{
  "type": "article",
  "title": "After losing his father to diabetes, engineer Manish Kumar switched to chemical-free farming and now earns in lakhs",
  "summary": "Engineer Manish Kumar from Jehanabad in Bihar started a chemical-free farming startup after his father died of diabetes, and it has received 20 lakh rupees in central funding and a 10 lakh rupee grant from the Bihar government.",
  "content": "Manish Kumar, an engineering graduate from Jehanabad district in Bihar, chose a path very different from most of his peers after finishing his degree. Instead of looking for a job, he built his career around chemical-free farming, and today his venture has grown into a business with an annual turnover running into lakhs of rupees. His goal was never limited to earning a living for himself, he wanted to give farmers and ordinary people access to healthier, chemical-free food as well.\n\nA question from his engineering days, then his father's death changed everything\nManish was studying engineering when a question first crossed his mind, why not work on chemical-free farming. Around that time he visited a place where work was being done on desi cow milk and ghee. It was during this same period that his father passed away due to diabetes. The loss shook Manish deeply. He kept wondering how his father could have developed the disease when he had always eaten nutritious food. Searching for an answer, he came to believe that the root cause of most illnesses lies in what people eat. This made him think about the diets and long lifespans of his ancestors, and he decided to grow and prepare food the way it used to be done in earlier times. That decision marked the beginning of a journey that would eventually turn into a full-fledged startup.\n\nFinancial support from the central and Bihar state governments\nManish Kumar's startup is registered with both the central government and the Bihar state government. To help the venture grow, it received financial assistance of 20 lakh rupees from the central government, along with a grant of 10 lakh rupees from the Bihar state government. Manish is now using this support to expand his business further. His aim is not just to build his own enterprise but to promote environment-friendly farming so that farmers and society at large get a better, healthier alternative.\n\nJaggery from dates and palm, and other chemical-free products\nToday Manish gets a range of products made and supplies them to the market. These mainly include jaggery made from dates and palm (tar), desi khand, taal mishri, kalanamak rice and wheat, all produced without chemical fertilisers. All these products are prepared with the help of local women and men, which has created direct employment within the community itself. Manish has built his own platform to sell these products, reaching local customers through phone calls and WhatsApp, while orders from distant areas are fulfilled through an online website. According to him, these products are now reaching several parts of the country.\n\nA shift in strategy after his father's death, now a turnover in lakhs\nManish says this work around food habits began after his father's health deteriorated and he eventually passed away from the disease. Manish says, \"We will work to ensure no one else falls victim to such an illness.\" With that thought, he began promoting environment-friendly farming. He believes many illnesses are caused by sugar, an ingredient used in almost every household, and felt there was a need to offer people an alternative so they could avoid such diseases by switching away from sugar. That is what led him to start making jaggery from palm and dates, and from this single product he has gone on to develop several others. These products are now in demand across the country, and the business has built up a healthy turnover as a result.\n\nWhat this means for you\nIf you want to avoid adulterated sugar and chemical-laden food available in the market, products from farmers like Manish Kumar could offer you an alternative.\n\n• Across India: Customers nationwide can now order chemical-free jaggery made from dates and palm, desi khand, taal mishri and kalanamak rice through calls, WhatsApp or an online website, giving them a healthier substitute for sugar in everyday cooking.\n• In Jehanabad and Bihar: Manish's startup is creating direct employment for local women and men since every product is prepared at the local level, giving villagers a source of income without having to migrate for work.\n• For young entrepreneurs and farmers: The 20 lakh rupees from the central government and the 10 lakh rupee grant from the state government show that eco-friendly farming startups can access substantial funding through government schemes.\n• For your health: Manish's experience shows that swapping everyday items like sugar for chemical-free alternatives can help prevent several lifestyle diseases.\n\nQuestions & Answers\n\n1. Who is Manish Kumar and where is he from?\nManish Kumar is an engineering graduate from Jehanabad district in Bihar who runs a chemical-free farming startup.\n\n2. Why did he decide to start this work?\nAfter his father died of diabetes, he came to believe that the root cause of most illnesses lies in food habits, which led him to take up chemical-free farming.\n\n3. How much government funding has his startup received?\nIt received 20 lakh rupees from the central government and a 10 lakh rupee grant from the Bihar state government.\n\n4. What products is he making?\nJaggery from dates and palm, desi khand, taal mishri, kalanamak rice and wheat, all made without chemical fertilisers.\n\n5. How are these products made and sold?\nThey are prepared with the help of local women and men, and sold through calls, WhatsApp and an online website.\n\n6. What is his current turnover?\nManish's annual business turnover now runs into lakhs of rupees.\n\n7. Where is the demand for his products?\nAccording to Manish, his products are reaching several parts of the country.\n\nInspiration & Lessons\nManish Kumar's story shows that personal grief can be turned into a mission that benefits others too.\n\n• Turn pain into purpose: He channelled the grief of losing his father into a mission aimed at saving other people's lives.\n• Keep questioning: He refused to accept illness as mere bad luck and kept asking questions until he found what he believed was the real cause.\n• Don't ignore old knowledge: Learning from his ancestors' diets and lifestyle, he brought back older, healthier ways of growing and preparing food.\n• Make the most of government schemes: By registering his startup with both the central and state governments, he secured financial support of 20 lakh and 10 lakh rupees.\n• Bring the community along: Instead of keeping the profits to himself, he involved local women and men in making the products.",
  "url": "https://trendkia.com/en/success-stories/dayabitija-se-pita-ko-khone-ke-bada-injiniyara-manish-ne-apanai-kemikala-mukta-kheti-aba-lakhon-men-kamai-28131",
  "category": "Success Stories",
  "publishedAt": "2026-09-05",
  "tags": [
    "Manish Kumar",
    "Jehanabad",
    "Chemical-free Farming",
    "Startup",
    "Bihar Government",
    "Organic Farming",
    "Success Story",
    "Desi Khand"
  ],
  "language": "en",
  "site": "TrendKia"
}