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About Us
About Us
Our Name and The Purpose
The word Bihun finds its roots in the Santali word ‘bihan‘, meaning seeds. It’s a word rich with symbolism—a quiet yet powerful marker of new beginnings, regeneration, and continuity. In many Indigenous cultures, especially among Adivasi communities, seeds are not just agricultural inputs; they are keepers of memory, a sense of freedom, resilience and ancestral wisdom.
In naming this effort Bihun, we hope to carry forward the spirit of the seed: quiet, persistent, and transformative.
At Bihun, we envision a world where food thrives in harmony with both people and nature. Our philosophy, rooted in the ‘Nature-Culture entanglement,’ guides our approach to grassroots action, scientific research, and business model. This perspective emphasises the importance of fostering a nature-driven approach to sustainability that prioritises biodiversity and healthy ecosystems and finally restores the health of communities. This philosophy is all the more important since we face the complex challenges of urbanisation, capitalism, and climate change that threaten agricultural livelihoods, perpetuating social vulnerabilities and agro-biodiversity losses. We aim to create a resilient future by honouring our food systems’ intricate connections.
Such an approach would recognise the agency of people, plants, animals, and other non-human species in rebuilding damaged ecosystems and nurturing people, places and ecologies.
Beginning
The Beginning
During my PhD days, I had the privilege of spending a significant amount of time with the Santali community—an experience that left a lasting impression on both my research and my way of thinking.
The Santals lived close to the forests, where their lives were deeply intertwined with both cultivated and uncultivated sources of food. What struck me most was how their everyday lives revealed a world far more expansive than the human-centric lens I was used to. Their lifeworlds were shaped by multispecies entanglements, where plants, animals, rivers, and even stones had presence, agency, and meaning.
They didn’t just live off the land; they lived with it. Nature was not a resource to be extracted but a relative to be respected. Culture and cosmology blended seamlessly, teaching restraint in consumption and encouraging a sense of balance. Festivals, songs, and rituals weren’t just celebratory—they were acts of reverence toward the soil, the trees, the birds, the wind, and even the unseen forces that dwell in the in-between.
I remember how often they spoke of care, not just care for family or crops, but for everything that is alive. There was a quiet ethic of coexistence in their worldview, something deeply rooted and effortlessly practised. It made me pause, rethink, and slowly unlearn the binaries I had carried with me: nature/culture, human/non-human, sacred/profane.
It was through these lessons of reciprocity, humility, and deep interdependence that Bihun was born. The name itself, rooted in the Santali word bihan, meaning “seed”, speaks of beginnings. Bihun, as a social enterprise, is an attempt to carry forward that wisdom.
Manifesto
Our Manifesto
𝗜𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝗰𝗼𝗻𝗻𝗲𝗰𝘁𝗲𝗱𝗻𝗲𝘀𝘀
Everything in nature exists in relationships and networks. The soil microbiome, our gut microbiome, and the biosphere all work together to sustain life.
𝗥𝗲𝗴𝗲𝗻𝗲𝗿𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻
Embracing the idea that the earth is alive allows us to shift from a mindset of depletion to one of renewal. By caring for our environment, we promote regeneration and health for all.
O𝘂𝗿 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗶𝘀 𝗶𝗻𝘁𝗲𝗿𝘁𝘄𝗶𝗻𝗲𝗱 𝘄𝗶𝘁𝗵 𝘁𝗵𝗲 𝗵𝗲𝗮𝗹𝘁𝗵 𝗼𝗳 𝗼𝘂𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝗻𝗲𝘁
The healthier the food, the more biodiverse it is. Scientists have long discovered that chronic diseases are a result of the destruction of our gut microbiome. And the gut needs diverse food. It can recognize synthetic molecules and it has sickness; it can recognize chemicals. We cannot cheat our gut and our health. Health is the experience of taking care of the living earth and making her healthy; in return, she brings us health. By nurturing biodiversity, we not only support our ecosystems but also create a sustainable future for generations to come. When we prioritize diverse practices in agriculture and food systems, we foster resilience against climate change and promote a thriving environment for all living beings.
The Earth
The Earth does not belong to us,
we belong to the Earth
At Bihun each grain you consume let it remind you of the deep interconnectedness with the soil that feeds us, the seeds that sustain us, and the communities that nurture change.
All beings have a right to life, and ecological responsibility is not an option but a sacred duty. Let’s sow a future where people, nature, and the planet thrive together. Because when we care for the Earth, she cares for us tenfold.
Farmers
The Future Needs Farmers
“Farming without farmers is like food without farms” is not a solution. It’s a false promise. Real change lies in the hands of those who care for the land, nurture biodiversity, and feed communities with wisdom passed down for generations. By supporting small-scale farmers and diverse, traditional food systems, we invest in a future that is healthier for people and the planet.
Let’s not trade resilience for convenience.
Let’s grow a future rooted in soil, solidarity, and sovereignty.
Team
Our Team
Sanchita Das
Founding Director & Storyteller
Chandan Shukla
Co-Founder
Sanjay Sigtia
Director
Jay Anand
Director
Harsh Kumar Pandey
Operations Manager