GARSHOM PRAVASI RETURNEE AWARD 2017

“ Only those who attempt the absurd can achieve the impossible “ said Albert Einstein. N K Kurian did just that to accomplish the most improbable and a very novel concept. He put in over 14 years of hard work to establish the world’s first Agricultural Theme Park in Kaduthuruthy near Kottayam. The world’s first Agricultural Theme Park ‘ Mango Meadows ‘ is the dream project of N K Kurian a gulf returnee. It took him 14 years and 30 acres of land to establish the park. The park has various varieties of plants and trees, about 4500 species of plants and 10000 of their sub varieties. The park is self-sustainable for human living in the sense that it is filled with produce that is necessary for a normal human to live. The park is strictly eco-friendly that, even for transporting goods and people, either bullock carts or horse driven carts or battery operated cars are only used.

The spark of inspiration to accomplish such a project came to him, when he was working in Dubai. As part of his job, he had to visit various sites and on one such site visit, he came across an artificially created oasis of greenery in the middle of the desert created by an Arab. It was this inspiration that led Kurian to embark upon this dream.

Kurian is a Civil Engineer who initially started his career in Saudi Arabia and then moved to Dubai where parallel to working, he also ventured into setting up his own business. And later he returned to settle down in Kerala. The Mango Meadows when completed will provide jobs to almost 200 people locally. Kurian definitely needs to be appreciated for showing the will to initiate an innovative thought and for his intention to give back to society in terms of creating jobs for the local populace.