MEET THE TEAM
We are a passionate team of farmers, scientists, and researchers with 30 years of field experience and scientific know-how. Our vision is to create organic, eco-friendly, sustainable products and technologies with you and for you.
DR. K. VIJAYALAKSHMI
Founder & CEO
Dr K Vijayalakshmi is the driving force behind Sempulam. Her dedication to the cause of sustainable agriculture and organic farming means she has over 30 years of experience working in the field and is one of India’s foremost authorities on the subject. With her unwavering commitment and genuine joy in what she does, she brings steady, focused academic and technical knowledge. Dr Vijayalakshmi is, among several other things, one of the founders and also currently the Research Director of Centre for Indian Knowledge Systems and has been involved in implementing over 75 sustainable agriculture projects, working intensively with farmers around the country. A classical music enthusiast Viji, as she is fondly known, was also a member of the international task force of the International Federation of Organic Agriculture Movement (IFOAM) which was involved in the revision of principles of organic agriculture. She is the author of over 50 books, has produced and researched four documentaries, and published numerous research papers on sustainable organic farming.
K. PARIMALA
Agribusiness Manager
Post graduate in plant pathology. She has two decades of experience in organic farming in the field and in the lab. With deep technical knowledge in traditional rice cultivation, She also helps provide organic certification consultancy support for clients. She is also an expert in terrace gardening, home gardens and helps you to come up with a garden of any size. A great teacher and she loves to work with students and farmers on training.
M. PUGAZHMANI
Agribusiness Associate
Young energetic commerce graduate, Pugazhmani has hands-on experience on business. His skills in handling customers is a great asset to Sempulam. He is the one who manages The E-Commerce platforms of Sempulam.
A. PADMA
Agribusiness Assistant
With her hands on experience of dealing with customers for the last two decades and also her knowledge of traditional rice varieties padma has a way of convincing customers. She makes sure that all the products are packed and ready for all customers on time.
R. PERSHIA MELORINE
Accounts Manager
A meticulous person that she is, maintains our financials and stocks accurately. Also takes care of our various licences and compliances and helps the company run smoothly.
S. SELVA PANDI
Marketing Assistant & Driver
Man Friday at Sempulam. From driving us to various destinations, he is involved in packaging and delivery. With his wide smile for everyone, he is our customers delight.
SUBHASHINI SRIDHAR
Senior Consultant
Subhashini Sridhar brings to the Sempulam team away with people -- farmers and non-forming folk alike -- that is quite unmatched. Backing this life-skill are more than 20 years of hands-on experience in the field of sustainable agriculture and natural resource management. Apart from consulting work that Subhashini has routinely taken on, she has done exhaustive work in Sirkazhi (in Nagapattinam, Tamil Nadu) where her work has won awards for agricultural restoration programmes after the tsunami. As if that was still too little, Subhashini extends her time and talent to aiding women self-help groups in Sirkazhi. Her innate empathy, combined with sound technical knowledge and ability to teach people to understand their desires and challenges, is what makes Subhashini an integral part of the very core of the Sempulam consulting team. Subhashini has a B.Sc., in agriculture from Annamalai University and a post-graduate diploma in business administration. She currently works in Nagapattinam district of Tamil Nadu and her work touches over 5000 farming families.
K. SUBRAMANIAN
Senior Consultant
K Subramanian couldn't have found work that was more suited to him if he actually dreamed it up. Coming from an agrarian family, farming is second nature to him. Add to that a social conscience and a desire to propagate sustainable agriculture, and the result is one of Sempulam's most dynamic senior consultants combining first-hand farming knowledge and technical skills that are impeccable. An advocate of sustainable agriculture and organic farming for over 20 years, Subramanian has converted many a mainstream farmer into attempting sustainable ways, profitably. His previous work with NGOs that worked with sustainable agriculture gives him an edge in terms of understanding grassroots problems and arriving at apt solutions.
R. MANIGANDAN
Consultant
R Manikandan hails from a farming family. Ignoring his post-graduation degree in zoology, Manikandan went into farming full time and is Sempulam's link to farmers. A vast wealth of experience makes Manikandan's knowledge irreplaceable. Having experimented with indigenous paddy conservation in his own farms, among other things, Manikandan is constantly at the cutting edge innovation in sustainable agriculture, which brings to Sempulam first-hand experience that is so important in consulting. A founding member of the Sirkazhi Organic Farmers Association, Manikandan's other skills include the ability to market organic products and making a strong case for organic farming to undecided farmers.
VETRISELVAN
Procurement Consultant
He is the main link between farmers and Sempulam. He makes sure that only those products which pass the quality stipulated by us procured. Gentle and firm with farmers he makes sure that all the products we procure are cultivated organically.
SARGUNAM
Field Coordinator
A very hardworking young Sargunam is our link between the field and Chennai. He makes sure that all the the paddy that are procured from farmers are carefully stored in our godowns. Helps in processing the products and getting it to Chennai for sale.