Organic India Private Limited

At the heart of ORGANIC INDIA is our commitment to promote holistic sustainable development for all beings through organic agriculture. We are committed to service, sanctity and integrity, and to operating an ethical and sustainable business that harms none and benefits all. ORGANIC INDIA is a global leader in promoting organic products and in supporting sustainable farming, wild crafting and village/tribal agricultural communities in India.

We cultivate, collect, process, manufacture and market Certified Organic Tulsi Teas, Herbal Supplements, Psyllium, Castor Oil, Ayurvedic and Medicinal Herbs, and many other organic foods and organic spices. Our products are of the highest quality and marketed all over the world. We are continually developing and expanding our range of organic foods and health products.

All ORGANIC INDIA facilities and processing centers have been awarded SQF, HACCP, GMP, ISO-9001 and Kosher certifications, and are EU, Skal, ECO-Cert and USDA certified for organic production. We have designed and developed our unique processing methods and advanced dehydration technologies to ensure maximum retention of potency and nutritional values, so that we can remain true to our commitment to offer the highest quality organic products available today.

During the 1990's thousands of people from all over the world came to Lucknow, India to meet Sri H.W.L. Poonja, lovingly known as Papaji. Drawn to India in search of Truth and Self Realization, people came flooding to Lucknow upon hearing of the simple teaching of Papaji: "Keep Quiet. The Eternal Truth exists within you. Do not entertain a single thought and the Truth will reveal itself to itself."

A number of people settled in Lucknow at that time, living and working independently. A few people, including Prashanti de Jaeger, an Ayurvedic Practitioner and Bharat Mitra (Yoav Lev), Chairman and President of IITC ORGANIC INDIA Pvt. Ltd, began a small business of developing Ayurvedic herbal formulations for the health and well being of the many people coming to Lucknow. IITC ORGANIC INDIA Private Limited was renamed in the year 2006 as ORGANIC INDIA Private Limited.

Bharat Mitra, Prashanti and few others soon expanded the business to include trading various items from India to the west. Papaji named the business, Indo Israel Trading Corporation Private Limited, IITC and it was incorporated in 1997. There were several people who were inspired to invest in IITC, which helped us to get off to a good start. Thus began the humble beginnings of our company.

In September 1997, Papaji left his mortal form, and many people left Lucknow as well. However Bharat Mitra, originally from Israel, stayed in Lucknow with a small number of other people from around the world, and continued to develop the business. We began growing and collecting our own herbs for our herbal formulations, not being satisfied with the quality of herbs available on the market.

We had the good fortune in 1998 to meet Dr. Narendra Singh whose extensive research on Tulsi led him to write the book "Tulsi, The Mother Medicine of Nature", in collaboration with Dr. Yamuna Hoette from Germany, and Dr. Ralph Miller from Canada. Dr. N. Singh has dedicated his life to studying and researching the medicinal value and application of thousands of Ayurvedic herbs. His research and clinical studies led him to develop a comprehensive range of herbal medicines for the care of chronic and acute illnesses. Our successful collaboration with Dr. Narendra Singh led us to develop our delicious and health promoting Tulsi Tea and our successful line of Herbal Supplements, all based on his research and clinical studies. Dr. N. Singh has successfully treated tens of thousands of patients with these formulations over a period of more than forty years.

• Bharat Mitra (Yoav Lev)
 President & Founder
• Bhavani (Holly B.) Lev
Co-Founder
• Christopher Dean
Chairman
B.A. (Hons) University of Sydney
• Steven Bookoff (Shankara)
Chief Financial Officer
• Laurent Chappuis (Prasad)
Director
B.A. in finance from the University of Geneva,
Switzerland
• Lynda Dean (Sarada Devi)
Director HR
BA, Dip Asian Studies, Grad Dip Psych, (TBC)
• Krishan Guptaa
Global CEO & Managing Director
• Jack Ruane (Kamal).

• USDA - United States Department of Agriculture The USDA organic certification verifies that all United  States Department of Agriculture regulations, requirement  and specifications are adhered to. It covers a wide range  of detailed monitoring and control measures.
  
