Manganappa is a self made man who built himself up from nothing. He started by growing and harvesting a few kilos of produce from his farm behind his house. He then cycled 50kms to sell them in a Bangalore market everyday.
Step by step, harvest by harvest, he built himself up. He only grew organically grown produce at his farm. He started encouraging other farmers around him to make the switch from chemical farming as well.
Today he acts as an aggregator for a network of over 150 small farmers who all grow only organic produce. His company SLR organics moves tonnes of produce everyday.
Even glowing success has not dimmed his humility. He still keeps his first cycle on which he sold his first produce in the Bangalore market, on a pedestal in his warehouse. It serves as a reminder for him of where he came from.
