Retired Army Colonel Grows 11 Tonnes of Organic Apples

A retired army colonel is proving that the same discipline that wins battles can also heal the land. Colonel Divya Thakur spent three decades serving India, but his greatest mission started when he returned to his family's aging apple orchard in Manali.

The trees were struggling. Years of chemical use had weakened them, and the soil was depleted.

Thakur brought military precision to farming. He planned each season carefully, monitored his trees like a commander watches his troops, and pruned with surgical timing.

The transformation started with the soil. Thakur replaced chemical fertilizers with jeevamrit, a natural mix of cow dung, jaggery, soil and beneficial microbes that rebuilt nutrients from the ground up.

Water conservation came next. In the fragile Himalayan ecosystem, every drop matters, so he installed drip irrigation and rainwater harvesting systems to keep his orchard thriving without waste.

For pests, he skipped the toxic sprays. Neem oil, helpful insects and natural microbes became his defense force, protecting his apples while keeping them completely chemical-free.

The Ripple Effect

Thakur didn't just transform his own land. He underwent extensive training in organic apple farming, then shared every lesson with neighboring farmers who watched his success with growing interest.

His first full organic harvest delivered results that silenced doubters: 11 tonnes of certified organic apples that reached markets across India. The fruit was healthier, the trees were stronger, and the land was healing.

Now other Manali farmers are following his lead. What started as one colonel's mission to restore his family orchard is becoming a regional shift toward sustainable agriculture that protects both livelihoods and the environment.

For Thakur, farming isn't about quick profits but long-term stewardship of the land, the water, and the future.