Tilling fields beckon foreign degrees

The land is reclaiming its own. Bucking the trends of inheriting unchanged mantles or ignoring the ancestry altogether, younger generations ...

The land is reclaiming its own. Bucking the trends of inheriting unchanged mantles or ignoring the ancestry altogether, younger generations of landed agricultural families are re-investing in land. Not money, but education, experience, ambition and acumen.

It8217;s early days yet, but the seeds of the trend has been sown by youngsters like Ranjit Mane and Rakesh Junnare. Both belong to farming families, both have got their hands dirty on ancestral land-holdings and both seek to return to the land with foreign degrees.

8216;8216;I8217;m doing a master8217;s in agricultural economics from the University of Arkansas. Two years from now, I see myself in Patan 8212; my family owns 15 hectares of land between Patan and Tandulwadi talukas 8212; reorganising the farm on a commercial basis,8217;8217; says Mane, 23.

8216;8216;I plan to harness the skills of my former classmates at the Mahatma Phule Agricultural University, Pune. I8217;ve already identified my areas of interest: contract farming, an integrated food supply chain and export of agricultural commodities.8217;8217;

Junnare, 21, hails from Nashik, where his father and four uncles jointly own 110 acres of farmland. Little wonder then that the youth is busy filling out forms for an MSc course in oneology at Adelaide University.

8216;8216;Everyone in the family knew they should be getting into wine-making, but nobody had the know-how about exploiting the 40 acres of grapes we grow,8217;8217; says Junnare. His ultimate aim? A full-fledged winery. And lest you dismiss the youth as glamour-struck, he points out that he already has a bachelor8217;s degree in horticulture from the College of Agriculture, Pune.

One step ahead of Junnare, Mane has no doubt he is doing the right thing. 8216;8216;Education should be practical rather than just theoretical, which is how it is here. Everything I learn at Arkansas is related to the real world. Also, we have the best of infrastructure and resources, excellent student-industry interaction, internships in the agro-industry. Best of all, the syllabus is reviewed every semester,8217;8217; says Mane, who has spent just over a month in the US.

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For all that, Mane refuses to consider abandoning India. 8216;8216;Specialising in agriculture was a logical step, given my family background. But I knew I had to go beyond the parameters available here,8217;8217; he says, who depends on a teaching assistantship and a bank loan.

8216;8216;So far as returning to this country is concerned, I have the example of Sharad Pawar8217;s nephew Rajendra, who came back after studying agriculture at Michigan State University to run Baramati Agro, a commercial enterprise in poultry farming.8217;8217;

India is also the focal point of Junnare8217;s future plans. 8216;8216;I could have gone to France or Netherlands or California. But for Europe I would have had to learn the language first. Also, the climate there is so conducive to wine-making, they use little technology. In California and Australia, they use methods that work for us as well,8217;8217; says the 21-year-old.

Resigned to forking out around Rs 17 lakh for the course 8212; scholarships are hard to come by in Australia, he says 8212; Junnare is open to the idea of working in Australia for a year or so to gain more exposure to the business of wine-making.

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Mane, though is eager to return: 8216;8216;I am secretary of an NGO called Maharashtra Krishi Seva Prathisthan in Satara, which focuses on agriculture extension services. I hope to infuse some of my experience and ideas there too.8217;8217;

But the real test for both will come when they touch base with their farms again. And introduce new technology to their ancestors8217; land.

Sunanda Mehta

Sunanda Mehta is the Resident Editor of The Indian Express in Pune. She is a distinguished journalist, columnist, and author with over three decades of experience in the media industry. Educational background: A merit-lister in her 12 th in CBSE (5th rank in Humanities) Sunanda stood first in History in the Board for which she was awarded the Dr Tarachand Gold Medal. She is a triple-graduate with a Bachelor of Arts (History Honours) from Lady Shri Ram College, New Delhi, Bachelor of Education, Delhi University (on scholarship) and Bachelor of Communication and Journalism, University of Pune. Professional Background Role: As Resident Editor, she oversees the Pune edition of The Indian Express, managing local news coverage, investigative features, and editorial direction for the city. Author: She is an accomplished author, known for her biographies. Her notable books include: The Extraordinary Life and Death of Sunanda Pushkar published by Pan Macmillan (2019). The book was long-listed for the Atta Galatta award for nonfiction and Auther award for best debut author. Majestic Musings - Translation of poems from 100 year old Badshaian from Punjabi to English (2023) Behind the Big Screen- the untold stories of child actors published by Bloomsbury India (2024) Focus Areas: While Sunanda has reported on various subjects from civic to political to investigative and crime, her forte remains long-form human-interest stories, heritage and gender issues. Core Column: "Against All Odds" Sunanda curates and writes a signature series titled "Against All Odds," which profiles individuals who have overcome significant personal, medical, or professional challenges. Recent notable articles (2025) The Story of Dr. Harinder Dhaliwal (July 2025): A Pune AFMC topper who became a neurologist in Canada despite becoming paraplegic. Jayoo Patwardhan’s Cancer Journey (Jan 2025): How the National Film Award-winning designer defeated cancer. Partha Iyengar’s Emergency mid-air (Aug 2025): The story of how Gartner’s India head survived a massive heart attack during a long-haul flight. Recent Notable Articles (Late 2025) Her recent reportage continues to explore deep personal narratives and Pune’s socio-environmental landscape: 1. Personal Narratives & Closure "'I grieved for him 10 years after his murder, found closure to unsolved case'" (Dec 14, 2025): A poignant feature on Vineet Alurkar, son of the late Pune music legend Suresh Alurkar, and how digitizing his father’s collection helped him heal. "A 40-day journey home: how Christopher Benninger's partner gave him the gift of memories" (Nov 23, 2025): A moving tribute to the late acclaimed architect Christopher Benninger and his final trip to the US. "'After 38 years I finally met my biological mother'" (Sept 28, 2025): Chronicling the journey of an adopted daughter from Zurich searching for her roots in Pune. 2. Civic & Heritage "'Vetal Tekdi belongs to common citizens'" (Oct 20, 2025): An interview with environmental activist Dr. Sushma Date on the community-led protection of Pune’s vital green lungs. "'Military village' Apshinge recalls living through war days" (Aug 12, 2025): A report from a village in Maharashtra where nearly every household has a member in the armed forces, focusing on their legacy and current anxieties. 3. High-Profile Commentary & Investigations "Malegaon blast acquittals: 'I was expecting this verdict'" (July 31, 2025): An interview with former special public prosecutor Rohini Salian following the controversial acquittals. "Grounded, license cancelled... she decided to soar higher" (March 30, 2025): The story of Dr. Harpreet A De Singh, Air India’s first woman pilot from 1988, and her transition to leadership and meditation. Signature Style Sunanda Mehta is known for her empathetic storytelling. Unlike standard news reporting, her features often read like narrative non-fiction, focusing on the psychological and emotional resilience of her subjects. One of her articles in The Indian Express titled 'The Quality of Mercy' was converted into a film Rubaru Roshini produced by actor Aamir Khan. She is a strong advocate for Pune's heritage and environment, frequently using her platform to amplify citizen-led movements. X (Twitter): @sunandamehta and @ExpressPune ... Read More