From selling liquor to nurturing plants: Nursery transforms lives of widows

Guwahati: In an exemplary act of social welfare, a nursery owner and her academician spouse have transformed the lives of 70 widows, who previously relied on country liquor production for survival.
The women, along with local villagers, are now employed at the nursery in diverse roles, including management positions. Their stable income and meaningful employment have enabled them to forge ahead towards a better future.
Dhrubajyoti Sarma, who heads the zoology department at Dimoria College, Khetri, and his wife Rekha Sarma operate Daffodil Nursery Old, the largest nursery in the northeast, situated in Bherakuchi of Kamrup (Metro) district.
The establishment spans approximately 100 bighas and has received accreditation from the Central Institute of Horticulture.
Sarma told TOI, "The nursery has around 300 employees including the people residing in nearby areas and 18 graduate youths. Among them are 70 widows from the nearby villages who earlier were earning their livelihood by producing and selling local alcohol."
These women now participate in various nursery operations, including sapling production, plant maintenance, vehicle loading and unloading, and plant arrangement, securing their livelihood through these activities.
Additionally, the establishment offers regular training sessions in sapling production techniques.
The facility houses approximately 9,000 mother plants and distributes some to neighbouring villagers, enabling them to cultivate saplings at home for the nursery.
According to Sarma, the nursery has established MoUs with 30 northeastern colleges, facilitating student internship programmes.
The nursery's saplings are now exported to neighbouring countries including Bhutan, Bangladesh, Nepal, and various Indian states.