We all remember Shah Rukh Khan being a servant leader in Swades, don’t we? A servant leader is someone who dedicates his/her life to society for a noble cause. Subhashree Santhya is one such woman who falls into the same category. She is a mother and urban farmer from Navi Mumbai, India. She is known for her innovative approach to farming and for using urban spaces to grow food.

The incredible journey started out of her personal suffering. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Subhashree’s younger son, who was just 6 months old at the time, had to go through heart surgery. Because of this, he was advised a chemical-free and clean diet — basically organic food. Living in a big city like Mumbai, and expecting organic food is a tough task. So, Subhashree decided to turn her balcony into a mini-farm. She used a combination of hydroponics and aquaponics to grow a variety of vegetables and herbs, including lettuce, spinach, and mint.

She was able to successfully harvest these crops, and her success motivated her to expand her farming operation. In an interview with HerStory, Subhashree said, “I realized I need to scale it up a bit when several women, mostly mothers with children who had undergone surgeries, asked me to provide them with organic vegetables, especially spinach. But, for this, I needed to be equipped with more knowledge and skills.”

Guess her next move… She pursued a master’s degree in sustainable agriculture from IIT Kharagpur. Truly a super-mom!

Subhashree now has a small farm in Navi Mumbai, where she grows a variety of fruits and vegetables. She has also set up a kitchen garden at her home, where she grows herbs and spices for use in her cooking. Her work has caught the attention of many people in the area, and she has become a role model for others who are interested in urban farming. She encourages others to use their own spaces to grow food, as she believes “growing your own food makes more sense”