Narayanan Unny hails from a traditional farming family in Chittoor, Palakkad District of Kerala.
I had known him since mid-80’s, that was when he approached me seeking business partnership from Hindustan Computers Limited that I headed in Kerala at that time, which he set up at Calicut & Palakkad and ran fairly well for many years.
His father’s death was a turning point in his life. He decided to go back to rice farming that his dad was following. For more than 150 years, the family owned 15+ acre paddy field. Rather than being a ‘Palakkadan Matta Rice’ cultivator, he thought radically to revive the Navara rice cultivation, that was endemic to the place, but has been practically extinct.
Navara rice has this enormous medicinal properties and traditional Ayurveda greatly depends on it for the treatment of cervical spondylosis, low backache, paralysis, rheumatoid arthritis & neuromuscular disorders.
The book, ‘Navara Rice - A success Story’ published by ‘Trust for Advancement in Agricultural Science’, New Delhi headed by Dr. RS Paroda, briefs his struggle and endeavour of more than 2 decades. While a normal farmer would have given up, Unny, with great efforts and with the goodwill and assistance from family, friends, scientists, policy makers and industry bodies; revived Navara rice and established its supply chain as a true organic food.
Unny & I have always been in touch and are good family friends. Though fully aware of his acts, I had not considered the true value of Unny’s endeavor until I read this book and then for the next half an hour I let my mind go through his trials to establish Navara Eco Farm. It was indeed a committed but tough act.
Narayanan Unny, the one man army’s determination, patience, perseverance and toil to revive a practically extinct rice variety and the successful outcome of establishing the most valued Navara rice back in to the shelves, for people & ayurvedics to use it, for deriving immense health benefits from it; is an epic story by itself.
There is a Tamil novel by Jayakanthan, titled, ‘Sila nerangalil sila manithargal’. Loosely translated, it says, ‘some persona in some moments’. To me, Narayanan Unny is the really the man of the moment.
May the planet beget more Narayan Unny’s!
