Her story is about courage, success

Aakanksha N Bhardwaj

Tribune News Service

Jalandhar, October 14

It was around a few years ago when Manjit Kaur (54), a farmer from a small village in Hoshiarpur got to know that her daughter was suffering from cancer. This shocking revelation moved her life upside down and when doctors told her that adulterated food and chemical-laced crops are the main reason behind the disease, she then shunned chemicals and adopted natural farming.

She says that now, she sells vegetables, which she has been growing naturally, and most of her customers are those who are suffering from the deadly disease.

On October 15, which is celebrated as Mahila Kisan Diwas, The Tribune highlights the story of Manjit Kaur, who has been doing farming for the past many years.

Despite knowing the sad truth of her life, Kaur did not give up, but came up with a solution.

Now, she has become alert and aware that she tells others about ill-effects of chemical farming. Not only this, Kaur said after knowing her story, those who are suffering from cancer come to her to buy naturally grown vegetables.

“Everyone has a right to live. And by adopting organic farming, I have brought change in my life and now by selling these vegetables to others, I am feeling great to continue the cause,” she said.

Kaur had started a self-help group where she used to make pickles and other eatables and sell them.

Her husband Tarsem Singh, who is a retired Principal from a government school, also helps her in farming.

While telling the story of how she changed the nature of the farming from chemical to organic, Kaur gets emotional.

“I still remember the day I got to know about the disease of my daughter, who has recovered from the ailment, I was taken aback. I thought if the vegetable I was growing was affecting my children, then what is the use behind it. That was the time when I decided to stop using insecticides,” she said.

Now she not only grow vegetables, but also makes organic jaggery, turmeric and is also running her self-help group. She grows crops, process them, and then market the products. Kaur says that the department must celebrate Mahila Kisan Diwas on a large scale to encourage women. “There is a need to motivate women so that they come forward in large numbers,” she added.