Retired Banker, 68, Grows 200 Plants on Hyderabad Rooftop

When Ashok Rao retired from banking at 68, he didn't slow down. Instead, he turned his 2,000-square-foot Hyderabad rooftop into a lush organic garden bursting with over 200 plants, from spring onions to tomatoes, mint to coriander.

The COVID-19 pandemic sparked his green revolution. With time at home and a desire for fresh, healthy food, Rao transformed his unused terrace into a sustainable food source that now feeds his family daily.

His secret isn't complicated. Rao relies on sunlight, good drainage, and containers as simple as grow bags and window boxes. He enriches his soil with homemade compost made from kitchen scraps, leaves, and cow dung, avoiding chemical fertilizers entirely.

Spring onions became one of his star crops because they're perfect for beginners. These quick-growing greens need just four to six hours of sunlight daily and containers only 20 to 25 centimeters deep. Within weeks, fresh green shoots appear, ready to harvest for salads, soups, and stir-fries.

Rao plants seeds about one centimeter deep, waters once or twice weekly depending on the weather, and sprays neem oil periodically to keep pests away naturally. The plants keep producing as he snips what he needs, allowing new growth to continue.

His wife now plans their meals around what's ready in the garden. Tomato rice, herb-flavored dishes, and fresh salads change with the seasons, connecting their kitchen directly to the soil above their heads.

Sunny's Take

What makes Rao's story special isn't just the impressive number of plants. It's that he started from scratch during a global crisis and found peace, purpose, and practical benefits all growing together. He proves that gardening doesn't require a farm or even a backyard.

His rooftop oasis demonstrates how small spaces can yield big harvests with consistent care and organic methods. Whether you have a balcony, terrace, or sunny windowsill, fresh food is within reach.

For Rao, gardening became more than a retirement hobby. It's his daily meditation, his contribution to sustainability, and his way of staying connected to nature in the heart of the city.

Anyone can start with spring onions today and watch their own green revolution grow.