Mushroom Farmer In Morni Sets An Example In Agricultural Entrepreneurship
Virendra Bajwan has taken to cultivating Ganoderma mushrooms that are high in medicinal properties
Published : November 23, 2025 at 2:33 PM IST
Panchkula: Over the last few decades, mushrooms have acquired the status of being a magical and medicinal edible commodity. An enterprising farmer in Badiyal village near Morni in Haryana has diverted from traditional farming to the cultivation of Ganoderma mushrooms. Besides enhancing his income, Virendra Bajwan is contributing towards making the lives of people disease-free while increasing their immunity.
Ganoderma mushrooms are also known as Lingzhi or Reishi mushrooms and have been used in traditional medicine for centuries. They grow on decaying wood and contain numerous nutrients, including antioxidants, vitamin D and protein.
Originally from Gohana, Bajwan received training from the Directorate of Mushroom Research at Solan in Himachal Pradesh. He received an incentive of Rs 15 lakh and specialised training under the ‘Safal Yojana’, a startup program offered by Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University at Hisar.
His enterprise of cultivating Ganoderma mushrooms has earned him a lot of fame in India as well as abroad.
He explained that special attention is paid to controlling temperatures during the process of cultivating the mushrooms. "Products made from the Ganoderma mushroom are considered beneficial for controlling sugar, cancer, inflammation, ulcers, bacterial infections and skin diseases," he disclosed.
This mushroom contains various compounds, including ganoderic acid, lucidinic acid, ganoleucidic acid, triterpenoids, triterpenes, polysaccharides, phenolic components, sterols and long-chain fatty acids. Each compound has its own unique properties in healing the body. Furthermore, Ganoderma contains a variety of vitamins, including A, B, C and D vitamins, besides being rich in potassium, phosphorus, calcium, and magnesium.
Over the last five years, he has expanded his enterprise with the help of his family members. His wife, Darshan Devi, son Harigyan and engineer daughter Swati also assist him in mushroom farming. The family is often referred to as the ‘Mushroom Family’.
He is currently listed among the leading farmers in the mushroom industry. He has cultivated high-value varieties like Ganoderma and Shiitake while launching them in the open market. In the process, he has become an inspiration for other farmers in Haryana.
He was honoured by Haryana Chief Minister Nayab Singh Saini on August 21, 2025, which is the Entrepreneurship Day. The Chaudhary Charan Singh Agricultural University in Hisar has honoured him as a ‘Progressive Farmer’ for developing and promoting value-added products from Ganoderma. He has received several accolades during the course of his journey.
Using vertical farming systems and modern technology, Bajwan has set an example by demonstrating that successful mushroom cultivation is possible even in ordinary homes, rooms and on terraces.
Bajwan aims to make all his products from ‘mushroom mycelium to mushroom medicine’ world-class and is ready to adopt new technologies to make them available to everyone.
He has launched a company, 'VMW Nutraceuticals’ and is using innovative techniques. He is producing entirely herbal products from Ganoderma, Shiitake, and Cordyceps. In addition to the energy booster Ganoderma coffee, he has also launched several other value-added products. He has built a successful startup from a small-scale business.
Bajwan has been appointed by the Haryana government as a non-official member of the Mushroom Promotion Committee. He has been assigned the responsibility of training 100,000 students in Ganoderma mushroom cultivation by visiting 190 state-run Industrial Training Institutes (ITIs).
He gives lectures on Ganoderma mushrooms in various universities and shares information about its medicinal properties with students involved in research activities. Till now, he has trained over 100,000 farmers and students in Haryana in mushroom cultivation. His daughter, Swati Bajwan, also delivers lectures at various universities and is involved in inspiring youngsters to pursue agricultural entrepreneurship.
Bajwan aims to export his products to 28 countries, for which he is completing the formalities. He is earning over Rs 100,000 per month by selling Ganoderma mushroom powder extract at a rate of Rs 21,000 per kg, besides other products.
He said, "This model proves that farmers can earn lakhs in profits from mushroom farming."
Read More
