When her husband became bedridden and the responsibility of his treatment fell on her, Bharati Mahesh Nirgude was faced with another equally important responsibility—making sure that the family’s six-acre farm continued to support the household. At a time when medical expenses, the home and farming all had to be managed together, Bharati chose to take charge rather than step back.

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For Bharati, from Umbarkhed, farming has always been an important foundation of her family’s financial stability. Over the years, she built her family’s life through six acres of farmland. Without taking loans, she built a house, bought a Swift car and purchased a Kubota tractor. But on 15 June 2024, her husband suffered a brain stroke, and everything changed suddenly.

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For two months, he had to be fed through a tube. The stroke affected his movement and speech. Bharati now had three responsibilities to handle at the same time—his treatment and physiotherapy, caring for him at home, and taking decisions about the farm. Instead of allowing the situation to overwhelm her, she decided to handle it herself.

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She diversified her farming activities. Along with grape varieties such as Purple, Mama Jumbo, Anushka and Crimson, she cultivated summer tomatoes, bitter gourd and bottle gourd. By growing different crops, she created multiple sources of income. As a member of Sahyadri Farms, she also benefited from the technical guidance available through the organisation.

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During this difficult period, continuing farming was not simply a business decision. It was essential for keeping the household running. She earned around ₹5–6 lakh from tomatoes, ₹2.5–3 lakh from bottle gourd and ₹14–15 lakh from grapes. This income helped her manage medical treatment while also meeting household expenses and supporting her children’s education.

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Gradually, her husband’s health began to improve. Her children also continued progressing in their education—Rutuja is pursuing BCS and video editing, Neha is studying IT Engineering, and Om is studying Automobile Engineering.

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For Bharati, the biggest change during this period was not only financial. It was the confidence she developed to make decisions on her own. Circumstances pushed her into a new role, and she responded by turning farming into the strength that kept her family moving forward.

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Watch the video: Navdurgas of the Farm — Bharati Nirgude

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