Our Journey

Seeds of India has been been providing high quality seeds and plants mainly from the Indian Subcontinent for over twenty years. We have removed the headache that comes with the red tape of importing these regulated commodities to the United States. We have also learned a lot over the years about how to propagate exotic tropical plants in a non-tropical climate. But how did this family owned, quality focused company get its start? It all started with a son trying to help his father.

Ravi Prasad has been a passionate gardener for over 50 years. He, like many other new immigrants of the 1970's, was relegated to growing domestic varieties. As a young man he educated himself thoroughly in the world of botany, from nomenclature to technique and much more. For much of his life, this passion was merely a dedicated hobby.

Year after year, he would grow his own garden plot, and help his father with his plot. He would share produce with neighbors and encourage them to grow their own home gardens. He was eager to share freshly grown produce with others as he knew that its taste was unparalleled.  

While the Prasad family enjoyed growing domestic varieties, they yearned for the unique plant varieties from the Indian subcontinent.  By the 1990's, Ravi had cultivated a collection of house plants comprised of many of the live plant varieties we sell today. These were attained very inconsistently by the good favor of traveling relatives or other happenstance encounters. However, there was still no reliable source for Indian seeds or plants. Like many other nonresident Indians, he took what he could get; supply and expectation were low. Ravi was able to find Italian Cucuzza seeds one year. This was the closest he could get to growing Indian Lauki (Bottle gourd) . This satisfied him and his father for some time, but still there was a void. 

One season, Ravi's father asked him to try and find some true Indian Doodhi seeds. Ravi looked far and wide and could not find them at all in the United States. He was, however, able to connect with a seed breeder located in India. When he inquired about purchasing "one packet of Bottle gourd seeds", they laughed saying they only dealt in large quantities. It was through this conversation that Ravi realized he had an opportunity to bring these products to the United States. He realized, that he was not the only one seeking these precious items, and knew there was a whole community of nonresident Indian gardeners yearning to have access to the authentic plant species' that characterize Indian cuisine, traditional medicine, and religious practice. 

In September of 2001, Seeds of India was born when Ravi started a mail order business in the basement of his home.  While the initial catalog was barely 20 items, his focus was the same that it is now. He was focused on sourcing high quality seeds while cultivating and teaching a community of gardeners. This focus was founded deeply on a reverence for nature and a firm belief in its connection to wellness. He has passed this passion onto his son (Ravi Jr.) who now is continuing this legacy through the company and with his daughter. We are now 4 living generations of passionate gardeners that are committed to keeping these precious items available on both sides of the globe.

By retaining this focus, Seeds of India has grown to a catalog of 200+ items of seeds, live plants, and bulbs. We have curated a catalog that represents all regions of India, as well as some surrounding Asian countries, and more. The feedback of our gardening community has encouraged us to keep expanding our catalog. We are grateful for the community of gardeners that have grown with us over the years. We are happy to teach as well as learn in order to best serve our community. We have proudly become a trusted source for home gardeners across North America and other parts of the world. 

Due to Ravi's deep botanical knowledge and focus on quality, we have also become a trusted source for countless farmers in various countries. They rely on the quality of our high producing and vigorous varieties for their livelihood. When you walk through your local Indian grocery store, chances are you are walking passed produce grown from our varieties. We also continue to establish community garden partnerships in order to teach children about gardening as well as contribute to increasing access to wholesome, nutritious ingredients to underserved communities. 

While we have become a treasured resource for nonresident Indians, we have had the pleasure of sharing and celebrating our rich culture with countless communities. As industrialization continues in India, we find certain items become harder to source. This revelation has strengthened our conviction for sourcing sustainable seeds and propagating rarer live plants. We are proud of the last twenty years and are excited of what the next twenty years will bring!