Bijoy M N has been working with Mahindra Rural Housing Finance Ltd. as a Branch Manager for nearly 3 years. He has taken his passion for the environment and organic farming literally to a whole new level. He, now, has a lush green terrace garden, resembling farmland, on the top of his house. The seeds for the terrace garden were sown by Bijoy’s father 10 years ago, and he has since then ensured that it has grown by leaps and bounds.

Initially, the rooftop only had a few plants, and over the years, a wide portfolio of crops have been added to it. Bijoy’s wife, an Ayurvedic doctor, also supports the father-son duo in maintaining the terrace farm, and she has diversified it further by introducing a herbal garden. The terrace farm now boasts of a wide range of vegetables such as tomato, ladyfinger, brinjal, chilly, spinach and herbal medicines such as brahmi, giloy, five-leaved chaste tree, Ashoka, sweet flag and so on, among others.

Bijoy spends around 45 minutes in the morning and evening on the rooftop garden tending to the plants and watering them. They have maintained the garden with natural pesticides and fertilisers, creating an organic farming system. While they have been able to support the environment through their garden, it has also provided them with a space to further bond with each other and spread positivity.

Bijoy has shared his story on the Spirit of Service portal in a bid to inspire others as well to contribute to the environment in the small manner possible. This World Environment Day, volunteers like Bijoy serve as a reminder to take that first step, even from the confines of our home, to make a positive change.

Note: The Mahindra Group has pledged to give back 750,000 hours of service to the community in the 75th year. All employees clocking in 7.5 hours of service through MySeva between October 2, 2020, to October 1, 2021, will receive an e-certificate from our Chairman Anand Mahindra. The Top 75 volunteers clocking in maximum hours during the 75th year would be recognised separately with special memorabilia. Employees can record their Acts of Kindness by registering on the Spirit of Service portal - https://spiritofservice.mahindra.com/

How are you playing your part in ecosystem restoration this World Environment Day? Share your story with us through the Spirit of Service portal.