Vesalu Puro, a progressive woman farmer from Porba village in Phek district
ICAR-NRC on Mithun
Medziphema, Nagaland
The inspiring journey of Vesalu Puro, a progressive woman farmer from Porba village in Phek district of Nagaland, has received national recognition after Prime Minister Narendra Modi highlighted her success story in the 137th episode of his monthly radio programme “Mann Ki Baat” on August 30. Highlighting her remarkable transformation from a small-scale flower grower into a promising commercial floriculture entrepreneur, the Prime Minister appreciated how scientific training, technical guidance and institutional support helped her turn her passion for flowers into a sustainable livelihood and an emerging enterprise. Vesalu Puro began growing flowers on a small scale in 2021, initially responding to the growing local demand for flowers for weddings, church functions, festivals and other social occasions.
With technical support from ICAR–Krishi Vigyan Kendra (KVK), Phek under the ICAR-NRC on Mithun Medziphema, Nagaland and ICAR-ATARI Zone VII, Umiam, she was introduced to the gladiolus variety ‘Arka Amar’. KVK Phek provided her with 6,000 corms, along with technical training and guidance on scientific floriculture practices. From just 0.25 acre, she harvested approximately 5,400 marketable flower spikes, generating a gross income of Rs 81,000, a net income of Rs 52,070, with a benefit-cost ratio of 2.80:1.
Encouraged by the success of her initial venture, Vesalu expanded and diversified her enterprise. Today, she has developed a fresh-cut flower enterprise with around 400 varieties, including hydrangea, peony, delphinium, stock, eucalyptus and gladiolus. Her flowers, which were initially marketed within the local area, are now supplied to different parts of Nagaland and even to major metropolitan markets such as Delhi and Mumbai. Her enterprise has also expanded beyond flower production into wedding bouquets, floral arrangements and floriculture-based agro-tourism, creating new avenues for income, employment and local entrepreneurship.
The recognition by the Prime Minister has further brought national visibility to the efforts of KVK Phek in promoting scientific agriculture and entrepreneurship among farmers of the region. Her success story, titled “From a Small Flower Farm to a Blossoming Enterprise: The Success Story of Vesalu Puro,” was published by the Indian Council of Agricultural Research (ICAR) on August 21, 2026. Her achievement was subsequently featured by The New Indian Express under the headline “Small Trial Blooms into a Flower Farm,” highlighting her transformation from a flower-growing enthusiast into a successful floriculture entrepreneur. The story also received wider visibility through the official social media platforms of ICAR.
According to Dr Sanjeev Kumar Singh, Head, ICAR–KVK Phek, the national recognition of Vesalu Puro is a matter of great pride for the farming community of Phek and Nagaland. He stated that her journey demonstrates how passion, perseverance, scientific knowledge, institutional support and entrepreneurship can transform a modest beginning into a profitable and sustainable rural enterprise.
“Vesalu Puro has emerged as a role model for the youth and aspiring entrepreneurs of Nagaland. Her success has already encouraged several young people in Phek district to take up floriculture with the support and guidance of KVK Phek. The recognition by the Prime Minister will further motivate farmers, particularly women and youth, to explore high-value agriculture and develop their own enterprises,” Dr Singh said.
Dr. Girish Patil S, Director, ICAR–National Research Centre on Mithun, Medziphema, also highlighted the broader efforts being undertaken by KVK Phek. He stated that during the last two years, KVK Phek has provided various forms of technological and institutional support to farmers of Phek district under the Government of India’s NEH programme, with a focus on improving livelihoods, promoting entrepreneurship and strengthening rural economies. He added that the recognition of Vesalu Puro’s achievement would encourage more farmers from Nagaland to come forward, adopt scientific technologies, undertake value addition and develop agriculture-based enterprises.
The story of Vesalu Puro is therefore not merely a success story of one farmer. It represents the potential of women-led entrepreneurship, high-value horticulture and farmer–scientist collaboration in transforming rural livelihoods in the North-Eastern region. From a modest beginning on 0.25 acre to supplying flowers beyond Nagaland, her journey stands as an inspiring example of how scientific guidance, determination and entrepreneurial vision can make agriculture a profitable and dignified profession.
The Prime Minister’s mention of her journey in Mann Ki Baat has given a national platform to this inspiring story from the hills of Nagaland and is expected to inspire many more farmers and young entrepreneurs across the North-Eastern region to embrace floriculture, value addition and agri-entrepreneurship.
