Our Journey to sustainable living started In 1998, when Neeno was diagnosed with a blood Cancer : Chronic Lymphocytic Leukemia, believed to be triggered by the pollution in Delhi. Research shows a correlation between proximity to busy roads and the prevalence of Leukemia cases, linked to benzene from automobile exhausts

During Neeno’s treatment for Leukemia, we consulted an Ayurvedic physician,

He advised us to go on a diet of organic food, freshly prepared for every meal.

He said the practice of cooking food, storing in a refrigerator and reheating it makes the food toxic for the body. Scientifically it is borne out that when food is reheated, it changes the molecular structure of the ingredients and they lose their nutritional value. So eating such food has no nutrition for the body and is detrimental to the health

He also advised that we should never consume processed foods, drinks, ready made foods, sauces or spice mixtures.

He said Ayurved does not prohibit eating meat , but do not eat red meat, broiler chicken laden with growth hormones, antibiotics, steroids to produce large chicken for the market.

Fresh fish, free range poultry, eggs are the non vegetarian protein sollution

All food is freshly cooked with organic produce using minimal cold pressed organic oil, herbs and spices. We use cooking utensils that are cast iron, glass or stainless steel. We do not use aluminum or non stick cookware. We don’t eat any processed foods, drinks. prepared spices or sauces. Everything is freshly prepared. All spices are organic, freshly ground, sauces are freshly prepared. Even Milk has various additives We buy fresh A2 cow milk from a local dairy, make fresh butter, ghee. yogurt, buttermilk, paneer, cheese.

We sourced food from organic farms around Delhi. cooking the freshly harvested organic produce into wholesome meals. We only use organic grains like wheat and millets. We bake our own whole grain sour dough bread.

This organic lifestyle helped Neeno build up immunity to combat the cancer and the numerous bouts of chemotherapy, medications recommended. Her cancer was eventually cured by a stem cell transplant in 2009,

Subsequently, she lives a normal healthy life The organic food and lifestyle helped Neeno combat her cancer and go through the treatments needed, however, the damage to her lungs from the treatments led to recurrent lung infections, and the doctors advised her to move out of Delhi’s pollution. Our son then bought a home in Goa and we moved there in the winters, coming back in the summers when Delhi Air was cleaner.

Our aquaponic journey started when we moved to our son’s home in Goa which was a double storeyed villa near the sea, but had little place to grow food. We discovered aquaponics as a means to grow a large amount of organic food in restricted areas and decided to grow organic food in our home.

We started the process in our Delhi home , where the original garden at the back of the Delhi house, was converted into a greenhouse with Aquaponics and Permaculture growing 3000 plants of vegetables, and two fish tanks growing 120 kg of fresh water fish : Carp, Rohu, Katla, using aquaponics, permaculture in media beds , without artificial fertilizer, pesticides, weedicides

We created a 10 ft wide and 14 ft long 8 ft high climate controlled greenhouse on the ground floor, using dual inverter Air conditioner. This area grows 5000 plants of lettuce , green onions and spinach, microgreens in aeroponic towers and racks of trays. This provides us an income by the sale of 240 plants every weekend.