In a village at Pulamanthole in Malappuram, a 58-year-old farmer, Sasidharan, grows rice for a living. Then there is something else he does; developing plant varieties. On the seven acres of leased-out land, he devotes space to his special interest. He has recently developed ‘Gopika’, a high-yielding rice variety and named it after his daughter. It has been registered in the Plant Varieties Registry as an extant variety and the certificate recognises Sasidharan as its true breeder. 

Sasidharan first learned about plant breeding while attending farmer training sessions by institutes like the Regional Agricultural Research Station, Pattambi (RARS). “I combined the ideas from that class with the traditional knowledge," he says. While many farmers who started with him gave up, Sasidharan persisted.

He began experimenting with rice breeding in 2002. Over eight years, he cultivated and refined seven batches of the Gopika variety to ensure consistency. With assistance from RARS, Pattambi, he submitted it for registration in 2019, and the approval came through in 2025.

Gopika rice is a cross between Jyothi and Aishwarya varieties. “It’s matta rice—darker, tastier, and resilient in the wind and has good immunity,” he explains. With a 120-day maturity period, farmers can grow three crops a year. A single stalk can grow up to 15 cm with about 210 grains, while normal rice stalks have only around 140 grains.

Having worked on fields since childhood, Sasidharan chose farming over academics after completing Class 10. “I’ve lost friendships and connections because of this. When you take on something like this, it demands time, patience, and unwavering focus. I just wanted to succeed," he says. Today, there are buyers across Kerala for his grains, and it is being cultivated in all districts except Kasaragod. As for the future, Sasidharan has attempted experiments in turmeric and yams but without success, he remains hopeful. 

Gopika, his daughter, had aspired to become an Agricultural Officer but couldn’t clear the exam. She went on to pursue Civil Engineering instead. However, her passion for agriculture remained strong, and she is now pursuing a diploma course in Agriculture in Kayamkulam.

For years, Sasidharan has followed a routine without fail. He rises early, reaches his paddy farm where he surveys the plants for pest attacks and ensures the supply of water. He then shifts focus to a patch of land where he experiments with new plant varieties. “I have seen hunger. When you’ve known hunger and poverty, you’ll do whatever it takes to make food," says Sasidharan.

In India, plant varieties are protected under a separate law, the Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001, which safeguards farmers' rights. The Protection of Plant Varieties and Farmers' Rights Act, 2001 was introduced to protect plant varieties, rights of farmers and plant breeders. A plant variety is eligible for registration if it essentially fulfils the criteria of distinctiveness, uniformity and stability.

“This registration is a great achievement, especially considering the plant variety registrations in the country are comparatively less," says R S Praveen Raj, Senior Principal Scientist at NIIST, Thiruvananthapuram.