Post-retirement, elderly individuals may face various challenges and considerations. Some common post-retirement issues include financial planning as retirees transition from a steady income to relying on pensions, savings, and investments. Moreover, their primary concern as individuals age is on healthcare expenses which in most cases often increase. Retirees may need to navigate health insurance options and plan for potential medical costs.
Despite grappling with these challenges, there was one elderly individual who, post-retirement, didn’t succumb to these insecurities. You might be astonished by what he managed to accomplish instead.
You may be surprised to learn that there are more than 1,000 varieties of bananas in the world. In India, commercial banana cultivation involves only 10 to 15 varieties; however, a farmer in Kerala has amassed an impressive 500 varieties!
Known affectionately as the “Banana Man,” sixty-five-year-old Vinod Sahadevan Nair, originally from Parassala, Thiruvananthapuram, did not begin his career as a farmer.
Following his graduation with a Bachelor of Science in Physics, Vinod worked for a while before founding a web design company in Kochi. He made the decision to return home and pursue a career in farming in order to grow the family’s farms following the death of his mother.
In an effort to establish a distinctive farm, Vinod began gathering banana varieties that were uncommon in Kerala.
In order to locate rare plantain varieties, he travelled to several states, including Gujarat, Karnataka, Maharastra, Andhra Pradesh, Tamil Nadu, Bengal, Odisha, Assam, and Manipur. To obtain as many varieties as possible, he even made approaches to different horticulture departments, research institutes, and universities.
Every variety of banana has a distinct cultural component as well. For instance, the Kanyakumari variety “Manoranjitham” has a lovely scent. Accordingly, during festivals, marriages, and other auspicious events, people used to hang them in their homes in the past, according to Vinod.
Currently, 500 different varieties of bananas grow on his farms, including exotic ones like the lady’s finger, red, and blue java. He travelled to Malaysia, Africa, Australia, Hawaii, and Honduras, bringing back a variety of rare plantains from coastal climates.
Vinod makes up to Rs 1 lakh a month selling produce at the wholesale market. Additionally, he has created a Facebook group where he offers various banana varieties at no cost in an effort to raise awareness of them.
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