The birth of R Vishwan was accompanied by a troubling superstition. Astrologers had predicted that he would bring bad luck to his family. This rumour quickly spread, causing distress and isolation for young Vishwan while affecting his entire family.

Born in the small village of Neyyattinkara in Thiruvananthapuram district, Kerala, Vishwan was blamed when his father suddenly suffered losses in business. At just seven, his family abandoned him, leaving him to survive on his own in Nilambur, Malappuram district.

Left to fend for himself, Vishwan resorted to stealing food to survive. He lived in treehouses built to observe animals that destroyed crops at night, enduring harsh conditions during the 1970s.

One day, while stealing food, Vishwan was caught by a kind man. But, instead of punishing him, the man offered him work. He asked him to graze cattle for 15 paise per day, giving him a chance to earn his living.

While grazing cattle in the forest areas of Nilambur, Vishwan discovered honeycombs and honey bees. Those honeycombs soon became a new source of food and would later support his livelihood.

“When I was hungry, I collected honey and drank it. One of those days, I thought, ‘Why can’t I keep them, then I won’t have to wander around to find the honeycombs?’” says Vishwan.

He decided to start beekeeping himself, using a wooden tomato box to start his first beehive. This was the beginning of it all. Without knowing any scientific methods, he plunged into honey farming.

At the age of 13, Vishwan sold his first tin of honey to the Kozhikode Sarvodaya Sangham under the Kerala Khadi Board for Rs 328. His curiosity and passion led him to learn honey farming through the simple method of trial and error.

He invested the Rs 328 he earned from his first sale into his new venture, gradually expanding his knowledge and skills while learning along the way. Vishwan says that honey is the only kind of farming that requires the least amount of capital. “Had I not found out about this occupation, I’m not sure what I would have done. All other kinds of farming required lots of land which I didn’t own.”

He explains the beekeeping process: “During the monsoon, I give a sugar solution to the bees to keep them from abandoning the comb. Special attention is needed to keep them dry by wrapping them with plastic covers. Bees keep honey for the monsoon, and we take that, so they need extra care.”

October-November is the growth period for bees, requiring the division of boxes and feeding them till December. February to April marks the harvest season, where honey is collected every eight days. This cycle is crucial for maintaining a healthy and productive bee farm.

Today, Vishwan has 6,000 beehive boxes and harvests 90 to 110 tonnes of honey annually. He clocks a profit of Rs 25 to 30 lakh every year after covering all expenses.

Reflecting on his journey, Vishwan shares, “The biggest lesson is to keep going. There is nothing stronger than a person’s strength of will and determination. If you keep moving forward, success will follow.”

Looking to the future, Vishwan aims to train others in honey farming, hoping to transform more lives. He currently sells honey to the Kerala Khadi Board and pharmaceutical companies in Chennai and Bengaluru, expanding his business and sharing his success.