Success Story: Left Family’s Gold-Silver Business, 12th Failures Turns Farmer, Now Earns ₹25 Lakh Annually

Mumbai, India: In a bold move that surprised his family and neighbors, Santosh Jadhav left his family’s gold and silver business to pursue farming in his native village. Today, he earns an annual income of ₹25 lakh through organic farming and by teaching modern agricultural techniques via his YouTube channel, Indian Farmer. Remarkably, Santosh had dropped out after 12th grade, making his journey even more inspiring.

Returning to His Village
In 2012, Santosh returned to his village, Majale Karve, in Kolhapur district, Maharashtra, leaving behind his family’s thriving business in Prayagraj, Uttar Pradesh. His decision was likened by locals to leaving a “superfast express” to take a “passenger train.” Despite warnings from family and neighbors, Santosh was determined to pursue farming.

Identifying the Gap
Between 2012 and 2016, Santosh traveled across Maharashtra on his motorcycle, meeting successful farmers and studying their methods. He observed that most farmers either copied neighbors or followed outdated practices due to a lack of guidance. At that time, practical farming information on the internet was extremely limited.

Launching a YouTube Channel
In 2018, Santosh, along with his childhood friend Akash Jadhav, a mechanical engineer, launched the YouTube channel Indian Farmer. The channel aims to teach farmers modern techniques in simple language. Today, the channel has over 11 million followers. Santosh and Akash earn approximately ₹25 lakh annually from organic farming, using advanced methods like drones that can spray one acre in just 10 minutes—tasks that previously required five hours of manual labor. Santosh’s daily routine involves working in the fields in the morning, shooting videos in the afternoon, editing at night, and posting them the next day.

Farming with Strategy
Farming has been Santosh’s passion since childhood, having spent much time with his grandfather in the fields. Now, he cultivates 11 acres of ancestral land with a strategic crop plan to ensure year-round production. His land allocation includes:

• 3 acres for sugarcane
• 1.5 acres for export-quality grapes
• 2 acres for seasonal tomatoes
• 1 acre each for bell peppers and cucumbers
• 3–4 acres kept fallow or rotated

He has also built a half-acre polyhouse to enhance production efficiency. Santosh’s methodical approach has turned his unconventional career choice into a lucrative and inspiring success story.