Every week at the bustling haat bazaar in Lariapalli village, located in the Sambalpur district of Odisha, a familiar and heartwarming scene unfolds. A crowd gathers around 38-year-old Nabin Chandra Senapati, eagerly calling out, “Pehle mereko do!” (“Give me first!”). His stock of vegetables, lush green, chemical-free, and full of life, sells out faster than anyone else's.
“People know now,” he says with quiet pride, “that my vegetables are not only tastier but healthier too. They’re grown naturally, without chemicals. That’s why I always sell out first.”
This success was not simply given to him; it is the result of a deeply personal and transformative journey. He overcame the challenges of traditional chemical farming and financial distress to embrace a life filled with purpose, prosperity, and impact, driven by Natural Farming (NF) and a strong sense of spiritual resilience.
A Life of Struggle and Scarcity
For years, Nabin lived a life similar to that of thousands of other farmers in rural India. He worked on his 4-acre plot and was entirely dependent on the monsoon rains, managing to harvest only one paddy crop each year. For the rest of the year, the land remained fallow, and Nabin sought work as a laborer. By the end of the year, he earned barely Rs 20,000, a meager amount that provided no financial security.
His village, like many others, was trapped in the cycle of chemical farming. With heavy dependence on urea, potash, and hybrid seeds, the soil had hardened, the costs were mounting, and illnesses from food grown with chemicals became common. Pest control alone cost up to Rs 12,000 annually, yet yields remained low. “Despite all this expense,” Nabin shares, “we got very little in return.”
Outside the fields, things weren’t any better. Alcoholism had gripped many in the village, with addiction rates nearing 90%. Hope was fading fast.
The First Seeds of Change
Around 2017, hope entered Nabin’s life in the form of a government initiative, Pradhan Mantri Kaushal Vikas Yojana (PMKVY). Through this, he came in contact with Mukunda Sahu, a trainer who introduced him to the concept of Natural Farming. For the first time, Nabin saw a glimpse of an alternative. The method not only promised to reduce costs but offered better, fresher, healthier produce.
But changing deeply rooted beliefs is never easy. In a village where the use of hybrid seeds and chemical fertilizers was the norm, the very idea of farming without chemicals seemed alien. “Could farming really happen without urea and potash?” he wondered. The community was skeptical, and so was he.
Finding Inner Strength: A Spiritual Awakening
Around the same time, Nabin attended a Bharat Nirman Yojna event in his village and was introduced to the Art of Living Foundation. Here, he experienced Sudarshan Kriya, a powerful breathing technique taught by the foundation under the guidance of Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar.
That first experience changed him.
“I felt incredibly light,” he recalls. “It was as if all my stress had disappeared. Something deep inside me shifted.”
For a farmer weighed down by anxiety over finances, climate uncertainty, and social challenges, this inner transformation gave him new clarity. “That practice has brought me so much good fortune. From that day, my life began to move forward.”
Leap of Faith: Going 100% Natural
Fuelled by both conviction and inner peace, Nabin made a bold and almost unheard-of decision in his village, he converted his entire 4-acre land to Natural Farming.
“It was not just about technique,” he explains. “I was changing my relationship with the earth. I started working with nature, not against it.”
This transition wasn’t easy. Natural Farming relies heavily on cow-based inputs like jeevamrit, a potent bio-enhancer made using cow dung, cow urine, jaggery, and gram flour. But Nabin embraced it fully. “One desi cow is enough for five acres,” he says confidently. “I make everything myself, jeevamrit, neemastra, agniastra, brahmastra.”
He also began using traditional medicinal sprays made from neem and papaya leaves. “I’ve completely stopped buying anything from outside. I save my own seeds, like Kalma paddy, and don’t use a rupee for fertilizers anymore.”
A Richer Harvest, A Healthier Earth
Nabin's land, once hardened by chemicals, began to respond. The soil became softer, plants thrived, and yields improved significantly. The vegetables and grains regained their flavor and medicinal properties. His family now eats only what they grow, dal, rice, turmeric, ginger, leafy vegetables, everything organic and local.
“The taste has returned,” he says, beaming. “So has health.”
Financial Transformation
Natural Farming not only rejuvenated his land but also his bank account. Where chemical farming cost him Rs 10,000–Rs 12,000 per acre, NF slashed his costs to Rs 4,000–Rs 5,000.
“From one acre of paddy over four months, I now spend Rs 5,000 and earn Rs 18,000,” he explains. “That’s a clear profit of Rs 12,000 to Rs 13,000. And vegetables fetch even more.”
Across his 4 acres, Nabin now earns between Rs 60,000 to Rs 70,000 annually, triple his earlier income. “I no longer need to do labour jobs,” he says with a quiet sense of pride.
Recognition & Respect
His hard work and results did not go unnoticed.
In December 2023, Nabin was honored with the Best Natural Farmer Award at the Krishi Mela held in Sambalpur, which was attended by farmers from across Odisha. This recognition was more than just an award; it validated his journey, his beliefs, and the years of hard work that had finally paid off.
Lighting the Path for Others
Inspired by Gurudev Sri Sri Ravi Shankar’s call to “be the light that brightens others' path,” Nabin took it upon himself to share what he had learned. Along with another trainer, he has trained over 50 farmers in Natural Farming over the past three years.
“I run a WhatsApp group,” he explains. “I share photos, videos, and explain how to make and use jeevamrit, ghanajeevamrit, neemastra, agniastra. I even teach medicinal sprays.”
But it’s not just knowledge he shares, it’s a sense of possibility.
Family & Village Transformed
The change has touched every aspect of his life. His wife and son also underwent the Art of Living course and now support his work fully. Both his brothers have joined him in practicing Natural Farming.
But perhaps the most powerful transformation has been in the community itself.
Once plagued by addiction, the village is now on a path of healing. Through efforts led by Nabin and supported by the Art of Living’s Nav Chetna Shibir, addiction rates have dropped dramatically. Their success was recognized nationally in 2016 when the village and its Sarpanch were awarded for outstanding de-addiction efforts.
“The meditation and yoga taught in the shibir changed everything,” Nabin says. “People started caring about hygiene, health, and helping each other.”
A Future Rooted in Service
Today, Nabin doesn’t just grow food, he grows futures. He’s a farmer, a trainer, a community leader, and a spiritual seeker. His life stands as living proof that prosperity isn’t just about profits but about purpose.
He often reflects on the role of The Art of Living in his journey.
“They’ve given us so much, natural farming techniques, breathing tools, inner peace. My only wish is to take this forward. I want to spread Gurudev’s vision and help more farmers live healthier, better lives.”
From a chemical-dependent farmer struggling to make ends meet to a successful Natural Farmer, mentor, and village changemaker, Nabin Chandra Senapati’s journey is proof that with courage, knowledge, and compassion, one man can indeed sow the seeds of transformation for an entire community.
