Rishi recently graduated from UC San Diego with a degree in computer science, but his real education took place outside the classroom. After first attempting to grow his own food just three years ago, Rishi decided to spend 3 months doing a on-the-farm apprenticeship at the Navdanya Farm in Dehradun India. Returning to San Diego after his apprenticeship, he co-founded the Neighborhood Community Garden @ UCSD. After graduating from college, he returned to India for another 4 month apprenticeship at Navdanya Farm.
After returning from India in February 2011, Rishi began to plant a vegetable garden for himself and his family. The result was the founding of The Growing Home and Learning Center. Rishi is the bullock behind The Growing Home. He has turned literal tons of soil and dirt to make The Growing Home a reality.
Rishi is a firm believer in the power of hard work. After meeting Sunderlal Bahuguna in India in 2010, he has tried to live by the mantra Bahugunaji gave him:
From the head, to the heart, to the hands.
- Sunderlal Bahuguna
Manju (Pearl) Kumar moved from India to the US when she was 11 years old. With her, she brought the knowledge of her culture. Since then, she has been working in the new world to build bridges from her knowledge of the old world. She has been an avid gardener since she was young, and her encyclopedic knowledge & hunger for experimentation is the basis upon which The Growing Home was built.
Ro Kumar was once upon a time accepted to Harvard and Yale Law, but decided to grow wheatgrass instead.
Ro is in the process of starting a technology startup focused on local commerce and networking neighborhoods. If you or anyone you know would be interested in partnering (or just giving suggestions) please check out the website at localblu.com, or email him at ro@localblu.com
You can also follow him at www.rohitkumar.org
James is The Growing Home’s CSA and Farm manager. After gardening for nearly one decade, James as acquired an encyclopedic knowledge of everything to do with growing plants, from soil life to nutrients.
Oscar helps with the manual labor at The Growing Home. He also helps with the website.
Oscar is in the process of starting a technology startup focused on local commerce and networking neighborhoods. If you or anyone you know would be interested in partnering (or just giving suggestions) please check out the website at localblu.com, or email him at oscar@localblu.com.
Learn more at oscarleung.net
