1960s: A Young Boy with a Dream

• 15-year-old Deepak Prakash Baskota visits the Darjeeling Hills in India.
• Inspired by the flourishing tea plantations, he returns to his village, Phidim, with a dream to start a tea farm to help lift his community out of poverty.

Early 1970s: A Bold Pitch

• Baskota proposes the idea of starting a tea farm to the villagers.
• Unfortunately, the elders reject the idea, refusing to give him land for the project.

Late 1970s: The Dream Takes Root

• Unfazed, Baskota and his wife begin planting tea seeds in their own backyard with the help of close friends.
• After four years, the skeptical villagers witness the success of his efforts, realizing that tea production is possible.

1980s: The First Harvest

• After years of hard work, Baskota and his wife harvest their first crop of tea.
• The villagers are amazed by the quality and quantity of the tea, and soon, the news of the successful tea farm spreads throughout the region.

1990s: Expansion and Growth

• The tea farm expands, and Baskota's vision of creating a sustainable tea industry in Nepal begins to take shape.
• The farm becomes a model for other tea farmers in the region, and Baskota's reputation as a pioneer in the tea industry grows.

Late 1970s – Early 1980s: Entrepreneurial Spirit

• Despite initial setbacks in registering his tea garden as a cooperative, Baskota perseveres, registering it as a "domestic industry."
• His venture becomes the Kanchanjangha Tea Estate & Research Center, a pioneer in organic tea production.

Early 1990s: The Rise of a Cooperative Visionary

• Baskota's leadership in forming Nepal's Cooperative Board in 2048 BS is recognized as a game-changing move, likened to a phoenix rising.
• His commitment to cooperative development earned him the title of the "Father of Cooperatives."

Mid-1990s: Choosing the Right Path

• Agriculture Minister Shaileja Acharya recommended him as a member of the National Cooperative Development Board,
• But later Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala recommended him for the post of presidency of the National Cooperative Development Board, Which he accepts.

2000: Taking Nepal Tea to the World

• Baskota establishes Shargila Agro World (SAW) to market, export, and package organic tea from Kanchanjangha Tea Estate, taking Nepal's tea industry to international markets.

A Lifelong Commitment to Agriculture and Cooperatives

• Prime Minister Koirala praises Baskota's dedication to his tea garden and the betterment of agriculture in Nepal.
• Baskota's legacy lives on through his tireless efforts in both the tea industry and the cooperative movement, benefiting farmers and communities across the nation.