When a piece of paper turns into a plant. And when eating a ladoo is actually healthy, gifting during this festival of lights becomes even more interesting.

TiE Pune’s members do things differently and those who make gifts do it in a way that makes the pleasure of giving more than receiving. In this issue, we list the varied gifts our members make. To help you choose wisely.

When Renuka Karandikar started Bio Agri Prime Solutions two years ago she was clear that she wanted to make a change to the way farmers grew their plants. Largely on account of using the same chemicals that resulted in resistance to those very same chemicals, farmers’ produce often does not flourish. Renuka’s company looks at various organic molecules that can help farmers grow healthy plants and improve their yield.

So, where’s the gift you might wonder? Part of her work of searching for newer molecules has resulted in pencils that can turn into plants once you’re done with them. Just put it into a pot of mud. Or a paper that’s impregnated with seeds that you can chuck into a pot to get methi, coriander, etc.

Or untreated wood that can adorn your window sill and more. Check it out here: https://www.amazon.in/gp/product/B08SQ39WLJ

While most of us munch on wafers, chocolates and other such refined flours and sugars that are essentially bad for health, Sucheta Bhandare set up Earth Poorna in 2019 to change all that. “I want people to eat healthy food. That also helps out farmers and keeps our traditional grains alive. People have forgotten the taste and benefits of our millets, dried fruits etc.”

Earth Poorna makes ladoos made of ragi and gur. She also manufactures a multigrain ladoo made with different pulses like udid, moong, kulith, rajgira and flax seeds. Both her products have gur and date powder for sweetener and almonds.

“My ladoos are available across the country and 50% of my orders are repeat orders.” Needless to add that not only are her customers getting healthy but so is her bottom line!

Check it out here: https://mittikerang.org/collections/earthpoorna

The festival of lights comes with the festival of sweets. And if Sanchit Aggarwal can help it he’d want you to choose wisely. After starting Eekam Farms a few years ago with the aim to provide people with organic food he found other farm products such as honey, moringa etc, that can help farmers with additional income and you with sensible gifting. Of such healthy items, he has built a very interesting gift box. With Saatvikbites you no longer need to greet family and friends with barfi and ladoos – instead do it with honey, moringa and more. And your friends and relatives will only thank you for it.

Check out details here: https://rzp.io/l/saatvikdiwali

Rashmi Ponkshe was a full-time Economics and English lecturer who chanced upon some things of beauty. Says she, “My husband travels a lot and there were some very beautiful pictures which he had got. I thought of making coasters out of these pictures.” And from there began Magnifi-scenes Total Gifting Solutions. Though the company customizes any gift for you, Rashmi has found a big seller in the Tulsi planter. “I provide tulsi in fabric planters that are non-messy, they absorb all the water, there is no wastage and the plants blossom.

Available on Amazon, check them out here: https://www.amazon.in/s?me=A1OP7EA1Y9FVHX&marketplaceID=A21TJRUUN4KGV