This Google Engineer Quit His Job in Dublin to Grow Organic Food in Punjab

In a world where corporate success is often viewed as the ultimate goal, engineer Mantaj Sidhu chose a radically different path. He walked away from his dream job at Google in Dublin and returned to his roots in Punjab to pursue something far more personal, which is organic farming and food safety for families. 

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At Google, Mantaj enjoyed financial comfort and professional acclaim. Yet the memory of adulterated food on his parents’ table in India troubled him constantly. That concern was not unfounded. In 2021, nearly one in five food samples in India failed to meet FSSAI safety standards, a statistic that shook him to the core. What was on his plate became a question he could no longer ignore.

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In 2022, despite warnings from friends and family, he returned home and, with his cousin Baljit Singh Gill, founded ‘Gill Organics’ on farmland in Patiala. Their initiative offers a novel solution for urban families who want genuinely chemical-free produce without the burden of full-time farming. 

Families pay for a six-month subscription and are allocated small plots where up to 18 seasonal vegetables are grown organically on their behalf. They can visit the farm, observe the process, pluck their own vegetables, or have the fresh harvest delivered straight to their homes. This model brings transparency and trust to an often opaque food system. 

Techniques at the farm rely on cow dung and vermicompost fertilisers, traditional pest controls like khatti lassi (sour buttermilk), and sustainable practices such as mulching to improve soil health. 

Today, around 35 families regularly receive produce from Gill Organics, with many more on the waiting list. Mantaj earns less than before, but the peace of mind that comes from feeding his parents safe, nutritious food has redefined success for him.