How An IITian And Former Emirates Banker Turned A Dinner Table Dream Into A 15-Acre Organic Farm

For nearly two decades, Rakesh Anand and Roopika Anand spoke about one dream over countless conversations—leaving their corporate careers to become farmers. That dream finally became reality when the IIT Bombay graduate and the former Emirates Bank (now Emirates NBD) professional walked away from the corporate world to build an organic farming venture that today serves customers across Delhi-NCR. Their inspiring journey was first reported by 30Stades.

Before embracing agriculture, both had carved out successful careers in the corporate sector. Rakesh worked with a multinational exhibition company in Dubai, while Roopika built her career at Emirates Bank. After returning to India in 2001 to care for Rakesh’s ailing mother, Roopika went on to work with ICICI

Bank and later Reliance Capital as North Head, while Rakesh explored solar installations and consultancy. Yet, the idea of growing food naturally never left them. As Roopika told 30Stades, “Life had its own plans. In 2001, we returned to India to care for Rakesh’s ailing mother. I later worked with ICICI Bank and Reliance Capital (North Head) while Rakesh ventured into solar installations and consultancy.”

Their farming journey began modestly in 2018, when they leased two bighas (around 1.24 acres) of land in Uttar Pradesh’s Bulandshahr district. With no formal agricultural background, they turned to experienced local farmers for guidance on organic cultivation, soil health and seasonal crop planning. Speaking to 30Stades, Rakesh recalled, “We grew vegetables, pulses and grains primarily for our family and close friends. With guidance from my friend’s father and his extended family, we learnt the basics of organic cultivation, soil management and seasonal crop planning.”

Encouraged by the success of their first harvest, the couple expanded rapidly, leasing another seven acres in 2019. However, just as they were preparing for their first commercial harvest, the Covid-19 lockdown brought markets and transportation to a standstill. Rather than letting fresh produce go to waste, Roopika began distributing vegetables within their housing society. The response was overwhelmingly positive, with neighbours placing repeat orders and recommending them to others. As she told 30Stades, “We hired a delivery person and began supplying vegetables directly to homes. What started as helping neighbours during the pandemic slowly evolved into a loyal customer base across Delhi-NCR.”

The unexpected success transformed a lockdown solution into a full-fledged business. To secure their long-term future, the couple purchased three acres in Pilakhua during 2021-22 while continuing to lease additional farmland, taking their total cultivated area to around 15 acres. Owning land also allowed them to build cattle sheds and strengthen their commitment to natural farming with indigenous cows, whose dung and urine are used to produce organic manure and natural crop protection formulations.

Today, the Anands grow a diverse range of vegetables, grains, pulses, fruits and millets while also producing cold-pressed oils, traditional pickles and preservative-free fruit ice creams made from farm-grown ingredients. Their produce is sold through WhatsApp, online orders and referrals, with fresh vegetables delivered across Delhi-NCR several times a week. According to Rakesh, crop diversification not only improves soil health but also provides farmers with more stable incomes while reducing agricultural risks.

For the couple, however, the venture is about much more than business. Instead of relying on synthetic fertilisers and pesticides, they use vermicompost, cow dung manure, cow urine-based formulations, buttermilk solutions and neem oil sprays to nurture healthy soil and crops. Roopika told 30Stades that their mission has always been to reconnect people with safe, naturally grown food through sustainable farming. What began as a conversation around the dinner table has evolved into a thriving farm-to-fork enterprise—proving that sometimes the biggest career changes grow from dreams that refuse to fade.