Mid-day 44th anniversary special: Reaping the rewards of success

Jo jaadu mitti mein hai wo kisi mein nahirsquo the magic in soil is not seen anywhere else believes Dinesh Vibhute 34 the son of a farmer who runs a nursery in a plush suburb of Mumbai From humble beginnings where he even delivered newspapers to help support his family Vibhutersquos business today earns him lakhs of rupees He also maintains the gardens of some corporates and hotelsHis company has over 500 clients from Bollywood celebrities to business houses and he has employed over 16 people He narrates his journey to successOriginally from Guhagar Ratnagiri I am the fourth of five siblings I had a tough childhood and my farmer father Shantaram 65 was unable to meet ends due to low returns from our farm My mother Shalini 55 ensured that we kids got basic education and ate at least once a day so we could get a peaceful sleep at night My elder siblings discontinued studies after schoolI was unable to help and that is when I decided to take a train for Mumbai I did so off and on to stay with a relative and work here until I moved here in 2019Newspaper to courier boyIn Mumbai I stayed with the relative in her tiny shanty in Golibar Road Santacruz E I started delivering newspapers in the neighbourhood I was paid R300 per month I also distributed mobile bills for which I was paid R1000 monthly I would give R500 to the relative and send R300 to my parents in Ratnagiri I completed BCom through correspondence Then I got my first job at R3000 per month as an office assistant but soon I lost it and didnrsquot work for almost a yearOne day near Mumbai Universityrsquos Kalina campus I spotted people selling plants on the road and on inquiry I was surprised to learn that the nursery business was quite lucrative Apparently the profit margin was almost double with minimal investment Interestingly a nursery could be set up even on a road sideAt DN Nagar Andheri W later I saw private tempos and buses parked close to a footpath turned dumping ground The vehicles were being used as a safe den by many roadside urchins and drug addicts for illegal activities I decided to set up my nursery touching the footpath and in October 2019 I started with a handful of creepers and show plantsWhile the urchins and drivers raised their objections and threatened me with dire consequences to stop the nursery business it was only because of the support of local residents that I could face themThe dumping area on the open plot touching the footpath was slowly changed to a beautiful nursery I decorated the area with colourful creepers and show plants I would get plants and saplings from wholesale nurseries in Haveli and from MIDC in Pune early in the morning I would leave Andheri at 2 am and after spending the entire day in Pune return by late evening I invested R26000 for setting up my nursery and earned Rs 45000 from the sale in a fortnight The red soil I bought for R100 and would sell it from Rs 130 to Rs 150 per packet The earnings I reinvested in buying more plants and saplingsThe redevelopment of D N Nagar luckily worked in my favour DN Nagar is known for MHADA buildings and majority of the people were lower middleclass families who would seldom visit the nursery to buy plantsIn 2019 most of the MHADA buildings were redeveloped into highrises and people staying in these towers not only had the purchasing power but were also fond of plants to decorate their balconies Within the next few months I was offered a place to open a nursery next to Gulshan Kumar Temple on 10th road Juhu by a friendIt was in the year 2020 before the COVID19 lockdown I decided to form a Limited Liability Partnership LLP company with my friend Tushar he presently handles our DN Nagar nursery The company is called D2T Friends Flower Garden LLPCOVID was a game changer as many people were forced to stay indoors and developed a liking for gardening and decorated their balconies with plants and saplings Some would even visit the Juhu nursery to get trained on the type of soil to be used number of time and quantity of water that needs to be used for specific plants type of soil to be used and so onIt was during the second wave when hospitals were running short of oxygen and the shocking media reports on the struggle to find oxygen cylinders that made people understand the importance of covering their balconies terrace and society with green plants and saplings The demand for snake plants and Gulvel was high due to the medicinal benefits of these plantsToday the company has over 500 clients which include celebrities like Arjun Kapoor Anil Kapoor Govinda Shilpa Shetty etc whose gardeners get the saplings plants and other gardening materials from me I also have a few corporates and hotels in Juhu as my clientsI am able to support my family back home financially I stay in a rented apartment in DN Nagar but am keen to buy a flat of my own soon My parents want me to get married and I am determined my life partner should support my mantramdashJo jaadu mitti mein hai wo kisi mein nahiMumbai meri jaanLove about Mumbai Humanity makes Mumbai special for me I have been all over India but havenrsquot come across any place like Mumbai nor anyone like a Mumbaikar And Mumbai never lets anyone sleep on an empty stomachHate about Mumbai The major problem in the city is potholed roads in monsoon and heavy traffic on other daysExpectations from Mumbai I expect more Metro connectivity in the city and I hope the city roads are made of concrete to rid them of potholesDid Mumbai live up to it It might become a reality in near futureWill it remain forever home Though my janmabhoomi is Ratnagiri my karma bhoomi will always be Mumbai because this city has given me everything which I never had in my Janmabhoomi