Success Story: This farmer from Rajasthan did wonders with pearl farming

Success Story: Narendra Kumar Girwa, who lives in the small village of Renwal, Rajasthan, used to be like many other people: a hardworking individual who was simply trying to make ends meet. He tried his hardest, but his stationery business, which sold books and supplies, remained stagnant. The losses grew daily, and it seemed as if there was little hope. Still, Narendra was not the kind to give up quickly. Something more, something new, had to be possible for him, he sensed deep inside.

His life changed drastically when he realized the potential of pearl farming, and he went on to rise to prominence in the aquaculture industry. His story serves as evidence of the importance of perseverance, hard work, and a willingness to accept risks.

Narendra’s Journey

Narendra, who came from humble beginnings, owned and ran a stationery business. Despite his best efforts, the business failed, and he lost about Rs 4-5 lakhs. Disappointed but undeterred, Narendra began searching the internet for other business ideas. When he came over the concept of pearl farming while reading, he got intrigued. After researching the subject further, Narendra found that pearl collecting was still a relatively unknown enterprise in Rajasthan. He viewed this as an opportunity, so he decided to give it a go even though he had no prior experience.

Narendra knew he required certain skills to succeed in pearl farming, so he sought the right training. His research led him to the Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) of the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. Narendra enrolled in a five-day pearl cultivation training course provided by CIFA in order to acquire the skills he would need to launch his own company.

Speaking about his past, Narendra said in an exclusive interview with Krishi Jagran that he began pearl farming for about Rs 30,000–35,000. He built ponds on a little 300-yard plot of land to grow oysters, and he purchased excellent oyster seeds from fishermen in Kerala, Gujarat, and Mumbai. His careful planning and sourcing enabled his successful venture into pearl farming.

 Initial Setbacks in Pearl Farming

Like any new undertaking, Narendra had a lot of challenges when he first started his pearl-growing operations. Out of the 500 oysters that he began with, only 35 yielded pearls, totaling 70 pearls. Narendra maintained his optimism despite the fact that the first results were far from ideal. He realized that he needed to advance his methods and use cutting-edge technology to ensure higher profits. Narendra persevered, studied, and trained to improve his farming techniques in order to overcome these initial challenges.

The Achievement of Pearl Farming

Narendra’s persistence soon began to pay dividends. Through constant supervision over the oysters and improvement of his farming methods, he was able to produce pearls of exceptional quality. He expanded his operation by buying more oysters—about 3,000 at a time—and tending to them for a duration of 15 to 18 months. Each batch of 2,000 oysters yielded 4,000 pearls thanks to his efforts.

Narendra Kumar Girwa, a resident of Rajasthan’s little hamlet of Renwal, used to be just like many other people—a diligent worker trying to make ends meet. Despite his best efforts, he was unable to make headway in his stationery company, which sold books and supplies. Every day the losses increased, and the future seemed bleak. Narendra, nevertheless, was not the kind to give up easily. He felt in his heart that he had to be able to achieve something more, something different.

When he saw the possibilities of pearl farming, his path took a radical turn, and he went on to become a prominent player in the aquaculture sector. His tale is proof of the value of tenacity, diligence, and a willingness to take chances.

Originally from a lowly background, Narendra owned and operated a stationery company. He lost between Rs 4-5 lakhs since the firm was not successful despite his diligent efforts. Disappointed but unconquered, Narendra started looking for fresh company concepts on the internet. He became interested in pearl farming when he came across the idea while perusing. Narendra discovered that pearl harvesting was still a mostly undiscovered business in Rajasthan after doing further study on the topic. Despite having no previous expertise, he decided to give it a go since he saw this as an opportunity.

Narendra sought appropriate instruction as he was aware that success in pearl farming needed a certain set of abilities. His investigation brought him to the Indian Council of Agricultural Research’s (ICAR) Central Institute of Freshwater Aquaculture (CIFA) in Bhubaneswar, Odisha. CIFA offered a five-day training course in pearl cultivation, which Narendra attended with the goal of gaining the necessary knowledge to start his own business.

In an exclusive interview with Krishi Jagran, Narendra spoke about his background and said that he started pearl farming for barely Rs 30,000–35,000. He constructed ponds to raise the oysters on a small 300-yard area and bought premium oyster seeds from fisherman in Mumbai, Gujarat, and Kerala. His successful foray into pearl farming was made possible by his meticulous planning and sourcing.

Overcoming Obstacles

At the start of his pearl farming endeavors, Narendra encountered a number of difficulties, just like with any new venture. Just 35 of the 500 oysters he started with produced pearls for a total of 70 pearls. Even though the first outcomes were far from ideal, Narendra remained optimistic. He understood that in order to guarantee greater returns, he needed to improve his techniques and make use of superior technologies. Narendra overcame these early difficulties by refining his agricultural methods via training, study, and persistence.

Cultivation Techniques and Exercises

Narendra’s perseverance quickly started to pay off. He was able to create pearls of superior grade by refining his farming techniques and exercising close oversight over the oysters. By acquiring additional oysters—roughly 3,000 shells at a time—and caring for them for a period of 15 to 18 months, he increased the size of his business. Through his efforts, each batch of 2,000 oysters produced 4,000 pearls.

Narendra’s pearl farming profits increased with time. He began the year with an income of Rs 2 lakhs and over time grew his earnings to earn between Rs 10 and 16 lakhs yearly. His skill to create spherical pearls that were in great demand in the jewelry industry was the secret to his success.

There was attention of Narendra’s pearl farming achievement. His reputation spread, and people began coming to him for advice on pearl cultivation from all across India. Offering training programs, Narendra accepted this new responsibility and has since taught over 250 people from different areas, such as Punjab, Rajasthan, Haryana, and Uttar Pradesh.

In order to formalize his teaching efforts and assist others in beginning their own pearl farming endeavors, he even formed the Alkha Foundation. Due to his success, he has had requests to establish pearl farming operations in Nepal, Bhutan, Dubai, Romania, and other places in India.

Pearl farming, in Narendra’s opinion, has a lot of promise, particularly if done extensively. If the size of activities increases, his existing yearly revenue of Rs 4-5 lakhs from a small unit may easily expand. This is a profitable venture for young entrepreneurs since real pearls are becoming more and more in demand in the jewelry industry.

Pearl Farming Success Story

The inspirational story of Narendra Kumar Girwa’s transformation from a struggling bookseller to a prosperous pearl grower and businessman is one of tenacity and resourcefulness. He has shown that even an unusual industry like pearl farming can achieve amazing success with the correct skills, commitment, and openness to new technology. Narendra is credited as a pioneer of contemporary pearl harvesting since his pearls are now highly valued both domestically and abroad.