Whenever anyone asks me for my inspiration, I begin with Mahatma Gandhi’s words, “An ounce of practice is worth a thousand words.” I practically experienced these words from the practices of my ideal. I always feel proud to introduce the humble man whose efforts over three decades build the Cultivator’s Empire – My Father – Mr. Narayan Dass Prajapati. He is a living embodiment of ‘Success,’ ‘Knowledge,’ ‘Humility,’ and ‘Welfare.’ The humble maestro of organic & medicinal farming is still leading Cultivator Natural Products Pvt. Ltd. at the prime of his youthful 84 years. I am just his shadow despite being the CEO of the company. He was called the ‘Agri-innovator’ of the Era, cultivating ‘Agricultural Miracles’ for over 35 years, and spreading the ‘Power of Plants’ worldwide. He is a visionary philanthropist. I don’t think I have seen any man more grounded and humbler than him.
Having said all that, I think I must introduce CULTIVATOR’S to you all. To me, CULTIVATOR’S is a Farmer, a Producer, a Creator, a Maker, an Inventor, a Nourisher, a Provider, a Protector, a Manufacturer, and a Caregiver. ‘Cultivator’ isn’t just a name; it is a Holistic Viewpoint that finds a perfect balance between Life and Nature. When my father founded the company, he put forward a thought, “WE WOULD CULTIVATE THE FRUIT OF NATURE AND HELP THE WORLD BECOME A HEALTHIER ONE!” Since the day I joined my father in 2005, I have not strayed away from this idea even for a minute. If I let you all in on my secret to success, it is just following in my father’s footsteps.
The Cultivator’s Story
Ayurveda has been practiced in Indian Subcontinent for over Two Millenia. Some of the works in Ayurveda even date back to 600 BCE. The benefits of Ayurveda are well-acknowledged across the world. Cultivator Natural Products has gathered centuries of knowledge of Ayurveda & studied it for decades. We believe in crafting with care, compassion, and careful consideration. We ensure the complete purity of our products. We personally select raw herbs through a rigorous scientific selection process to keep the quality of the natural products intact even when they reach our customers. We started in a single room, and today we have multiple manufacturing and processing facilities of over 275,000 sq. ft. Our state-of-the-art facilities cater to the global needs of the herbal and organic industry.
We have our certified organic cultivation on over 1000 acres. We are also associated with organic farmers cultivating authentic herbs and botanicals on over 2000 acres of agricultural land across India. We follow Good Agricultural and Collection Practices (GACP) for medicinal plants. Maintaining a hygienic production system is of critical importance at every stage of the botanicals journey, from selecting seeds or planting material to manufacturing the final products. We offer Fair for Life – Fairtrade certified, USDA- NOP certified, ECOCERT as NPOP certified, COSMOS certified & ECOCERT Cosmetics certified finished products with customized packaging solutions. We bring together unparalleled technologies with revolutionary ingredients to give our clients the best of Ayurveda. We offer a holistic haircare & healthcare range, certified & tested on various quality parameters, to provide true and traceable ayurvedic herbs, botanicals, spices, and formulated products.
My Journey with Cultivator’s
I was always tagged as a brilliant child and a student with academic potential. Maybe it was the discipline and dedication my parents taught me; I grew up as my parents expected me to. I finished my M.Sc. in Medicinal Plants with a specialization in Ayurveda, Vrikshayurveda, Organic Farming, and Cultivation of Medicinal Plants. Seventeen years ago, when I joined my father, he handed me the baton of shaping a sustainable future and made me lead the path to success. I was tasked to advance Cultivator’s at the international level. All I had with me was learnings from my father and my zeal to learn from all the possible sources. Together with my team, we set the target of being ‘Carbon Neutral’ by 2030. I have had a strong inclination toward research and development, and that made me turn into a reader, a researcher, a developer, an innovator, and a rigorous learner. Over the years, I was graced with numerous awards and accolades, including the title of being an ‘Agri-preneur.’
The message for the world from Cultivator’s
We have sown the seeds of optimal health and overall well-being. We have nourished and nurtured the plant. We have carefully made it ripe.
NOW, WE WANT THE WORLD TO REAP THE BENEFITS. BE A PART OF THE CULTIVATOR’S FAMILY AND SPREAD THE FRUITS OF AYURVEDA!
