[Watch] This 16-year old Bengaluru boy could be the new ambassador for organic farming

This 16-year old by is an unusual teen. When kids of his age engage themselves in video games and fast food, Arya Pudota sets an example by running his own organic farm and running is own youtube channel. It all started six years ago when he saw his mother working in their kitchen garden, tending to the plants herself. While helping his mother in the garden, he gradually fell in love with farming.

There was no turning back since then. He experimented with various methods and gathered farming tips from his uncle's farm house. His skills improved gradually and he inspired the others in his neighbours to join the band. While some of them were more than willing to help hi, the main barrier was the knowledge. So, Arya started his own Youtube channel and started teaching people online. 

His Youtube channel 'My Organic Farm' shows the step-by-step procedure for organic farming and waste management for beginners. His reach is widespread and he has close to 2,000 suscribers and his videos have been watched by over 1 lakh people in 170 countries. Arya also answers the queries of his audience online. But these are not simple text messages, but video answers, which he posts every time there is a query. 

Apart from maintaining a Youtube channel, he also blogs about all the activities involved in organic farming on his personal website. Speaking to media houses, he said, "I am also helping few schools set up organic farms and teaching them about organic composting and solid waste management so that they can teach the same to their students. Incidentally, Arya is also the Secretary of the Environment/Social Service Club (SEWA) in his school.

And acknowledging in amazing contribution to the ecology was the United Nations Environment Program. He has also been awarded the 1st place in Bangalore for Green Apple Day of Service – India Award 2015 by the United States Green Building Council for the contributions he has made towards the environment.

He has also decided to create an organic farming kit and calls it GrowBasic. This, he has started, considering the lack of gardening equipment shops in the city. While he has launched this on the occasion of the World Environment Day this year, the kit will soon be available online on Amazon. The kit consists of a grow bag, a coco peat block, neem fertilizer and some vegetable seeds. The procedure to be followed for using the product has been detailed on a YouTube video uploaded on his channel.

While he wants people to understand and appreciate organic farming, he also believes in living healthy. A trained Yoga instructor, Arya also takes out time to teach Yoga to special needs children. His day starts at 5:30 am in the morning where he manages his studies, his passion and his child-like cravings for video games. However, he never misses out spending time with is plants. 

• karnataka
• south