• GMP Good Manufacturing Practices SGS GMP certification verifies that all required  practices necessary for an effective food safety  program are being followed. ORGANIC INDIA Pvt. Ltd. meets the requirements of Codex Alimentarius Commission Guidelines, Recommended International Code of Practices, General Principles of Food Hygiene. CAC/RCP 1-1969 Rev. 3 (1997).
• HACCP Hazard Analysis & Critical Control Points HACCP based Food Safety Management System registration and certification verifies that World  Health Organization standards are met in the  management of food safety and hygiene. The HACCP based Food Safety Management System Registration  is based on the"Criteria for assessment of an operational HACCP system". It is an accredited registration scheme for assessing the operational status and performance of a HACCP based Food Safety Management System to ensure the safety of foodstuffs.
  
• SQF - Safe Quality Food  The SQF food quality management system consists of  the SQF 2000cm and SQF 1000cm Quality Codes that  include an HACCP (Hazard Analysis and Critical  Control Point) based food safety and quality risk  analysis and management system. The SQF 2000 cm  (Safe Quality Food) Quality Code is a HACCP based  food safety and quality risk management system that  covers the identification of food safety and quality risks, and the validation and monitoring of control measures.
• ISO 9001 : 2000  ISO Certification has become a most essential  pre- requisite, world over. There is no better guarantee  than ISO Certification in earning the buyer’s confidence  and recognition for a product, internationally. ISO  standards ensure vital features such as quality, ecology,  safety, economy, reliability, compatibility, inter-operability, effciency and effectiveness.
  
• EU Organic Certification  The EU organic logo guarantees that the product in question complies with the common European organic food standards. Consumers buying products bearing this logo can be confident that at least 95% of the product's ingredients have been organically produced, the product complies with the rules of the official inspection scheme, the product has come directly from the producer or preparer in a sealed package and that the product bears the name of the producer, the preparer or vendor and the name or code of the inspection body.
• NSOP India Organic Indian National Standards for Organic Production & India  Organic Logo is governed by APEDA, which provides  national standards for organic products through a National  Accreditation Policy and Programme.
• OU Kosher The OU logo indicates that a product may be consumed by all those who observe kosher dietary laws, as well as by many others who have special dietary requirements. Today, manufacturers and consumers alike view the logo as an independent verification of quality, integrity and purity.
• NOP Exportation of 18 Teas from Ecocert NOP Exportation of 04 Fiber Harmony- Organic Tri-active (Flavoured Psyllium) blends from Ecocert.

ORGANIC INDIA has been given exclusive rights to harvest crops from certified organic forests throughout the plains and mountains of central and northern India due to our excellent reputation for preserving and enriching the environment and our commitment to the well being and dignity of local farmers and tribal wild crafters.

From preservation of seed and enrichment of the soil, through cultivation, harvesting, manufacturing and packaging, all phases of our organic production process reflect our commitment to holistic quality and to socially and environmentally responsible business practices. All ORGANIC INDIA farmers are trained and educated in all aspects of sustainable organic and biodynamic farming methods, and are Certified Organic according to the highest standards by a 3rd party international agency.

We supply our farmers with the highest quality organic seed, work with them in naturally enriching the quality of the soil and supervise crop rotation to ensure a healthy biodiversity. We use harvesting and dehydration methods that protect the purity and insure optimal potency of the herbs and crops. We work directly with local tribal communities of wild crafters and provide training manuals and other materials to ensure appropriate handling of all crops and preservation of natural resources.

ORGANIC INDIA provides tens of thousands of farmers, tribal wild crafters and landless workers with jobs, dignity and ongoing sustainable income.

For ORGANIC INDIA tribal wild crafters in the mountains and forests, we provide education, training, supervision and organic certification in environmentally respectful, hygienic and sustainable methods for the procurement of a large variety of crops, herbs and fruits.

After preliminary local processing, our crops, herbs, fruits etc., are shipped to our primary manufacturing plant in Lucknow, where they undergo further identity verification and quality analysis before proceeding to final processing and packaging in our modern, state-of-the-art facilities. All stages of production adhere to the strictest international certification standards for hygiene and organic quality.

