Leaving Stressful Corporate Jobs For Farming

[shastarSingh]

http://www.thehindubusinessline.com/portfolio/mutual-funds/charm-in-their-own-farm/article6799320.ece

Vinu Kurien quit his bank job after a 12-year stint. He is now farming cardamom in Kerala. What drove him to give up stable employment and try his luck with the high-risk farming business? “The corporate rat race was getting overheated. Stretching work hours began to eat up my holidays. So, quality time with family was something that I could see only in movies,” says Vinu. Likewise, for Ramkumar, who gave up his high-flying IT job as a senior software consultant at Credit Suisse, Singapore. The promise of a peaceful life amidst verdant fields drew him to agriculture.

Less money, more smiles

How has the career shift changed their lives? “I have gained back my smile and lost a few kilos,” says a smiling Vinu Kurien. “I now have the freedom to plan my travel without having to wait for approvals. I have more time to spend not just with my kids and immediate family but also socialise with my extended family. In contrast, when I was employed, I used to come home very late, only to see my children fast asleep,” recalls Vinu Kurien.