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Albert Einstein said: "If you always do what you have been doing, you will always get what you have always got." Sanjay Gandate from Pardi Kupi village in Maharashtra also believed in this sentence, which prompted him to try different from the traditional method of pearl farming which is totally dependent on the weather.  

He is the third generation of farmers in Gadchiroli district villages influenced by Naxal; he has adopted a unique way to supplement his unstable income in the rice fields-cultivating pearls.

His grandfather and his father have been growing rice on their own 3 acres of ancestral land. As a child, he would visit their farm near Wainganga Rive. And, there, he would find many shells by the river, and was fascinated by the stories his grandfather told him about shells.

"My grandfather told me that pearls were formed in these shells. He said that when the first drop of the first rain of the season enters the shells, it will naturally become a pearl. This theory sounds very interesting. My grandfather’s story interested me so much that I started to study it.” Sanjay said in a conversation with Gadchiroli’s TBI.

After hearing so many stories about pearls, he concluded that when the oyster is alive, something must enter the shell to form a pearl. In his research, he realized that pearls are not naturally shiny, white and round as shown in many pictures.

He kept collecting the shells from the river and found that some of them were filled with pebble-shaped objects, covered with sand and mud. Later he knew that it was a pearl.

In 2002, when he was at 11th Std, he started experimenting. He would take out live oysters from the river and put a small pebble inside. Then he puts the oysters in a bucket full of water and waits for several days. Initially, the oysters would not live longer, which did not stop him from conducting more experiments.

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After months of experimentation, he discovered that pearls are formed by chemicals released by oysters when they are stimulated by foreign bodies. After nearly 15 layers, this chemical substance adheres to the foreign body, making it into a pearl shape.

Sanjay tells us: "Just like we shed tears when there are foreign objects in our eyes; similarly, oysters will release a chemical substance that attaches to the body to form pearls. However, the body does not have to be strong enough to the oyster's death, nor does it have to Weak to withstand chemical pressure and move out of the shell."

When Sanjay got the results by experimenting with a few shells, he rented a freshwater pond, collected tools from his home, and performed a mantle transplant of the internal organs of oysters and appropriate cell nuclei through surgery.  

After setting up, he fished about 5,000 oysters. He said that it takes about 18 to 20 months to form high-quality pearls. But the only condition is that it should be cultured in fresh water and the oysters should be alive until pearls are formed. He put fish in the pond to keep it clean.

Nine months later, he took care of these pearls like a child. The villagers laughed at him many times because they didn't know what a pearl was.

At that time, when pearls were about to form, the Naxal attacked them and destroyed the oysters. Because he wanted to be a teacher, he focused on learning. During the break, he rented a pond and started cultivating pearls, but then again, as oysters. When it was almost ready, it was stolen.

Even if that didn't stop Sanjay, he started cultivating pearls again in 2015, but this time he made his own sink at home and has planted nearly 5,000 pearls. The Minister of National Taxation mentioned in the speech of the Legislative Committee that he is a role model for other farmers.

Sanjay believes in collecting knowledge and is a fourth-year student of the Bachelor of Laws; in addition, he has realized his dream of becoming a teacher by holding seminars and training others to grow pearls.

"When I started cultivating pearls again, everyone opposed me. My parents said that we are poor farmers and we have to do some work that can give us enough money every day, not a year and a half later, but now they are also very satisfied. The profit I made through pearl farming," Sanjay said proudly.

Sanjay made 10 to 1.2 million rupees from pearls. He said that this kind of agriculture requires minimal investment and high returns, but only if the farmers are ready to work hard. He has invested 5,000 rupees to build a fresh water tank in his home.   

He concluded: "I want to send a message to farmers who always listen to you. Try different forms of farming and believe in yourself. If you have the work at hand and are confident, you will succeed."

To learn more about pearl farming or to attend the Perl farming seminar in Sanjay Gandate, you can guide him through the following number: 9697763821  

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