oxford University and former superintendent of KGH in Vizag, said there was no medicine for it. One of my friends took me to a homoeopath who cured 50% of my ailment. I shifted to Vizag as I was introduced to Navayuga Engineering Company owner Visweswara Rao, who helped me a lot in research work and also in the study of homoeo medicines. I studied books on homoeopathy and started treating my family members. I have treated over 1 lakh people now. Around 50 persons are helping me extend this service since 1993. We are extending services to people free of cost…