ORGANIC INDIA is committed to set new standards of quality, honesty and integrity in the Ayurvedic and Natural Foods industry. We are amongst the few herbal companies in India to receive SQF, HACCP, GMP, ISO 9001:2000 and Kosher certifications. We have organic certifications from Skal International and Ecocert International as per USDA, EU and NPOP organic production standards.

• Service to All
• Total Integrity
• Absolute Commitment to Quality
• Respect and Devotion to Mother Nature
• No Compromise on Being Who We Are

• To provide our customers worldwide with exceptional quality organic foods and health products.
• To introduce a unique and successful business modality that is committed to service, sanctity and integrity and therefore harms no one and benefits all.
• To support natural sustainable Organic Agriculture practices that serve, honor and protect Mother Nature.
• To support the livelihood and well-being of farmers and tribal wild crafters in rural India.

In India, the herb Tulsi also called holy basil (sometimes spelled "Tulasi") has been widely known for its health promoting and medicinal value for thousands of years. Commonly called sacred or holy basil, it is a principal herb of Ayurveda, the ancient traditional holistic health system of India. holy basil is known as "The Incomparable One", "The Mother Medicine of Nature", and "The Queen of Herbs".

Ayurveda, in Sanskrit , means "knowledge of life". Herbs lie at the very heart of Ayurvedic practice. Ayurvedic knowledge was born from the wisdom of the ancient rishis (sages and healers) and yogis (ascetics practicing yoga) of India, and was first passed on from healer to healer as an oral tradition for untold generations before the earliest known texts were written around 5000 BC. The Rigveda is the first documented scientific record of Ayurveda (Griffith, 1963). Rig means "in verses" and veda means "book of infinite knowledge". The Rigveda emphasizes the great importance of herbs for optimal health and well-being. The main verse ( sloka ) of this book states:

"The sun should be a giver of happiness, the sky should be a giver of happiness, all trees and plants should be givers of happiness. All these should give us peace of mind ( shanti ) and even the peace should give us peace".

The Ayurvedic approach is highly respectful towards all creation and sees the whole universe as one divine unity. Hinduism is generally viewed in the West as the main religion of India. However, it is not a religion in the ordinary sense; it is rather known as dharma , which in Sanskrit means "way of life". Hinduism is a way of being which respects the delicate balance between all forces of nature, especially the coexistence of humans and nature, and Ayurveda is the practical expression of this dharma. Ayurveda has evolved since its early beginnings into one of the most comprehensive and respected holistic approaches to health and well-being.

The knowledge of Ayurveda, first written down in the ancient Vedas, was further described 2000 years later (2700 to 600 BC ) in the Ayurvedic samhitas (textbooks). Especially important are those by Carak ( Carak Samhita , 1949) and Susrut ( Susrut Samhita , 1938) who documented the medical knowledge of their time with the help of their disciples.The Carak Samhita is primarily a book on medical therapeutics, describing herbal health tonics and rejuvenators for longevity and prevention of disease, as well as daily regimens for better living, including diet which varies for different body types and different diseases. The text integrates the art and science of living. It is impressive to see how much knowledge currently taught in modern sciences, such as botany, pharmacology, anatomy and physiology (including the circulation of blood and lymph), is described in detail in the Carak Samhita .

In reading these ancient scriptures, we become aware of the utmost importance of herbal medicine for maintaining well-being, preventing disease, restoring health and prolonging life. In such scriptures as
Vagbhata (Godbole et al., 1966), Nighantu Adarsha ( Vaidya, 1985), Agnipurana (Vedavyasa, 1966), Vishnupurana (Garg, 1982), Padmapurana ( Vedvyasa, 1960), Garudapurana (Vedavyasa, 1964; Shastri, 1968) and Tulsi Kavacham (Dymock et al ., 1893), written between 500 BC and 1200 AD, the plant Tulsi is continuously mentioned as one of the main pillars of herbal medicine. Early references describing Ayurvedic, Unani and folklore uses of Tulsi are noted by Dymock et al., (1893); Nadkarni, (1908-revised, 1982); Kirtikar and Basu, (1935); Varier, (1996); Sharma, (1999) and Chopra et al., (1996).

