All pic credits: @salaiarunjai/IG
By Srimoyee Chowdhury 24 July 2025
With just ₹150 and a second-hand bicycle, Arun Salai from Tamil Nadu set out in 2013 to save native vegetable seeds that were slowly disappearing from Indian farms.
He travelled 6,000 km on his bicycle across 120 villages in Tamil Nadu, collecting heirloom vegetable seeds from tribal farmers, elderly cultivators, and local markets.
Over time, he built a diverse collection of 300 native seed varieties, including traditional chillies, ridge gourd, 15 types of brinjal, bottle gourd, cluster beans, and more.
In 2015, he started Salai Organic Farms, cultivating only traditional crops using organic methods on his 3.5-acre land in the Yercaud foothills of Salem district.
The farm now grows native vegetables and also distributes seeds to farmers and customers across India. His seed varieties are sought after in states like Andhra Pradesh and Kashmir.
To raise awareness, Arun has hosted over 20,000 farmers and students on his farm, offering training in organic farming and native seed conservation methods.
His farming approach avoids hybrid and genetically-modified seeds entirely. Traditional methods and organic practices ensure sustainability and soil health on his farm.
Today, his monthly income is around ₹50,000, but the larger impact lies in the seed biodiversity he has helped restore and the knowledge he continues to share.
From a humble beginning with ₹150, Arun Salai has built one of India’s most remarkable collections of traditional seeds, helping farmers return to climate-resilient, sustainable farming.