Kerala

Manju Hari, from Pathanamthitta, began growing and selling moss roses after her husband lost his job during the pandemic. She has over 100 varieties of the plant in her nursery, including Cinderella, Jumbo, and Table Rose. She sells the plant at Rs 5 per stem, and now earns enough to sustain her family.

Ayyappa Das (39) a native of Ernakulam in Kerala, started breeding guppy fish at home after he lost his carpentry job due to COVID-19. To date, he has sold over 5,000 guppies, and has over 1,500 at home, in 18 different varieties. He shares tips on how one can breed guppies at home easily.

On July 13, 1905, Kuriyedathu Thathri, who was a Namboodiri Brahmin, was put on trial under the age-old Smarthavicharam ritual for infidelity and promiscuity. This would result in her excommunication from her caste. But she fought for all 65 men, including the king of Kochi, to face equal consequences for their actions.

Chidambaram Nair, a 93-year-old native of Kozhikode in Kerala, is a retired school teacher who has been organic farming since he was a child. He credits his health to the practice, and consumes only the produce he grows himself.

Fisherman and painter, Ashokan Padapelly, from Kerala narrates how he got his dream home, a sprawling 850 sq ft, 2BHK residence, using cost-effective and eco-friendly features

Remya and Shijith, a couple from Kannur district in Kerala, wanted to lead a healthier lifestyle for the sake of their first child. They began growing vegetables and fruits at home, and eventually opened a nursery, wherein they sell a variety of fruits and vegetables, organic manure, groundnut cake, bone meal and cow dung powder, and hybrid seeds, among many other products.

Tamil Nadu native Elavarasi Jayakanth’s dream business was destroyed when she lost all her money in a robbery at her supermarket in 2011. With less than Rs 100, she rebuilt her venture, Aswathi Hot Chips, which now has four outlets across Thrissur in Kerala, and sells a variety of chips, cakes, and pickles.

Abdul Shameer and Sadakkathulla from Kozhikode, Kerala, are distributing 'fresh' tender coconuts with expiry and date of collection. With their Royal Karikku venture, they're also helping coconut farmers earn more.

Kerala's Idukki native Manu Joseph invents an engine which helps farmers till the soil, carry loads, and apply fertiliser. The machine works for more than two hours on 1 litre of petrol.

Kerala-based Basheer Kalakkal’s mud house is as spacious as a modern-day house, with three bedrooms with attached bathrooms, a kitchen, a work area, a hall, and an outdoor seating area. The house was built over 1,090 sq ft, and cost Rs 9 lakh.