Reeva Sood, affectionately known as Himachal Pradesh’s ‘Dragon Fruit Lady,’ embarked on an extraordinary journey in 2016 when she left Delhi and moved to the rural heartland of Una, Himachal Pradesh. At the time, she was facing a deeply personal crisis- her husband, Prof. (Dr.) Rajeev Sood, a renowned urologist, had been diagnosed with cancer. This life-altering moment compelled Reeva to reexamine the vital connection between food and health, planting the seeds of a mission that would redefine her life’s purpose.
Determined to cultivate a healthier way of living, Reeva committed herself to “Jahar Mukt Kheti” or chemical-free farming. She adopted eco-friendly practices such as vermicomposting, the use of Jeev Amrit (a natural growth enhancer), and water-efficient drip irrigation. Starting with 70 acres of barren, rocky terrain spread across the villages of Gunghrala, Akrot, and Behar-Bithal, she began transforming the arid landscape into a thriving hub of sustainable agriculture.
She has recently joined the Global Farmer Business Network (GFBN), an initiative by Krishi Jagran. This platform identifies and promotes sustainable agricultural entrepreneurs across India. Her inclusion in GFBN marks recognition of his contribution to eco-friendly and profitable farming models.
Pioneering Dragon Fruit Cultivation in Himachal Pradesh
In the year 2018, Reeva made a bold move by introducing dragon fruit cultivation in Una. The exotic fruit was hardly heard of in Himachal Pradesh then. She planted over 30,000 dragon fruit plants which showed that even dry land can produce high-value crops if one knows what to do. When her work yielded results, literally, she became known affectionately as the Dragon Fruit Lady of Himachal Pradesh.
She also incorporated intercropping with medicinal and herbal crops like ashwagandha, tulsi, kalmegh, sarpagandha, moringa, black wheat, and turmeric which enhanced the soil and added to diversified farm income.
Building Agriva Naturally: From Farm to Processing
For the sake of farmers to have a better price at the market and to avoid exploitation by middlemen, Reeva started Agriva Naturally in 2022. This fruit and herbal processing unit in Behar-Bithal was supported by a World Bank-sponsored Matching Grant Scheme. The cost of the entire project was Rs. 165.59 lakhs. Agriva Naturally manufactures value-added products like pure dragon fruit juice, herbal juice blends with fig and ashwagandha, dried figs, and herbal extracts under the brand name Dragona.
The processing facility has an annual processing capacity of 153 metric tons and provides employment to more than 100 local farmers through buy-back facilities and price support. In the year 2024-25,In 2024–25, Agriva Naturally recorded a turnover of Rs. 90 lakhs, and its total turnover has now crossed Rs. 3 crore, with assets valued at Rs. 1.78 crore.
Women Empowerment Through Him 2 Hum FPO
In the year 2021, Reeva formed Him 2 Hum Farmers Producer Company Limited, an FPO led by women in Una district, with the backing of NABARD and National Medicinal Plant Board under the Ministry of AYUSH. The FPO emphasizes developing greenhouse farming, nurseries, and growing aromatic and medicinal crops. At present, over 300 women are directly engaged in different activities ranging from farming and harvesting to packaging and marketing.
In Una township, in fact, over 100 women grow ashwagandha, tulsi, kalmegh, moringa, and dragon fruit. Women farmers from Kangra, Punjab's Faridkot district, Sonipat in Haryana, and even Shimla and Jaisinghpur have become part of the movement, so it is now a cross-state rural women's cooperative. Forty households in Una are also involved in cultivation through MGNREGA and buy-back schemes with Agriva Naturally.
INDCARE Trust: Reeva's Social Work Roots
Reeva's social work roots go far beyond rural development. In 1989, she started INDCARE Trust in Delhi, with a vision to empower women at the grassroots level. With this organization, she has encouraged self-help groups (SHGs), executed health and nutrition programs under the ICDS and Poshan Abhiyan schemes, and provided skill training in tailoring, beauty services, and food processing for more than 350 women.
INDCARE Trust has collaborated with large institutions such as the World Bank, UNDP, IFAD, NABARD, GTZ, USAID, DFID, and a number of Indian government ministries. Reeva has also created IEC tools, training handbooks, and inspirational poems and songs such as "Umeed Ka Diya" to inspire rural adolescent girls and women.
Leadership in Legal Education: INDCARE College of Law
Reeva's vision of empowerment also includes education. In 2013, she started the INDCARE College of Law in Greater Noida. The college not only offers legal education but also supports research, gender justice, and social outreach. Several students have been motivated by Reeva's life and mission, and the college remains a center for socially oriented legal learning.
Awards and Recognitions
Reeva Sood's exceptional contributions have been well acclaimed:
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NBT Business Icon Award for her contribution to the food and agro-based industry.
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Delhi Medical Association’s WHO Diamond Jubilee Year Award 2023 – National Health ICON for her work in Agro-Medicine and as a Legendary Woman Entrepreneur.
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BFUHS State Award 2025 on International Women’s Day as a Women Change Maker presented by Baba Farid University of Health Sciences, Faridkot (Punjab).
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Guest of Honour Recognition by BFUHS at the National Campaign on Ashwagandha (Withania somnifera): A Health Promoter, organized in collaboration with the National Medicinal Plants Board, Ministry of AYUSH.
Strong Family Support
Reeva's journey has been ably supported by her family through thick and thin. Her husband, Padma Shri awardee Prof. (Dr.) Rajeev Sood, is now Vice-Chancellor of Baba Farid University of Health Sciences in Punjab. Both of their children are successful professionals too. Her daughters Dr. Tanvi Sood is a medical oncologist and Er. Kaneeka is Assistant Director at Gilead in the USA. Her son Dr. Ishaan Sood has a PhD in Engineering from KU Leuven in Belgium.
Reeva Sood is a changemaker who transformed barren land in Himachal into a thriving agro-enterprise. Through organic farming, social enterprise, and women-led initiatives, she built a Rs. 90 lakh annual-turnover ecosystem that empowers over 300 women across five states. Her journey from Delhi to the fields reflects true leadership in sustainability and rural upliftment.
Note: Global Farmer Business Network (GFBN) is a dynamic platform where agricultural professionals—farmer entrepreneurs, innovators, buyers, investors, and policymakers - converge to share knowledge, experiences, and scale their businesses. Powered by Krishi Jagran, GFBN facilitates meaningful connections and collaborative learning opportunities that drive agricultural innovation and sustainable development through shared expertise. Join GFBN today: https://millionairefarmer.in/gfbn
