“Paddy farming was slowly wearing me down,” says 50-year-old farmer Bapi Bhandari, from rural West Bengal. “The soil became weak, water was scarce, and the returns never matched the amount of work I put in. I had to ask myself, is this the future I want for myself, or my children?”

Bapi’s words are echoed by thousands of farmers across India who are caught in an unending cycle of low yield, environmental stress, and increasing reliance on chemical inputs. For many, it is a life of struggle, with little room to break free from the chains of traditional and unsustainable farming practices. But against this backdrop of despair, somebody is bringing hope and light to the lives of these farmers.

Jasmit Singh Arora, a 51-year-old entrepreneur from Kolkata, West Bengal, has become a national figure and is popularly known as the ‘Gutli Man of India’. His journey in this field is worth talking about.

Trained as a doctor, Jasmit spent the first three decades of his life building businesses in IT and pharmaceuticals. It was a career that afforded him the independence he craved, the freedom to be his own boss, and make his own choices. Yet, despite his professional success, a soulful calling began to grow inside him. He wanted his life to have more meaning and to contribute something that would make a difference in the world.

How compassion planted the first seed

“I always knew I was not meant for a job,” the 51-year-old recalls, his eyes reflecting a deep-seated conviction. “I needed the freedom to choose how I live. But after years of success, I began to realise that true success is not just about what you achieve for yourself, it is about what you give back. I wanted to do something that would uplift people and protect the environment,” he tells The Better India.

This desire to make an impact was rooted in his upbringing. His mother, a trained nurse, had volunteered during the 1971 war, not for profit, but to help those in need. “Her spirit of service has stayed with me,” he says with a wistful smile. “She was my inspiration. She pushed me to believe that I can do something that leaves the world better than I found it.”

It was during visits to rural villages that he started finding ways to make a difference. He witnessed firsthand the struggles of farmers, particularly those dependent on paddy cultivation. The land was overworked, the water supplies dwindling, and the children of these farmers had no desire to follow in their parents’ footsteps.

“There was no legacy,” he explains, his voice tinged with concern. “The next generation........

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