A businessman’s life will always be stressful and tensed, especially when he deals with oil and gas industry. What you do after a hectic day full of meetings and facing deadlines? What about a stroll around vegetable garden full of Tomatoes, Brinjals and even Banana plantain to relief your stress from the business. I am not joking and this is not the case in India. Here in Kuwait it’s made possible by Mr Suresh Pillai, CEO of Mark Technologies.
The extreme climates and space constraints haven’t been an obstacle for Mr Suresh and his family to find stress release with his own vegetable garden. With a passion of gardening Suresh has afforded to have a tiny little Organic Kitchen Garden in the terrace of his house at Mangaf and grown vegetables of all nature! Tomato, Brinjal, Ladies Finger, Melon, Mango and even Banana, you name any vegetable...he manages to grow it in his house at Mangaf.
We all love gardening and we often end up with a small pot of Money Plant, Tulsi or few Flowering plants grown in our apartments. But we often forget about the idea of taking it to the terrace in Kuwait. Mr Suresh and his family took it to the next level and made a beautiful vegetable garden on his terrace in his villa at Mangaf.
"Daily morning before going to office, I take a stroll in this garden, it creates positive energy and is a relaxation from the business stress," Suresh says. Suresh is the CEO of Mark Technologies, which is dealing with oil and natural gas industries. I personally look after my business and involve fully into it. This makes one very stressful at times and need a break. Evening after coming back from my office, I again spend some time with my family at this garden, looking after the plants, which is really a relax for the mind, Suresh says. His father also takes care of the plants along with his wife Mrs Suja. One won’t believe that they even have Mango and Grapes trees on their terrace!
One will find Tomatoes, Brinjal, Drum Sticks, Bitter Gaurd, Cucumber, Yellow Cucumber, Green Chillies, Red Spinach etc in this little kitchen garden. "Now I am experiencing with banana plantain. The plant I bought from India and is now grown up full," Suresh added looking at the fully grown banana plantain.
They even have a Mosambi (Sweet Lime) Plant grown near the main door of their Villa. Entrance of the villa is filled with beautiful flowering plants. They have also planted sunflowers. Seeing all these greenery around for a moment we forget that we are in Kuwait.
The family’s experience of farming and having kitchen gardens back in India came in handy when he started growing vegetables on his own terrace two years ago. "Brinjals and Tomatoes are the two vegetables that withstand the extreme climates of Kuwait" says Mr Suresh.
"We don't use fertilizers or pesticides on the plants but add kitchen waste items, rice water which are natural alternatives" says Mrs Suja, wife of Suresh.
“We can feel the difference in the vegetables being bought from market and the ones grown by us. Fresh home grown organic vegetables taste delicious, are good for health and safe from chemicals." says Mr Suresh.
Most of the seeds or plants have been brought from India. "Sometimes, we face difficulties in customs when carrying plants, but we managed however.." Mr Suresh narrates.. In summers, the garden requires watering twice a day and in winters requires only ones a day.
His parents are also helping him in looking after the garden. Suresh and Suja have two kids Gowri (7th std) and Gautham (5th Std) both studying in DPS. The sweet and little vegetable garden by Suresh Pillai and family is the best example for the quote that is “The world of imagination is boundless”.