I remember how much effort I had to put in and how many resources I directed to bring Cultivator’s first 100% organic hair color range to the market. That turned out to be a real success. Later, we started manufacturing for some of the best-known brands globally. Our presence across four continents in 35+ countries is a clear testimony to our phenomenal growth.
A Lesson for the Young Entrepreneurs
This field isn’t easy. For that matter, whatever field you choose wouldn’t be easy. There is struggle all around you. The only difference between success and failure is your attitude. If you be an effective leader, success shall be your lifelong companion. On the contrary, failure won’t free you from its clutches if you choose to boss around.
Since the dawn of civilizations, throughout humankind’s societal transition from autocracy to democracy, principles of leadership have survived all tests and stood firm on the grounds. One must remember that an effective leader remains responsible for the outcomes and engages, influences, inquires, directs, delegates, engages, and inspires others to work toward the successful culmination of tasks. A leader involves and leads people toward the right course, arouses their interest, and motivates them to work harder with dedication; gives them the power to make decisions; takes on responsibilities himself; leads through thick and thin; benefits others with results and practices what he preaches.
I have never tried to boss around. For that matter, I have never been a boss. I admire the words of Gandhiji, just like my father – “Be the change that you want to see in the world.” I prefer working alongside my employees as diligently as possible rather than just blasting orders like a typical boss. Standing stronger with a majority of women employees totaling 300+ at Cultivator’s, no one is a boss, everyone here is a leader. Adhere to these simple steps, and you won’t face failure in life. Everything around you will exemplify success and growth.
A Lesson for The Start-Ups in the Field of Organics & Environmental Sustainability
I have laid three strong foundation pillars in my journey to success. And I have religiously followed them to make Cultivator’s a well-known brand providing private labeling, contract manufacturing, OEM & ODM services to nutraceuticals and cosmeceutical companies globally.
- Be Sustainable
- A step toward Carbon Neutrality
- Give back to the Society
“Let’s make this Earth Better, Safer & Sustainable” – Easier said than done! But trust me, it isn’t impossible. Cultivator Natural Products Pvt. Ltd. took years to get in line with its ambitious mission and adhere to the 17 Sustainable Development Goals pointed out by the United Nations in the ‘Agenda: 2030’. We aim to create a sustainable earth for our future generation.
We know that Carbon Neutrality is a vital part of our Sustainability Program and our CSR (Corporate Social Responsibility) activities. We strive to achieve Carbon Neutrality by the year 2030. You may call us carbon-neutral, net-zero, or even climate positive. We have minimized our carbon emission & are rigorously working to reduce it further. We balance our existing carbon footprints by funding carbon savings in our environmental conservation activities worldwide.
The fundamental human nature is taking what’s needed or gaining it through any means. Only a genuinely humane one can understand that we are responsible for giving back to mother nature and society. As the head of the Cultivator’s family, I understand the fulfilling feeling of giving back to mother nature and contributing to society. In all our endeavors, we take long strides to ensure that we don’t harm anyone and give back more than we take!
The Final Words from My Heart
Yes, you read that right. ‘Words’ from ‘Heart’? That seems like a plain joke, but it isn’t. Unless you believe in something truly, you cannot make others believe it. Whether you are an entrepreneur, a businessperson, an employer, or an employee, your final decision to stand firm with an idea must come from within.
With thoughtful ideation, we have established a mission to promote sustainable, organic, and regenerative farming following the fair-for-life and fair-wild compliances and offer the best quality herbs, botanicals, nutraceutical & cosmeceutical products in the global market. Also, while we step towards being a carbon-neutral, zero-waste, and thoroughly renewable-energy-based company, we’ll leave no stone unturned in our research and product innovation. One thing that no one should miss and must incorporate in their short-term and long-term goals is – to strive to be an employee-centric organization focused on diversity & inclusion by treating our employees as the most valuable assets for holistic growth. Apart from these parting words, I have only personal wisdom left to impart. You can contact me through Cultivator’s website and social media handles for further interactions. I’d leave here with a vision that echoes my ideology – TRUSTABLE. TRACEABLE. TANGIBLE.
Tarun Prajapati
Managing Director
Cultivator Natural Products