The word ayurveda has been coined by the conjunction of two Sanskrit words, “ayur” meaning life and “veda” meaning knowledge. The word together means the knowledge of life. In ayurveda the process of ayur is considered as a combined state of body, senses, psyche and soul.

Lord Brahma, the creator according to Hindu mythology created this earth in six days. It included plants, animals and natural resources. But as the time progressed there were lots of miseries on earth and people were suffering with so many diseases. Seeing this Brahma – the creator laid the foundation of ayurveda, which slowly descended to earth.

As Ayurveda has a divine origin, it is considered as holistic science that is blessed by God. Some of the various sages have contributed their whole life in spreading the magic of ayurveda in this world that is suffering from various ailments and sorrows. The main motto behind spreading this divine knowledge was to make people achieve the contended life essential for healthy and peaceful living.

Ayurveda is an ancient holistic system of medicine from India that understands health in terms of a constitutional model. Each of us manifests a mixture of each of the three constitutional energetic forces – or doshas. Its aim is to provide guidance regarding specially designed treatments, food and lifestyle so that health can be optimized and illness healed.

• ayurveda is not only treatment, it is a way of life
• has no side effects
• gives happy, healthy disease free long life
• makes you Tension Free
• relaxes mind
• provides knowledge about life
• tells about good and bad dietary effects to life
• tells the way for moksha, with keeping good health status
• helps to achieve - dharm, arth, kama, moksha

The days are toasty warm, evenings are cool and nights look forward to snuggle in winter bonfires. Such pleasant is the time of the year in Azamgarh, in India's northern State of Uttar Pradesh, when ORGANIC INDIA and its farmers celebrate Tulsi Mahotsava.

To any farmer, a crop is god and a harvest is celebration. Farmers across the world celebrate harvesting seasons in their own ways-be it the Grape Festival of Naples Valley, New York in September or Mango festivals in summers in India.

In the same manner, the Tulsi Mahotsava celebrates cultivation and harvesting of Tulsi. The Mahotsava has emerged as a newest of harvest festivals in the country. It became most cherished festivities on the calendar of the Tulsi farmers in Azamgarh since they began cultivating Tulsi.

This is the only Tulsi harvest festival anywhere in the world. Both--the cultivation of Tulsi as well as tradition of celebrating the Mahotsava-have been induced by the ORGANIC INDIA.

Tulsi Mahotsava is the celebration in honour of the revered Tulsi plant from which much of the work of ORGANIC INDIA stems. Even the Tulsi plant itself, known as the embodiment of Lord Vishnu--The Preserver, represents conscious and holistic sustainability.

Tulsi Mahotsava is all about paying our tribute to mother goddess Tulsi. We celebrate togetherness and growth, moving ahead towards the sustainable growth in farming, rewarding the devotion of our farmers, employees and associates, serving the Mother Earth devotionally and dedicatedly.

The story of organizing 'Tulsi Mahotsava' as an ORGANIC INDIA's annual event began in 2003. It simply is dedicated to motivate our farmers and share our annual success story with one and all. The tradition began in 2003 with a handful of dedicated farmers, employees and our associates from world over. Since then our 'Tulsi Mahotsava' has grabbed the attention of millions globally.

It is a gala ethnic event-with ethnic food, rural songs and dance in real rural ambience.

Tulsi Mahotsava is celebrated every year at the end of the Tulsi harvest at ORGANIC INDIA's state-of-the-art establishments amidst the lush green fields of thirteen Azamgarh villages under Tulsi cultivation. The small town is 320 kilometer from the state capital-Lucknow and well linked with the holy city--Varanasi (Kashi).

Tulsi cultivation has changed the lives of farmers of these thirteen villages Tulsi farmers for better. They now value organic agriculture. Their agricultural practices and lifestyles are in tandem with ORGANIC INDIA's philosophy of Conscious Sustainable Living.

The Farmers from across the length and breadth of India, our associates, guests from all over the world, board of directors and employees of Organic relish the festival.