In a quiet corner of West Bengal’s East Midnapore district, Kolaghat blooms with life every morning. Its flower market, filled with the bright yellows of marigolds and the soft pinks of roses, buzzes with gentle energy. Amid this colourful bustle, young Arup Kumar Ghosh grew up, finding inspiration in the beauty and rhythm of the trade that connects flowers to homes across India.

In 2010, Arup dropped out of college after completing just one year of his commerce degree and began interacting with local flower vendors to study the market. His keen interest in flowers led him to Hyderabad in 2011, where he worked at one of the flower shops in the Gudimalkapur Flower Market. “My job involved assisting in the sale of flowers like marigold strings and tube roses,” says the 33-year-old.

“I was earning a sum of Rs 3500 per month while working long hours from 6 am to 4 pm. During my time there, I learned that flowers from Kolaghat were being sent to the Hyderabad flower market. This made me realise that I could return to my hometown and start my venture in this growing industry,” he tells The Better India.

He began his journey with a modest venture, buying vibrant marigold strings from the bustling Flower Market Kolaghat. Each string, purchased at Rs 120, would later be sold for Rs140-150 in local markets. The bright orange and yellow garlands, symbols of celebration and devotion, quickly found eager buyers. With every 100 strings, he earned a tidy profit of Rs 2,000 to Rs 3,000—a small but encouraging reward for his hard work.

As months passed and his confidence grew, he envisioned something bigger. Instead of simply trading flowers, he decided to cultivate them himself. This bold step marked the beginning of his farming journey, bringing him closer to the source of the blooms that had sparked his passion.

The first step into business

In late 2011, Arup Kumar Ghosh took his first bold step into floriculture by leasing a two-bhiga plot of land to experiment with marigold farming. Keeping his investment modest, he spent around Rs 12,000 to lease the land,

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