From a daily wage of Rs 2.25 to owning 1.36-acre organic farm: TN man sets an example in Idukki

Thambidas, who worked as a plantation labourer for 38 years, now owns 1.36 acres of farmland. Having started his career in the Glenmary tea estate with a daily wage of just Rs. 2.25, Thambidas retired in 2006 when his wage had risen to Rs. 98. Instead of returning to Tamil Nadu like many others, he seized an opportunity to buy land near his former workplace, with the help of his son-in-law, Perumal, who contributed the remaining amount for the purchase.

Since purchasing the land, Thambidas and his wife, Lakshmikanthi, have worked tirelessly to turn it from a forested area into a thriving organic farm. Thambidas won the Best Organic Farmer award from Peermade Panchayat, Azhutha Block Panchayat, and ATMA (Agricultural Technology Management Agency) for his efforts. His approach to farming is based on the belief that the goal is not profit, but providing safe, chemical-free food for future generations.

Every morning, Thambidas wakes up at 6:00 am, collects four buckets of cow dung and heads to his farm by 8:00 am. He collects fallen leaves and other organic waste, which he then composts by adding food scraps and cow dung. After a few days, this mixture turns into organic fertilizer for the crops. 

He use neem cake and neem oil as fertilizers for cardamom farming.

While Thambidas usually avoids chemical fertilizers, he admits that tea farming requires minimal use of chemical fertilizers.

Diverse range of crops

Thambidas grows a wide variety of crops on his land, including beans, green chillies, brinjal, cucumber, ivy gourd, long beans, ginger, turmeric, various types of spinach, cardamom, tea, coffee, pepper, and bananas. He practices crop rotation by planting turmeric after harvesting ginger, and during the monsoon, vegetables are grown after turmeric. This ensures the land remains productive throughout the year.

Thambidas is also known for his efforts in maintaining a clean and plastic-free farm, earning recognition as a leading figure in the Haritha Keralam (Green Kerala) initiative. 

Thambidas has two children, Marimuthu and Pechiyammal, who live in Tamil Nadu with their families.