KALPETTA: In the lush, misty hills of Cheeral, Wayanad, amid the vibrant sights of golden turmeric and aromatic coriander, the beating heart of a spices enterprise is savouring all that she has conjured up.
Moving effortlessly in her wheelchair, Sheeba Joy Puliyammakkal supervises every stage of production -- from cleaning and grinding raw spices to meticulously packing the finished goods.
For the 54-year-old, this venture is more than just a business; it is the ultimate triumph of human resilience over physical limitation.
Fifteen years ago, Sheeba’s life took an unexpected turn when a fall from the terrace of her home left her paralysed from the waist down. The sudden loss of mobility bound her to a wheelchair, bringing years of restricted movement and quiet struggle.
With her farmer husband Joy always busy tending to crops on their farm, Sheeba’s life was bound to the four walls of their home. Yet, Sheeba refused to let her circumstances define her future, confronting life with an unwavering smile and unyielding entrepreneurial spirit.
Determined to rewrite her destiny, Sheeba launched a small-scale food enterprise next to her home under the brand name ‘Mitra’ -- operating in conjunction with Karshakamithra, a collective of farmers in Wayanad.
What began as a modest venture soon expanded into an organic food powerhouse. From traditional pickles, squashes and snacks to in-demand spice powders and a newly established rice mill, her product line grew rapidly.
Her mill specialises in Wayanad’s celebrated indigenous rice varieties such as valichoori and thondi, which retain up to 90% of their nutrient-rich bran layer.
Quality and purity remain at the core of Sheeba’s enterprise. Unlike commercial ventures that shortcut processes, her unit sources produce directly from local farms. This attention to detail has earned the trust of consumers -- even across state borders. Today, bulk orders and parcels are regularly dispatched to Kozhikode, Kottayam, Thiruvananthapuram, and neighbouring states like Tamil Nadu and Karnataka.
She works hand in hand with her husband, who heads the Cheeral Karshakamithra, which supports a network of hundreds of local farmers and connects with major government welfare programmes.
Sheeba’s unit provides steady employment to local women, proving that sustainable agriculture and community upliftment can go hand in hand. By turning a life-altering adversity into a force for community transformation, she has shown that physical boundaries and other challenges can never restrict a determined mind.
