Daijiworld Media Network - Mangaluru (SP)

Mangaluru, Dec 23: A youth from here left a lucrative bank job and urban lifestyle and returned to his village. He has also quadrupled his income in the bargain.

Sadashiva (34) from Kuppepadavu here was back-office project in-charge for HDFC Bank at Bengaluru. Three and a half years back he resigned from the bank job and announced his decision to undertake agriculture. Most of the villagers thought he was insane.

After returning, Sadashiva undertook study about the activities which can be undertaken in the five-acre land he got as a share in the ancestral property. The National Rural Employment Guarantee (NREGA) scheme under which people can get employment cards, work in their fields, and draw a salary from the government, attracted him. He got employment cards for himself and his parents and brother. He has built a spacious poultry farm. He has been raising 3,200 broiler chickens of private companies which are sure to bring guaranteed monthly income. He has also been raising goat species like Beetle from Punjab, Shirohi from Rajasthan etc. He is also involved with beekeeping and animal husbandry. Under the NREGA scheme, he has dug a hundred plots and planted orange, tender coconuts with the support of the family.

Many have taken note of Sadashiva's success. Youngsters who have decided to undertake farming in their native places after the coronavirus disaster have been visiting Sadashiva to discuss with him and also for guidance. Now Sadashiva has also been planning to start a local breed chicken farm. He has created a simple system of getting chicks from the eggs. He also plans to build a bath pit and cattle shed under the NREGA scheme.

Sadasiva says that initially many had told him, that he did a blunder by leaving his job. However, they are returning now to hail him for what he has achieved, he reveals. He says there are opportunities in agriculture and there is a lot to achieve.