Siblings Grow Kashmiri Saffron Indoors, Earn $20K Revenue

In a climate-controlled room in Ludhiana, Kashmiri saffron blooms without a single patch of soil or glimpse of sky. Siblings Asthika and Shankar Narula are growing one of the world's most expensive crops using technology that makes farming possible anywhere.

Their venture started with their father, Vikas Narula, a banker with zero agricultural background but endless curiosity. During the COVID-19 lockdown, he spent months researching indoor saffron farming and spotted a crucial gap: global demand for high-quality Kashmiri saffron far exceeded supply, with most saffron in India actually imported from Iran.

The family didn't rush in. Between 2019 and 2024, they immersed themselves in research, buying academic papers, consulting scientists, and spending over a month in Kashmir learning traditional saffron cultivation. They even connected with renowned scientist Dr Ghilavizadeh Ardalan on video calls to understand the science deeper.

By 2024, their preparation paid off. Grow Grower launched as a family venture using aeroponic technology, where plants grow in mist without soil. Inside their facility, sensors and racks replace fields and tractors, while controlled temperature, humidity, light, and CO₂ levels recreate Kashmir's climate in Punjab.

Saffron is notoriously difficult to grow. One kilogram requires over 150,000 flowers and can sell for anywhere between $3,600 to $18,000 depending on quality. Traditional cultivation depends entirely on unpredictable weather, limited geography, and intensive labor.

The Narulas chose differently. Instead of competing in saturated markets, they targeted a crop where scarcity already existed and technology could make the difference.

Why This Inspires

This story shows how curiosity combined with preparation can transform impossible ideas into reality. A banker's lockdown research became a family mission that required political science graduates and computer science students to become agricultural innovators.

Their approach tackles real problems. Kashmiri saffron production has been declining for years, yet demand keeps rising. By bringing production indoors, the Narulas are making this precious crop accessible beyond Kashmir's valleys while preserving its authentic quality.

What started as one father's fascination has become a blueprint for modern Indian agriculture. The siblings are proving that farming doesn't require vast lands or perfect weather anymore, just knowledge, technology, and willingness to reimagine traditions.

Their venture has already generated impressive revenue, but the real win is bigger. They're showing young Indians that agriculture can be high-tech, sustainable, and exciting. Each saffron flower that blooms in their Ludhiana facility represents a future where food security isn't limited by geography or climate.

The Narulas turned a room into Kashmir, and in doing so, opened up possibilities for what farming can become.