Astral Foundation's new short film on Farmer's Day honours the contribution of ‘Seed Mother' Rahibai

Astral, through its corporate social responsibility (CSR) arm Astral Foundation, has released a short film on the occasion of Farmer’s Day.

The short film is based on the numerous contributions of ‘Seed Mother’ Rahibai from the Ahmednagar region of Maharashtra.

The film celebrates the 2020 Padma Shree winner’s dedication for agrobiodiversity, preservation and conservation of natural seeds and spreading awareness about organic farming.

Hailing from a remote village called Kombhalne, Rahibai at an early age learned about the side-effects of hybrid seeds and crops despite not receiving any formal education. Thus, she started growing crops with natural seeds only and proceeded to preserve natural seeds for further cultivation.

While her family and peers found her practices strange and pointless, her undying belief in her convictions led her to achieve several milestones for the benefit of her fellow villagers.

Furthermore, her dedication and efforts led her to emerge as an expert in natural seeds and their preservation; in turn founding the Seed Bank of India which is responsible for collecting indigenous seeds from all over the country.

She was duly recognised for contributions to the field of organic farming by the government by conferring upon her the title of ‘Padma Shree’ in the year 2020.

Inspired by her lifelong dedication towards her craft, Astral Foundation has contributed to her endeavours by setting up water supply system so that there is water availability in summer months and hence her seed cultivation does not get affected.

Kairav Engineer, VP Business Development, Astral, said, “We are honoured to be associated with respected Rahibai and we appreciate her cause and philosophy towards organic farming and preservation of natural seeds. We think we should contribute towards such greater good for the farming sector which eventually will benefit everyone at the end of the day.”

He added, “Our short film is a tribute to an inspirational woman who has taught us to overcome numerous obstacles and social barriers to achieve goals that could potentially benefit millions. Being a socially responsible corporate, we strive to wholeheartedly support noble causes such as Rahibai’s efforts towards organic farming and spreading awareness for the same.”