In my second year of college, the pandemic hit. For almost 2 years, most of my life stayed indoors: the same four walls, online classes, and very little new to learn or explore. But just as the lockdown was lifted, life threw an opportunity my way. Our college selected 10 out of 1167 students for a student exchange program to Western Sydney University, and I was one among them. I didn't know it then, but that one month completely changed how I saw myself and what agriculture could be.
What Australia Taught Me
Learning from the incredible professors at WSU changed what I knew and who I thought I was. The training in agribusiness, supply chains, logistics, drone tech, even climate research opened my mind, but the real change was internal. I became more confident, more expressive, and more sure of my direction. (full-width)
I came to Sydney feeling out of place. But I left Sydney feeling capable of doing anything.
I came to Sydney feeling out of place. But I left Sydney feeling capable of doing anything.
I saw agriculture in a different light for the first time. Unlike Indian farmers, The farmers there treated agriculture like an enterprise. They knew their inputs, made decisions backed by data, built systems on clarity rather than hoping for a good yield, and they were proud and confident of their profession. I also saw modern farming systems, the role of technology, and how it can make agriculture more stable, sustainable, and profitable.
My trip was a beautiful reminder of how powerful a community’s love can be. In a foreign country where everything felt unfamiliar, Prashant Kaka and Nilima Maushi welcomed us with the warmth of home and connected us with a bigger family away from home through MASI (Marathi Association Sydney Inc). Every evening, different families came to meet us, checking on us, guiding us, feeding us, and taking care of things we didn’t even know how to handle.
Their kindness is something I won’t ever forget.
Returning to India, I saw how much potential exists in our scale, crop diversity, traditional knowledge, and communities. I also saw the gaps more clearly: limited training, weak market access, and farmers relying on hope rather than structured, informed decisions and support.
That drove my interest in rural and tribal entrepreneurship. I realized many people believe capital is the biggest barrier, but it’s skill and clarity that make the real difference. Money only works when people know how to use it. and that belief guided my work at BAIF.
That drove my interest in rural and tribal entrepreneurship. I realized many people believe capital is the biggest barrier, but it’s skill and clarity that make the real difference. Money only works when people know how to use it. and that belief guided my work at BAIF.
This phase of my journey taught me to see the unseen potential in people and understand that empowerment is simply amplifying the voice people already have.
If you’d like a detailed overview of my experience, skills, and achievements, feel free to take a look at my résumé.
If you’d like a detailed overview of my experience, skills, and achievements, feel free to take a look at my résumé.