The seed of Himalayan Organic Life was born in 2010 when my first child came to this world. You can be wild and carefree until another human being is dependent on you. So our quest for healthier and sustainable life began. It was a slow but steady journey. Corporate life was not easy, full of targets and reports. So in 2015, I left my job with IBM India Pvt Ltd after my girl was born. I began to fulfill my mom duties fulltime.
But somewhere down the line, we wanted to reach out to larger community, like minded folks. We began to meet and interact with farmers, communities and friends. Gradually, we began to share the healthy, organic and natural food purchased directly from the organic growers with family and friends. More people joined us and the demand began to rise. This is when we also realized the gap between the Organic farmers and the Consumers. The farmers were not getting the right price and credit and the consumers were not getting the right produce. Thus, we started the Himalayan Organic Life store in 2018. We have managed to work closely with many FIG’s, FPO’s and SHG’s. We only sell what is local and organically and naturally produced. We follow fair price practices, so that farmers and artisans get their fair share.
We also wanted more farmers and artisans to be independent; hence The Sunday Haat Siliguri was born. Collective effort of Himalayan Organic Life, COFAM, The Mango Tree Village Hut and Spandan gave life to a thriving Farmers Market – The Sunday Haat, where the organic and natural farmers could sell their produce directly to the consumers. The gap was fulfilled and the journey continues. They come and sell their produce directly to the patrons and the beautiful part is each and every member is trained to be an independent seller who can demand the right price and manage their own customers. They can now independently manage home deliveries, online payments, etc. We also have artisans and artists who are very much a part of our team. Our community is growing and the journey continues.
The Himalayan Organic Life and The Sunday Haat aims at Sustainable Lifestyle. We work closely on three aspects : Social, Economical and Environmental. We work on education sessions for generating awareness and actions for environment and sustainable development. We conduct education sessions, seminars and field trips.
Himalayan Organic Life also conducted Rice Festival- DHAAN UTSAV in SISHABARI, SILIGURI where we invited our patrons to sow paddy. Hands on sessions, field trips to organic and natural farms, tree plantations, waste management training sessions, importance of soil health, composting, food processing sessions, food preservation, soap making, making natural loofah, etc are all part of our activities.
HIMAL (Himalayan Inhabitants Movement For Agri-Vet Livelihood) represents our latest venture into food processing, extending the mission of Himalayan Organic Life into new and impactful areas. As a company, HIMAL is dedicated to enhancing the livelihoods of Himalayan communities through sustainable and innovative food processing solutions.
Having a partner who matches your steps is very important. Bishist Pradhan and I grew together in our entrepreneurial journey and our kids joined us. They are very actively involved in each and every activity we do. So, we as a family are growing together in our sustainable journey and of course our larger community of Farmers, Artisans, Artist, Environmentalists, Patrons and well-wishers.
Let us all have a fulfilling life full of adventures. Celebrating Healthy Sustainable Lifestyle is the only way to save our home – Our Planet.