Bengal nursery owner shows how

“The most certain way to succeed is always to try just one more time” – Thomas A. Edison.
She might have studied only up to Class 12, maybe she has never heard of Edison or his words, but Rina Khatun of Umedpur in West Bengal’s South 24 Parganas district lives the maxim thoroughly.
It is always a challenge to have a business that is dependent on the vagaries of nature. Last year was even harder. It was not only the scare of COVID-19 and the lockdown.
Until the winter of 2019-2020, business at Rina’s flower nursery was good. Her buyers came from various states such as Assam, Andhra Pradesh and Bihar to load their trucks with seedlings of dahlias and chrysanthemums and other flowers from her and nearby nurseries.
When the government announced a country-wide lockdown towards the end of March, Rina and her husband were sure that it was a temporary issue and kept on tending to their nursery, getting ready for the business of summer flowers. The months before the monsoon were also the time for urban dwellers to visit and take seedlings for their terrace gardens.
Then came the Amphan supercyclone in May 2020. The supercyclone ripped off the bamboo scaffolding, the pickets and the covers shielding the seedlings, flattening all hope of profitable summer business. Anyone in the nursery business will understand the jolt that one gets if seedlings get destroyed. All that Rina and her husband could do is salvage the situation with seedlings for the next season.
Life became tough, but Rina and her husband’s education came in handy. They started giving tuitions to children in the village, who also benefitted since their schools were also locked down. Since the day I took over the helm at VFS, I have emphasized that one should never compromise with education, whatever the social or economic condition.
Rina regrets not being very fluent in Hindi, which makes her uncomfortable while dealing with buyers from other states, but I am sure she will learn and overcome the challenge. What amazed me in my entire conversation with her is that not once did I get any hint of depression in her voice.
Yes, she is unhappy about the jolt they got last year. That is understandable. But she does not waste time brooding. This year, she exhibits renewed energy and is confident of bouncing back. She asked us to pray for her family, and we are sure our prayers will not go unanswered. No matter what obstacle fall in her path to prosperity, Rina will succeed in moving ahead.
Just like the Japanese proverb: “Fall seven times, stand up eight.”