This Couple Quits Jobs in USA and Returns Home to Do Organic Farming and Reduce Plastic in India

[Sanathnagar_Satthi]

Venugopal and Madhavi Vippulancha who returned home (India) from the United States are among the few who are setting the brain drain to India in the reverse direction. They were corporate professionals in the San Francisco Bay Area. Venugopal held a lucrative job as a mechanical engineer in Silicon Valley, and Madhavi pursued her MSc. in Pharmacy and Genetics. The Indian couple’s life had been a roller-coaster ride thousands of miles away from Hyderabad until a mishap impeded the happy ride in 2003.

Madhavi decided to eliminate the intake of chemicals from their everyday food and hit upon the idea of living on an organic diet. As organic farming was the only guaranteed way to ensure an absolutely chemical-free food in day-to-day life, the couple made up their mind about the plan to quit their high-paying jobs in the US and return to India.

Luckily, Venugopal Vippulancha had made a prior investment in 25 acres of agricultural land on the outskirts of Hyderabad City. He took up organic farming not just as a source of chemical-free food but also as a means of sustenance. Madhavi helped her husband in carving a niche in the unknown territory while battling cancer.

With their little knowledge of organic farming, the land remained barren and uncultivated for five to six years. Initially, they took up jobs in Hyderabad and learned organic farming with the passing of time. Having armed with the technical and practical knowledge of cultivation, they started farming by planting mango trees on weekends. Today, they own as many as 2000 trees of 30 different local varieties of mango in the farm.

Venugopal and Madhavi Vippulancha’s farm produces multiple crops, including organically grown fruits and vegetables. The farm yields chemical-free tomatoes, bitter gourd, ridge gourd, bottle gourd, okra, ginger, chillies, and other vegetables. In one portion of the farm, they grow marigold in order to keep pests away from the vegetables and fruits. On weekends, the couple spends quality time together doing organic farming.