In 2016, V U Sabu’s life took an unexpected turn during a visit to a nursery in Kerala’s Wayanad. Healthcare management graduate with a deep passion for the environment, he was captivated by the vibrant blooms — but it was the wild orchids that truly caught his eye.
Orchids fascinated him not just for their beauty but their ecological role. “They’re indicators of ecosystem health and provide food for pollinators like bees and butterflies,” he explains. But his research told him that human activities were pushing these species to the brink of extinction.
He began venturing into the forests of the Western Ghats, collecting orchids from tree trunks, rocks, and streams. At home, he carefully studied their needs, propagated them, and replanted them in the wild—always near their mother plants.
Over six years, Sabu’s efforts have flourished. At his home, he has cultivated 256 varieties of wild orchids, including 60 native to the Western Ghats, and replanted 500 saplings in the wild. At home, he nurtures 4,500 commercial orchids in three polyhouses spanning 750 square metres.